STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

wicked · Coach

Help with soggy carpet

boobaby · Kate Spade

I would have a carpet cleaner come in. That's what your landlord should be doing, IMO.

thrillme · BCBG

I lived in a half underground apartment and I had the same thing happen to me. The landlord would not do anything about the moisture... so mold began to grow under the carpet and my roommate and I both got very sick because of it. It's not worth just waiting it out. I would have the landlord do something about it or move.

wicked · Coach

Can it be cleaned while it's still wet? In other words do the cleaners also absorb the moisture?

boobaby · Kate Spade

One of my relatives is a professional carpet cleaner. They have industrial wet-vacs that would suck the water right out. My car flooded once with disgusting sewer water after a street flood. He brought his van over to clean it and within an hour it was dry and no longer smelled. I don't know what he uses or how much it costs, but I could not have gotten that car cleaned without professional help.

Cortney1982 · Chanel

wicked wrote:

And on a side note I discovered my terra cotta flower pots in the kitchen were covered w/ that white cottonball-esque mold, what's up with that?

Two weeks ago our water heater in the garage was leaking and on the little cracks of the concrete and around the rug was that white cotton like mold! I don't know what kind that is but we got a new tank so we didn't have to see it develop more!

Anyways, I would move if you can. Since the water problem wasn't taken care of immediatly the carpet would probably need to be replaced since mold is already there. You don't want to get sick from that stuff.

wicked · Coach

I'm really disgusted! Now the sour smell has turned into a urine-like smell. My husband called the landlord yesterday, but I guess he's out of town for the weekend. We opened all the windows for ventilation.

Moving isn't something we're considering. we just moved here 3 mos ago and have a 1-year lease. Can you legally break your lease when something like this happens?

'cause seriously what's gonna happen the next time it rains heavily?

Also do you think just getting it professionally cleaned is enough to kill the mold or should the carpet be replaced?

My first words to the landlord will be "what are you doing to prevent this from happening again?!" grrrrrrhhh

Aurora · Marc Jacobs

wicked wrote:

Moving isn't something we're considering. we just moved here 3 mos ago and have a 1-year lease. Can you legally break your lease when something like this happens?

I would check with your city and state laws but I am pretty sure mold (some kinds are deadly) is an acceptable reason to move out of your apartment and break the lease without penalty.

Dizzy · Marc Jacobs

Re: breaking the lease... Um, unfortunately probably not, but it depends on where you live. I'm in a red state and you'd be on the hook for some money, although you'd probably eventually get out of it. Some states, especially in warmer climates or more liberal areas of the country, have mold laws on the books, though, so it depends. (Just a for instance: Here in Indiana, a friend of mine had water running down the walls of her apartment, every time it rained, it ruined her tv and stereo the first time it happened, and she was stuck for the whole lease - the apartment complex didn't even have to pay for her ruined things).

Based on your landlord's poor communication so far, I would get a lawyer pronto because breaking the lease could take a long time. Also, document all the times you have contacted your landlord, and all the times there have been problems.

Overall, though, your best bet in this situation is to try to sweet talk the landlord. DO NOT threaten to sue. You'll just get into a confrontation that might not go your way. Actually, do not threaten. The formula I use to melt landlords is 1) Notice that they work really hard. 2) Find out what his second job is and mention that one of your relatives did that too and it was hard work 3) Mention how hard you work 4) Ask what he needs from the apartment and get him to articulate his concerns about letting you break the lease (concerns usually focus on three areas: difficulties rerenting, it will stand empty during the repairs, and he doesn't want to return your deposit at this time because of cash flow crunches). Your biggest bargaining tool is the deposit. You'll probably want to just let him keep it in return for getting out of the lease (don't offer this, let him offer it, but subtly suggest it...)

If you're dealing with an apartment complex, though, they're just going to refer you to their lawyer who will never return your calls. So have a nice conversation with the property manager, ask them to consider what they can do for you, and if they stonewall you, hire a lawyer right away.

Good luck...

PS - when this happened to me, I lived in an apartment complex, so I went and basically sat in their offices, being sweet, and saying I'd just wait until i could talk to someone about the flooding. They fixed the holes, dried the wet spots with big blowers and cleaned the carpet pronto. It sounds like your landlord is weird though - he offered you his wet vac to clean up? Um, that's NOT how it works! It's HIS property...

-- Edited by Dizzy at 11:32, 2006-06-12

wicked · Coach

The idea of moving again so soon kind of overwhelms me...

I think my landlord is a f*cking bozo! So he just came over...he pulls up the part of the carpet where the water is most concentrated...removes the carpet pad... pulls the carpet back a little...props it up with paint cans...and runs a box fan underneath to "dry it out." Of course the fan use will show up on our electric bill.

Then when I mention "over here is where we say the mold blah, blah, blah" he says "oh I wouldn't worry about it." Gee thanks for being completely ignorant about mold's growth potential. I'm really mad that he was so dismissive of my concern.

And the sad thing is he's a contractor by trade, it seems like he knows nothing about how to fix or maintain a home.

By the way we're renting a condo.

And when I said "it smells like pee we need it professionally cleaned he's like "oh, we'll do that later." Don't the industrial carpet cleaners dry the carpet, yes?

And one last rant: Our apt is like a four room grid and the area where the moisture is, is smack in the middle of where the four rooms connect, so now when I want to go from any room to any other room I need to walk over a pile of carpet w/ paint cans underneath and make sure I dont trip.

Kelly · Hermes

This is insane! I'd be so mad at my landlord!

I don't know if you should necessarily move so soon - you just moved in! But if he's like this, you might want to consider moving at the end of the lease, even though that would be awful

I don't know what you can do, besides getting a dehumidifier or having a professional come in. You could call a carpet cleaners and ask what they know about sucking the water out, or who you could call do it. I know that would cost so much money, I can't believe that the landlord is being so dismissive! He's ruining his own property!

wicked · Coach

I just checked my lease and it says any damages due to fire/ other / casualty must be restored to their original condition within 30 days. If they aren't restored by the 30th day we then have 30 days to give notice and break the lease if we choose. We are going to consider moving now! I feel like we're living in a doghouse.

ETA: Thanks everyone for your support, I'm on the verge of tears 'cause i'm so stressed out and disgusted.

-- Edited by wicked at 12:14, 2006-06-12

esquiress · Marc Jacobs

that is HORRIBLE!!!!!! i think you should definitely move. if you don't and mold starts growing, it will not stop. all your furniture and your clothes (!) may have to be thrown out as a result. and aurora is right, some kinds of mold are toxic. i think you should move for your health as well as your peace of mind!

Dizzy · Marc Jacobs

wicked wrote:

I just checked my lease and it says any damages due to fire/ other / casualty must be restored to their original condition within 30 days. If they aren't restored by the 30th day we then have 30 days to give notice and break the lease if we choose. We are going to consider moving now! I feel like we're living in a doghouse.

ETA: Thanks everyone for your support, I'm on the verge of tears 'cause i'm so stressed out and disgusted.-- Edited by wicked at 12:14, 2006-06-12

That is an AWESOME clause - in my area most leases have provisions absolving the landlord of responsibility for damages, and in some cases requiring that the tenant pay regardless of fault! DON"T be stressed, well, you feel how you feel, but this is very, very lucky for you. Read the next lease carefully too! And good luck moving, I hate it too....

blubirde · Chanel

This happened to me at an old apartment. It flooded THREE times. It was awful. A carpet cleaning company should come out, pronto, and pull up all the carpet, suck up all the water, replace the padding, and clean the carpet. That's what they did for me and it was fine afterwards (all THREE times).

If the landlord fights you on it, move out and don't pay anymore rent. Let him take you to court. (I'm not sure this is sound advice but I'm sick and tired of landlords walking all over their tenants. You have the right to a habitable place to live and one with water standing is NOT acceptable.)

Aurora · Marc Jacobs

Ugh this situation just sounds horrible. Definetly contact a lawyer over your lease and see what your options are. I know I had to sign a mold clause when I rented this place. Mold is usually a very serious thing.

wicked · Coach

Darn it, I just typed a long response and lost it.

The landlord came by and cut out the bad piece of carpet(yeah, I could've told him he'd need to do that and that his half-assed tent thing wasn't going to work). Well he's still not giving us any time frame on when he plans on fixing it. Today he stopped by once on his lunch break and again on his way home.

It smells like the former tenant lived with a male cat if you get my drift and the odor is gag-tastic. My neighbor (we live in a six-unit condo) said our unit has been flooding every year in the five years that she's lived here! I know the landlord is not going to fix the root of the problem even if he repairs our apt.

The sort of good news is that I googled "Massachusetts+Legal Aid" and found a super helpful site loaded with info, it's also very empowering. I can call someone from the board of health to inspect it free of charge (who knew?). The site also lists all my rights and basically in exchange for rent the landlord must provide us with a habitable living space. Or I *think* I can fix it and deduct the expenses from my rent.

I want out though, cause I now this will happen again and ttara123- you are so right that he is ruining his own property, he really isn't that bright.

E for grammar

-- Edited by wicked at 22:24, 2006-06-12

erin · Chanel

ugh. your landlord sounds like a total douche. i hope you are able to move out and find a better place!

blubirde · Chanel

wicked wrote:

Darn it, I just typed a long response and lost it. The landlord came by and cut out the bad piece of carpet(yeah, I could've told him he'd need to do that and that his half-assed tent thing wasn't going to work). Well he's still not giving us any time frame on when he plans on fixing it. Today he stopped by once on his lunch break and again on his way home. It smells like the former tenant lived with a male cat if you get my drift and the odor is gag-tastic. My neighbor (we live in a six-unit condo) said our unit has been flooding every year in the five years that she's lived here! I know the landlord is not going to fix the root of the problem even if he repairs our apt. The sort of good news is that I googled "Massachusetts+Legal Aid" and found a super helpful site loaded with info, it's also very empowering. I can call someone from the board of health to inspect it free of charge (who knew?). The site also lists all my rights and basically in exchange for rent the landlord must provide us with a habitable living space. Or I *think* I can fix it and deduct the expenses from my rent. I want out though, cause I now this will happen again and ttara123- you are so right that he is ruining his own property, he really isn't that bright. E for grammar-- Edited by wicked at 22:24, 2006-06-12

Just be sure to do everything in writing and send it certified mail, just to be on the safe side.