Is landlord responsible for wardrobe mold from AC?« Back to Previous Page

Under Dubai law, the landlord is typically responsible for repairing issues related to the building's structure and essential services like the air conditioning system. Since the mold is behind a wardrobe on an external wall and you've noted a consistently damp feeling from the nearby AC, this strongly suggests an underlying moisture issue, such as a condensation leak from the AC drain line or water ingress from outside.

Your first step is to formally notify the landlord or property management company in writing, with clear photos. They are obligated to investigate and rectify the source of the moisture. The mold remediation itself is often part of that repair process, as simply cleaning the visible growth without fixing the water source is ineffective.

However, if the moisture problem is determined to be caused by tenant behavior—such as severely obstructing ventilation or failing to use the AC, which is essential for humidity control in Dubai—responsibility could shift. For a patch this significant, a professional inspection is crucial to diagnose the exact cause. A proper assessment will identify if it's a faulty AC unit, a leaking pipe, or a building envelope flaw, which determines financial responsibility. Until the root cause is fixed, the mold will almost certainly return, regardless of who cleans it.