A Property Manager’s Guide To Getting Rid Of Mould in Rental Properties

Indoor exposure to mould causes coughing, wheezing, upper respiratory tract symptoms, and nasal stuffiness in healthy people, according to Health Canada. The effects of mould exposure are even worse for young children, seniors, those with weakened immune systems, and those facing other medical conditions, such as severe allergies, asthma and other respiratory conditions. In Canada, landlords are required to provide and maintain residential properties in a state that complies with the health and safety standards required by law. As a property manager, you should work together with the tenants get rid of mould quickly and permanently to keep them happy and healthy. This will avoid the risk of law suits raised by any tenants who prove that they were not responsible for a mould infestation that resulted in significant health problems. Luckily, there are many things you can do to ensure that your managed properties stay mould-free.

Take the necessary preventive measures

Preventing the growth of mould in your managed property is vital to the health of your tenants. To prevent a mould infestation, you need to keep an eye on the moisture and humidity levels in your managed properties. Since you can’t control what tenants do in their homes, you need to focus on things like keeping the common areas clean, making sure there are no leaks, and making sure that the plumbing system is always running perfectly.

Hire professional mould inspection services

In some cases, it is almost impossible to know when you have a mould problem in your managed properties, especially when it is in a hidden area or when the tenant fails to identify the problem. Mould takes about a week to grow and spread in an area where conditions are ideal. As such, it is important to hire a professional mould inspector once a month to inspect your managed properties thoroughly. Even when you can already see the mould, a mould inspection will help you know the extent of the problem and the steps that you should take to fix it. A mould inspection is typically conducted by a licensed inspector, who takes surface and air samples to a laboratory to get a clear understanding of the extent of the problem.

Hire professional mould remediation services

After the inspection, you will know the severity of the mould infestation and the best ways to deal with it. If you want to deal with the problem permanently, you should hire a professional mould remediation company to come in with their special tools and techniques that will ensure that mould is a thing of the past in your managed properties. In some cases, it’s possible to get rid of the mould in a few days without forcing the tenant to move. However, in others, tenants may be forced to seek alternative accommodation during the remediation process or even move out permanently when the infestation is too severe.

A mould infestation is dangerous to the health and safety of your tenants, and if you don’t deal with it early enough, it can also affect the structural integrity of the property. To be on the safe side, you should have all your managed properties inspected regularly for mould, and if you find any signs, you should hire a mould remediation expert to deal with the problem once and for all.

Written by Guest Blogger – Ali McGovern