Mold: ‘I think it’s the landlord’s responsibility’
EUGENE, Ore. -- It’s not an aquarium, but renter Alyssa Martinez said her apartment on Ferry Alley in Eugene feels just as moist.
“There are times where my carpet was damp to the touch, and my mattress would be damp and my wall would be damp,” said Martinez in her apartment on Thursday. “And I didn’t know what was causing that. But once we saw the mold it was a tell-tale sign that something was wrong.”
Now, Martinez said her apartment is making her and her loved ones sick.
“I’ve had respiratory issues,” she said. “This morning, I’ve woken up with a swollen throat and eye issues. My boyfriend has experienced nose bleeds. And my dog can’t live here because she’s had so many respiratory issues.”
Martinez said she informed her landlord at Bell Realty Inc. on Monday, but the problem has not been fixed.
That’s when the sophomore at Lane Community College sat down with campus lawyer Marc Friedman.
“You can’t just sit on your rights,” said Friedman in his office on Thursday. “In any situation, you can’t sit on your rights.”
Friedman said he has a bit of advice for other tenants in Oregon dealing with mold in their homes.
First, he said to document and take pictures of anything you see. Next, contact your landlord, and do it in writing. And if you’re having medical issues you think are related to the mold infestation, see a doctor and keep all the records. Finally, he said renter should never wait to take action.
Bell Real Estate Inc. did not want to appear on camera, but did tell KVAL News about how they handle mold in the rental properties they manage.
Bell property manager Amanda Tuski said mold is a fact of life in Oregon. She said the best way to prevent the problems caused by the spores is proper ventilation and keeping the temperatures in their living spaces no lower than 65 degrees.
“I think it’s the landlord’s responsibility to care about the tenant enough to say we’ll get you out of this situation,” said Martinez, “and we’ll figure it out.”
Friedman said tenant s must prove that their landlord has failed to provide an adequate and habitable living space in order to win a case for damages in court.
The city of Eugene’s rental property program said landlords cannot be cited for mold growing in their properties unless the cause is identified as a heating, weatherization or structural problem within the home.
