Should I call my landlord or a cleaner for mold?« Back to Previous Page

Call your landlord first. Mold behind fixed furniture like a wardrobe is often a maintenance issue related to the building's envelope, ventilation, or a hidden leak, which they are responsible for investigating and fixing. The Dubai climate, with its high humidity and constant AC use, creates perfect conditions for condensation on cooler exterior walls, which is likely the source of your problem.

Do not hire a general cleaner. Standard cleaning methods can agitate the mold, releasing more spores and potentially worsening your children's coughing. A proper remediation requires containment, specialized HEPA filtration, and antimicrobial treatment to address the root cause and the visible growth.

Inform your landlord in writing, mentioning the potential health impact and requesting a professional mold inspection. A proper inspection, often involving moisture meters and sometimes air or surface sampling, will identify the exact moisture source—be it condensation, a pipe leak, or seepage. The remediation strategy depends entirely on this finding.

For health concerns with visible growth, a certified indoor environmental professional or a remediation company with a microbiology lab can provide the most definitive assessment. They differentiate between common allergenic molds and more problematic types and verify the cleanup's effectiveness with post-remediation testing, which is crucial for your family's peace of mind. The landlord should cover these costs if the issue is structural.