Should I remove the mold myself or call the landlord?« Back to Previous Page

For a small patch (under 1 square meter) you can attempt removal yourself, but given the location behind furniture and the associated health symptoms, a professional assessment is strongly advised. The dampness indicates an active moisture source that must be fixed first.

Start by documenting everything: take clear photos and videos of the mold and the damp wall. This is crucial for communicating with your landlord. In Dubai, landlords are generally responsible for addressing structural issues causing dampness, like leaking pipes or inadequate external waterproofing, under the Dubai Rental Law.

For DIY on a small area: wear an N95 mask, gloves, and goggles. Move the wardrobe away. Clean the hard surface with a detergent solution, not bleach, as bleach doesn't kill the roots and can worsen airborne spores. The goal is to scrub the visible growth away. However, this only addresses the symptom. The underlying cause is the dampness, which is almost certainly due to the villa's construction and the high humidity, often from condensation where cold walls meet warm, moist air.

Given your children are coughing and the mold is behind a large piece of furniture (indicating a larger hidden problem), contacting your landlord is the recommended next step. Request a professional inspection and remediation. The remediation process should include identifying and rectifying the moisture source, proper containment to prevent spore spread during removal, and HEPA vacuuming. A post-remediation verification test, like a swab or air sample analyzed by a microbiology lab, is the only way to confirm the space is truly safe. Simply wiping it and moving the wardrobe back will lead to rapid regrowth.