Landlord responsible for bathroom mold and ventilation issue?« Back to Previous Page

We've lived in our Jumeirah Village Triangle apartment for a couple of years, and this past humid season, black mold started appearing in the grout between the tiles in our windowless bathroom. We run the exhaust fan, but it doesn't seem to help much. Is this something I should handle myself with cleaning, or is my landlord responsible for fixing the underlying ventilation issue?
Posted by Abdullah Al-Hamdi
Asked on March 27, 2026 11:36 pm
Based on the conditions you've described in your Jumeirah Village Triangle apartment, this is a classic case of mold growth driven by the UAE's high ambient humidity and inadequate moisture management in an enclosed space. A windowless bathroom is entirely dependent on its mechanical ventilation system to remove humid air. If the exhaust fan is running but not effectively evacuating moisture, the problem is likely insufficient extraction capacity or a blocked duct, leading to condensation and subsequent mold growth on organic materials like grout.

Under Dubai rental law (Law No. 26 of 2007), landlords are explicitly responsible for maintaining the property's structural integrity and essential systems, which includes functional ventilation. A faulty or inadequate exhaust system that fails to mitigate the extreme local humidity constitutes a defect the landlord must rectify. Your responsibility as a tenant is typically to report the issue promptly and maintain general cleanliness.

While surface mold on grout can sometimes be temporarily addressed with specialized cleaners, it will persistently return until the core ventilation issue is resolved. I strongly recommend a professional inspection. Our certified inspectors at Saniservice can conduct a comprehensive assessment, including moisture mapping and air quality testing, to definitively identify the moisture source and the performance failure of the ventilation system. This provides an objective, technical report that can be presented to your landlord to substantiate the request for repairs.

For a definitive diagnosis and to ensure your indoor air quality is safe, please contact our experts. Call 800-MOLDS (800-66537) or email hello@saniservice.com to schedule an inspection.
Posted by Sani Admin
Answered on March 30, 2026 8:28 am