All along, we've heard too many complaints from tenants, rising rents, and stronger landlords......
But this time
A tenant in Sydney
A good lesson for the landlords
The landlord's negligence will be compensated to the tenant for $5,000
Here's the thing, the plaintiff female tenant has been renting a rental house in Sydney since July 2020 and lived there until April 2022. During her tenancy, she noticed that the ceiling of the house she lived in was getting darker and darker.
In March 2021, the female tenant discovered a water leak in her room, and after some inspection, it was found that the roof was broken, resulting in water leakage and ceiling damage. So she reported the situation to the agent, who relayed it to the landlord.
However, the landlord did not come to repair it immediately
The landlord's defense was that he contacted the insurance company to claim a claim after learning of the situation, but was denied. So, he's been looking for someone to get a quote for repairs.
Since the situation was reported in March 2021, no one has solved the roof leakage.
Moisture collects in the ceiling
Gradually, large patches of mildew are formed
All the way to the bedroom
Seeing that the ceiling of the bedroom had also begun to mold, but she couldn't wait for the landlord's repairs, the female tenant couldn't bear it anymore and had to find a new place to live.
For most people, it may be that they think they are unlucky and move out of this moldy place.
However, the female tenant decided to defend her rights with the law
She took the landlord to court
to fail to ensure that the house is in a "reasonable state of repair"
Filing of civil and administrative compensation
Ask the landlord for $15,000 in compensation
Make up for mental and financial losses and moving expenses
It is also requested that the rent for the period of water leakage in the house be waived
She told the court that her long-term exposure to mold infections had caused her to become miserable and uncomfortable, causing great inconvenience to her life and violating her personal health.
The court held that the bedroom was uninhabitable from the time the mold began to appear on the ceiling, and the root cause of the water ingress had not been repaired, and it was unlikely that the tenant would be able to carry out effective cleaning or remediation...... The landlord did breach a legal obligation by failing to maintain the residential property in a reasonable state of repair.
In light of these facts, the court ordered the landlord to pay $5,000 in damages to the tenant.
In Australia, the law is very clear about the rights of tenants and the obligations of landlords. The female tenant's successful rights protection has also taught both landlords and tenants a good lesson in the legal system.
On the other hand, in this incident, those molds that may appear in almost every household are indeed a major health killer in Australia!
Mold, the killer of immunity hiding around
Dr. Cameron Jones, a microbiologist, says mold in construction is a common problem and many homes are at risk!
Why does mildew grow?
First, structure: most houses have gaps between the walls and beams and columns, which are the weak points of thermal insulation and waterproofing, which will seep water in summer and cold in winter!
Second, construction: If the house is not tightly filled, there may be some cracks in the exterior wall, resulting in local water seepage, resulting in hair growth on the interior wall!
Third, decoration: the ingredients in some decoration materials, in a humid environment, enclose the moisture in the wall, thus producing mold.
Fourth, the residents themselves: due to the long-term lack of indoor air circulation, the indoor moisture is too large, which makes the home moldy.
When you find water stains or mildew spots in your home, don't let your guard down!
Because mold is overbearing!
Will quickly grow wildly on buildings that contain carbon sources or food!
Dr. Jones also said mold can cause asthma or pose a high risk to the respiratory system of people with allergies. Long-term exposure to mold may lead to chronic inflammatory syndrome in some people with poor immune systems!
It's not just mold spores that you need to worry about in the air, once mold is found in your home, then the whole home is at risk of toxicity!
In addition, a serious situation like the one in Ms Balhas's family could no longer have deteriorated to such a point by human carelessness alone. Rather, it is the damage that accumulates over the years!
Joel Townsend of Legal Aid Victoria says that every time something like mould in a house is encountered, the tenant blames the tenant, but apparently it should be reversed!
Those tenants are also victims!
Therefore, as a landlord, it is not only responsible for the health of tenants, but also a legal obligation to carefully check whether there is mold in your house.