So I live in Canada and I rent a duplex.

Now I have lived there for 13 months and there is now a fungus growing in the basement. My ex contacted the landlord about the issue by phone. Her response to this matter was "I am not suprised with all the moisture down there. I will deal with the matter when you guys move out." I then emailed her myself and told her there is now a second one growing beside her and that I would like her to get it inspected. I will also be going to city hall with this matter with the photos I have sent her as well. My daughter has been coughing alot lately and has been in the past the doctor said she is fine but I am going to bring this to his attention and see if that makes a difference. I then told her if she has any health problems I will be taking this matter into my own hands.

My neighbours also said they have what they think is black mold growing on the dividing wall. It keeps growing and she won't do anything about it either.

Does anyone have advice at all as to what I can legally do??

There are dangerous molds out there. The only way to know is to get the air tested in your place and that can cost.

Is there anyway you can get the area more dry? Bleach kills the mold and that is what the professionals use but if it continues to stay moist it will still come back.

Call Mike Holmes!

we had heavy flooding here 2 years ago and everyone was rushing out to buy bleach thinking that would kill the mold. It may make it worse. You need to do a little more research on what is used and what is safe to use.
http://homerenorepair.suite101.com/article.cfm/using_bleach_to_kill_mold_backfires

http://www.spore-tech.com/viewCategory.asp?idCategory=78

Thanks I emailed Mike Holmes.

He is the best.

Thanks SoliaryMan!!

You're in a tenuous situation. Are you on lease or month-to-month? If month-to-month, easiest solution would be to move rather than begin what would appear to be a long legal fight based on owner's response and lack of apparent interest in your health and safety. If this is the black mold, Stachybotrys (S. chartarum), you have the potential for a serious health problem(-s). We had it, along with Aspergillus (A. niger) - of which roughly 20 of its 185 species have been found to be causative agents for opportunistic infections in man - on virtually every surface after Katrina.

If you have a lease, you're 'protected' for its length and wouldn't have to move immediately, but with a lease, you're also entitled to what's generally known as 'peaceable possession' - which this certainly isn't, along with the right to a 'habitable dwelling'. These may (or not) exist in Canada - I don't know. Read your lease to see if these concepts are addressed.

Do NOT use bleach on S. charatum (Stachybotrys) ... it will not kill it and could make it worse. Here's a link you might find handy IF you have to 'go legal' ...

http://basementmoldremoval.com/basement-mold-mildew-remediation.htm

Good luck with this problem. I hope this hasn't affected your daughter's health because of the owner's lack of concern. If you have to 'go legal', go for the throat because of their disinterest in doing the right thing.

I never had to use it on wood and wouldn't consider using it on wood anyway.

It works great for cement walls in basements though and any other hard surface usually in basements.

Flame thrower should do the trick.

Bleach is neither SAFE nor ADVISABLE for use in remediation of toxic mold.

Thanks again!! I appreciate every little bit of help

Good luck with it ... I hope you nail his asss ...

her actually and I hope so too.

i wouldn't be concerned about it unless it starts whistling at you

I would fight it and make her fix it and pay any medical bills, isn't that what a landlord is for? She said she would fix it after you left...she can't do that!! She has to take care of the problem and get it solved right away. I guess the main question is, do you want to move out of there? Do you feel like you should take your child to the doctor? I would have all bills sent to her AND I would warn her before I went to the doctor. I would actually write her and letter and have it notarized that you will be talking your daughter to the doctor and you expect her to pay for it. At the top of the letter, put COPY and you keep the original one.
She should have to take care of things like this...she knows its there!! Good Luck

"Help I have a fungus growing in my basement"

No ideal how to fix your problem but ladies,
in a bar, using that line right there, would
definitely make the jerk stop hitting on you.

for me my utmost concern would be my child.. if you feel this is making your child ill.. i would worry about taking care of the childs welfare first.... nothing is worth any ones health especially your child. childs health vs.. lawsuit <or free rent> the choice is obvious to me...if you are on a lease and its not up yet and the place is inspected by the city and not feasible to live in so you may not end up owing rent.. then fine..but having your child stay there when its not safe is a whole new ball park to think about..they may deem you in court a unfit parent if you go that route... i would be looking for a new place to move whilst getting it checked out..

THATS NOT MOLD,,,ITS AN INVASION FROM JUPITUR...Their little tiny people just like us, but only under a microscope,,,,,,be careful,,,they love to take you when your sleeping and they LOVE to steal women with glasses,


Whatever YOU DO,,,PLEASE DON'T FEED THEM...they will NEVER stop coming here....

also i see that you smoke.. do you smoke in the house? or in the car with the child? i know this causes kids to cough as well...they can get an effect later on from that that they did not originally have. i know the hard way.. before they came out with the info on second hand smoke..