One Las Vegas renter is warning others not to brush off serious housing issues after discovering hazardous mold in several parts of her apartment and struggling to get meaningful help.
Her experience also highlights how difficult it can be for tenants to compel action when unsafe conditions begin to affect their health.
Here's what to know
In April, Nicole Earle, a Las Vegas woman, said she found black mold while looking under her bathroom sink.
"I'm looking with my phone and I'm seeing this dark stuff and I don't know what it is," Earle told KTNV.
According to the outlet, the issue went far beyond that one spot. Earle told KTNV that mold showed up in both of her bathrooms, a hallway closet, and parts of the bedrooms. She also said that contacting her property manager at Parkway at Silverado Ranch did not lead to significant help.
Because of the potential for black mold to endanger her family's health, the discovery felt especially urgent. "My mom has end stage COPD, we've been living with it for a long time," Earle explained to KTNV.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
Help finally came when a remediation company confirmed, as KTNV reported, that the mold was hazardous. Earle told the outlet that she was later released from her lease without penalties, but she also said the ordeal still left her with major out-of-pocket costs.
More background
Mold exposure can be especially concerning in households, and even more so for people already with respiratory issues, making delays and uncertainty even more stressful.
Housing rules can also limit renters in other ways. Across the country, tenants have described landlords blocking practical, money-saving, or lifestyle-improving changes such as growing their own food in small gardens or hanging clotheslines to dry laundry, even when those steps could cut household expenses and reduce waste.
Far too often, landlords ignore serious health concerns to save on their properties.
Renters who find mold or another major repair issue should always document the issue, notify the landlord in writing, and allow the legally required repair window to pass. If your landlord shrugs you off after this, take legal action.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
