As a tenant, am I responsible for black mold treatment?« Back to Previous Page

Report this to your landlord immediately. Under standard Dubai rental contracts (EJARI), the landlord is typically responsible for addressing structural issues that cause dampness and the resultant mold growth. Your responsibility as a tenant is timely reporting and allowing access for repairs.

The black, fuzzy growth indicates an active moisture problem, likely a leak from a pipe in the slab above or compromised waterproofing on the roof. The high humidity is accelerating its spread but is not the primary cause. This requires professional diagnosis to locate and repair the water source; simply cleaning the visible mold is a temporary fix.

Request that the landlord sends a qualified inspector to identify the leak's origin. A proper remediation plan involves stopping the water intrusion, then addressing the contamination. For widespread black mold, remediation should follow IICRC standards, which include containment and HEPA filtration to prevent spores from spreading to other home areas during removal.

While you wait for a response, keep the area ventilated and avoid disturbing the mold, as this can release spores. Document the issue with photos and dated communications for your records. If the landlord is unresponsive, you can reference your EJARI contract and seek guidance from the Rental Dispute Center (RDC) in Dubai.