The Battle Begins

May 18th, 2003

Argh! I’m frustrated, sick, torn, disgusted, and outraged. I’ve lived in my current “dwelling” for 3 years and from day *one* there has been a very serious issue with the sliding glass door in the living room area. The f-ing thing leaks, plain and simple. It leaks everytime it rains, sometimes moving as far as 2 feet on the carpet from the door. Are there any geniuses out there… what happens when water soaks carpeting for extended periods of time? Say 2 straight days of rain.

The answer: *mold*. Ah yes, that ever presence of mold is really starting to drive me mad. Mold is dangerous, causing health problems that can sometimes go undetected. So, since my lease is due in a couple of months, my apartment complex is attempting to have me re-sign the lease under their terms and conditions.

Well, since the problem *STILL* hasn’t been fixed after 3 years of constant nagging from myself and my wife, I’ve decided to write them a demand letter. I’ll spare you the babble but basically it states that if the problem isn’t fixed soon, I will not be re-signing my lease but will move to a month-to-month lease. But under their conditions, month-to-month imposes an extra $150 fee, which I will refuse to pay due to the mold problem.

Am I over-reacting? I think not! I have an almost 4 month old baby who’s been sick twice now and I wake up every morning with a running, snot infested nose, a classic sign of mold. I’m tired a lot, more than I use to be or should be. I haven’t been able to track it down but again, another classic sign of mold. Regardless of possible health issues I may have right now, “they can happen”:http://www.allergynursing.com/moldy/health_hazards.html. Plus a leaky door is just plain unacceptable.

I am a little worried however about the demand letter. What if they “screw” me more? What happens then… Do I get evicted and if so, where the hell am I going to live then? However, I do take some solace in knowing that “California law”:http://www.dca.ca.gov/legal/landlordbook/problems.htm#habit protects me in this case.

We shall see.

Entry Filed under: life