Urgent mold inspection in Dubai: landlord's responsibility?« Back to Previous Page

For a suspected health-impacting mold issue, contact a Dubai Municipality-approved environmental health or pest control company for an inspection. Many offer same-day or next-day emergency assessments. The inspection should include moisture mapping to find the source and air or surface sampling to identify the mold type, which is crucial when health symptoms are present.

In Dubai, the landlord is typically responsible for fixing the root cause of the mold if it stems from a structural or maintenance issue, such as a leaking pipe, faulty waterproofing, or a crack in the external wall allowing moisture ingress. Given its location on an exterior wall, this is highly likely a building envelope issue. Tenants are usually responsible for damage caused by their own negligence or failure to ventilate properly.

You must formally notify your landlord or property management company in writing immediately, detailing the issue and including photographs. They are obligated to address the source of the problem to ensure the property is habitable. For immediate health concerns, you can also file a complaint with the Rental Dispute Center (RDC) in Dubai. Do not attempt a major cleanup yourself; improper removal can aerosolize spores and worsen the problem. A professional remediation company can contain the area, safely remove the contaminated materials, and treat the space, but the landlord must first rectify the leak.