Is my landlord responsible for mold cleanup?« Back to Previous Page

Under Dubai rental law (Law No. 26 of 2007), your landlord is generally responsible for addressing the underlying cause of the mold if it stems from a structural or maintenance issue with the property itself. This includes problems like leaking pipes, faulty waterproofing, or inadequate ventilation from the building's AC system that leads to condensation.

Since you suspect AC condensation is the source, documenting the connection is key. The persistent high humidity here means AC units must drain properly; a blocked drain line or an oversized unit causing excess condensation is a maintenance issue. You should formally notify your landlord in writing, include photos of the mold and its location, and explicitly link it to a potential AC or building envelope fault. They are then obligated to investigate and fix the root cause.

For the mold cleanup itself, responsibility can be less clear-cut. If the remediation is directly tied to repairing their building defect, they should cover it. However, if the cause is deemed to be tenant-related (like lack of interior ventilation), the cost may fall to you.

Given that you have children with respiratory symptoms and the mold is actively spreading, do not attempt a large cleanup yourself. Disturbing it can aerosolize spores. A professional inspection is needed to identify the species, assess the extent behind the wall, and properly remediate it. This provides the documentation required to resolve the responsibility question with your landlord.