AND
AND ONE
AND ONE MAN CONTACTED US BECAUSE HE SAYS HIS LANDLORD
WILL NOT FIX THE MOLD GROWING
INSIDE HIS RENTAL HOME, WHICH
ALSO MADE US ASK A LOT OF
QUESTIONS, WHAT ARE THE LAWS
AND WHO IS MAKING SURE THEY ARE
ACTUALLY BEING FOLLOWED?
ARE WE ARE IN MALAGA TODAY, ONE
OF OUR VIEWERS HAS A COMPLAINT
ABOUT MOLD.
ABOUT MOLD. >> YOU CAN SEE BLACK MOLD
SPORES, GREEN AND BLACK MOLD
ALL THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE
KITCHEN.
KITCHEN.
KITCHEN. THERE'S NO PROTECTION FOR
PEOPLE LIKE ME AND I WANTED YOU
TO SEE WHAT YOU CAN DIG UP AND
FIND OUT.
FIND OUT.
FIND OUT. >> Reporter: WHICH HAPPENS TO
BE ONE OF THE MOST COMMON
COMPLAINTS IN WASHINGTON STATE,
THANK YOU FOR LETTING US BE IN
YOUR HOME, YOU ARE MOVING
TODAY.
TODAY.
TODAY. >>
TODAY. >> YES, I AM.
IT HAS BEEN PRETTY BAD, GOING
ON QUITE A FEW MONTHS AND I
HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE OWNER,
WHO HAPPENS TO LIVE RIGHT
BEHIND ME, AND ALSO KITS THAT
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT THAT
MANAGES THE PROPERTY, AND THIS
HAPPENED GENERATE 18, ABOUT 15
TO 20 EMAILS HAVE GONE OUT AND
NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE OTHER
THAN A TARP AS YOU CAN SEE ON
THE ROOF.
THE ROOF.
THE ROOF. NONE OF THE MOLD HAS BEEN TAKEN
CARE OF, I HAVE DONE A MOLD
TEST KIT, IT COMES BACK AS
PRETTY MUCH THE WORST OF THE
WORST.
WORST.
WORST. AND UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S
NOBODY, THERE ARE LAWS IN
PLACE, THERE'S NOBODY TO
ACTUALLY HELP YOU, THE RCW IS
THERE, THE COUNTY DOES NOT COME
OUT AND INSPECT FOR MOLD.
I CONTACTED THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL'S OFFICE AND THEY SAID
IT WAS A CIVIL MATTER, I HAD TO
RETAIN AN ATTORNEY.
>> Reporter: WHAT LAWS ARE IN
PLACE IF YOU'RE A RENTER?
GET TO KNOW THAT TENANT
LANDLORD LAW, THIS CASE IT
SHOULD PROTECT STEVE IF HE
CONTACTED THE LANDLORD IN
WRITING AND GAVE THEM 10 DAYS
TO RESPOND.
TO RESPOND. STEVE IS RIGHT, THE ONE
ROADBLOCK IS ENFORCEMENT, HIS
COUNTY ROADBLOCK, KITSAP COUNTY,
THEY DO NOT ENFORCE MOLD
REMOVAL.
REMOVAL.
REMOVAL. TELL ME ABOUT THIS JOURNAL YOU
HAVE TAKEN TO GET THEM TO FIX
THIS?
THIS?
THIS? >>
THIS? >> I TRIED THEM TO GET TO FIX
THINGS, ONE OF THE EXCUSES WAS
HE GOT SPRAY HE WANTED TO GET
BUT IT WOULD TAKE A FEW WEEKS
BECAUSE OF THE SNOW, A FEW DAYS
AFTER SNOW, I HAD MAIL.
ONE OF THE ITEMS HE WANTED TO
DO WAS COME IN IN TO OPEN THE
CEILING IN THE AIR DRY, I
THOUGHT THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY
UNBEARABLE FOR MOLD SPORES AND
MILDEW TO FLY AROUND, IT IS IN
EVERY ROOM, HE IS PAINTED OVER
ALMOST THE ENTIRE CEILING
HIDING IT FOR MANY YEARS.
THIS HAS TO GET WET, IT COMES
UP GREEN, IS GOOD.
AND YOU CAN SEE IT IS ALREADY
KIND OF TURNING.
>> Reporter: YOU CAN BUY MOLD
TEST KITS ONLINE AND THE
AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION ALSO
OFFERS FREE AIR-QUALITY TEST.
BUT UNDER THE LAW, YOU SHOULD
KNOW IF YOUR LANDLORD DOES NOT
FIX THE ISSUE, YOU CAN MOVE OUT
AND GET A PRORATED REFUND ON
YOUR RENT AS WELL AS YOUR
DEPOSIT.
DEPOSIT.
DEPOSIT. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE
ANYONE WHO MIGHT BE IN YOUR
SITUATION? I MEAN, WILL NOT
SOLVE YOUR PROBLEM TODAY,
UNFORTUNATELY, YOU'RE MOVING
OUT, YOU'RE SOLVING YOURSELF
YOU CAN HELP PEOPLE OUT THERE
THAT HAVE THE SAME ISSUE YOU
HAVE.
HAVE.
HAVE. >>
HAVE. >> HONESTLY, I CAN'T ANSWER
THAT.
THAT.
THAT. I
THAT. I DON'T KNOW, I WILL BE HONEST,
I'M VERY FORTUNATE WITH THE JOB
I HAVE, I CAN AFFORD TO FIND
ANOTHER HOME AND MOVE.
THERE'S NO REASON PEOPLE SHOULD
HAVE TO LIVE AND BREATHE IN
HOMES LIKE THIS WHEN THEY PAY
RENT, WE ALL WORK HARD FOR OUR
MONEY, THIS IS OUR PLACE OF
SOLACE, EVEN IF IT ISN'T OUR
OWN HOME.
OWN HOME.
OWN HOME. >> Reporter: IN ALL FAIRNESS,
WE DID CONTACT STEVE'S PROPERTY
MANAGEMENT COMPANY, THAT'S NOT
RETURNED OUR CALLS, I WILL BE
HAPPY TO TALK TO THEM.
LET THIS BE A LESSON FOR
EVERYONE, YOU DO HAVE RIGHTS,
GETTING THEM ADDRESSED OR
ENFORCED CAN CERTAINLY BE
DIFFICULT.
DIFFICULT. WE CONTACTED MULTIPLE COUNTIES,
I CONTACTED THE STATE, A LOT OF
AGENCIES AND ULTIMATELY, IF YOU
HAVE AN ISSUE, IF THE DOCUMENT
IT, KEEP THINGS IN WRITING AND
KNOW THE LAW IS BACKING YOU UP,
SO YOU MIGHT HAVE TO GET AN
ATTORNEY OR ARBITRATOR TO HELP
ENFORCE IT.
ENFORCE IT. WE DID PUT A LIST OF RESOURCES
TOGETHER, YOU CAN TEXT THE WORD
RENT TO 206-448-4545 AND WE
WILL KICK YOU BACK A LINK WITH
SOME YOU KNOW, REALLY GOOD LINKS
ESPECIALLY CONCERNING MOLD.
BUT ALSO WE HAVE THE LANDLORD
TENANT AGREEMENT IN THERE AS
WELL.
WELL.
WELL. HOPEFULLY, THAT HELPS.
I FEEL THAT WE COULD NOT HELP
STEVE IN THIS CASE BECAUSE HE
WAS ALREADY GONE, HE WILL
PROBABLY HAVE SOME LEGAL ISSUES
AHEAD OF HIM.
>> OUT OF THE MANAGEMENT
COMMITTEE KNOWS THE MANAGEMENT
COMPANY ACTUALLY TOLD THE
HOMEOWNER, THE LANDLORD?
>> I SAW AN EMAIL CHAIN.
THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF I DIDN'T
PUT IN FOR BREVITY, BUT YOU
KNOW --
KNOW --
KNOW -- >> THE REASON I ASK THAT,
SOMETIMES MANAGEMENT COMPANIES
CAN DO A POOR JOB COMMUNICATING
, OH NO, WILL NOT HANDLE IT AND
THEY NEVER TELL THE LANDLORD
AND