Black mold in Dubai villa: health risk and who to call?« Back to Previous Page

The black mould and your husband's symptoms are very likely connected. Mould releases spores that are a common indoor allergen, causing exactly the kind of nasal congestion and itchy eyes you've described. The dampness you feel confirms an active moisture source, which is the root cause.

In Dubai's climate, this is a frequent issue. Constant air conditioning can cause condensation on cooler walls, especially in poorly ventilated spaces like closets on exterior walls. This trapped moisture creates the perfect environment for mould to grow.

For a villa, your first call should be to your landlord or property management company. Under typical Dubai rental regulations, structural issues leading to dampness (like a leaking pipe in the wall, faulty external waterproofing, or inadequate insulation) are the landlord's responsibility to investigate and fix. Simply cleaning the visible mould without addressing the hidden moisture source will result in it returning quickly.

Describe the damp patch and the symptoms to them and request a professional inspection to find the water source. For the actual remediation, you or the landlord should hire a specialist in mould inspection and remediation, not a general cleaning company. A proper company will do more than wipe it away; they use moisture meters to find the full extent of the problem, contain the area to prevent spore spread, safely remove contaminated materials, and use HEPA filtration to clean the air. The goal is to fix the leak and remove the mould, not just disinfect it.

Until it's handled, keep the closet door open for ventilation and consider moving the suitcases to prevent further contamination. Cleaning the visible mould yourself with a diluted vinegar solution can offer temporary relief, but it is not a permanent solution without the underlying leak being repaired.