AC mold under carpet: call landlord or cleaning service?« Back to Previous Page

Call your landlord first. In Dubai, landlords are generally responsible for maintaining the AC system and addressing leaks that cause property damage, including mold. Document the leak and mold with photos and send a written notification to them immediately.

Do not attempt to clean significant black mold under a carpet yourself. Disturbing it can release a high concentration of spores into your air. The priority is stopping the AC leak completely—this is a mechanical repair that must be handled first. Until the moisture source is fixed, mold will return regardless of cleaning.

Given Dubai's high humidity and that the mold is hidden under carpet, a professional inspection is strongly recommended to assess the full extent. Mold can spread into the subfloor and padding, which is not visible. A proper assessment involves moisture meters and, if necessary, air or surface sampling to identify the species and guide the remediation plan.

For a situation like this, you would typically call a mold inspection and testing company first to document the issue and its cause with a scientific report. This report is valuable for your landlord to understand the severity and for any remediation company to scope the work correctly. Remediation should only begin after the AC leak is repaired.