I rent my house that I am living in. I noticed about 2 months ago that my bathroom was a little damp. I didnt mention it to my landlord as I figured that it might be from the kids. I didnt see it as a issue and also didnt want to make my landlord pay for fixing. Two months later a neighbor of mine says there is mold on the walls of the bathroom which i just didnt notice. The mold man says the cost of repair can be over $1,000 dollars. Who is responsible for this? I dont know anything about mold and the such, and on the other hand my landlord says why didnt I mention it to him about dampness right away> what is the halacha here? Thanks.
Answer:
It is the landlord’s responsibility to repair the wall.
Sources: Anything that is an integral part of the home, and requires a professional to mend, is the responsibility of the landlord to fix (Shulchan Aruch, Choshen Mishpat 314). The fact that you didn’t notice the mold doesn’t make you responsible for it.
