Who is responsible for AC leak and mold cleanup in my rental?« Back to Previous Page

Under Dubai rental law (Law No. 26 of 2007), the landlord is generally responsible for maintaining the structural integrity of the property and its core systems, which includes the air conditioning unit and its associated piping. Since the AC leak is the source of the moisture causing the mold, the responsibility for repairing the leak and the resulting damage typically falls on the landlord.

You should formally notify your landlord or property management company in writing immediately, including clear photos of both the leak and the mold growth. For a documented case like this, a professional mold inspection is advisable to assess the full extent, as hidden growth inside the wall cavity is common in such scenarios. The high humidity in Dubai, combined with constant AC use, creates ideal conditions for mold to spread quickly from a persistent leak.

For the cleanup itself, the responsibility can depend on the cause. If the leak was due to a lack of maintenance you were responsible for (like not changing the filter), you might be liable. However, since you've noted the leak has been ongoing, it points to a system failure, which is the landlord's duty to rectify. They should arrange for both the AC repair and proper remediation of the mold, which involves fixing the moisture source, removing the contaminated materials, and cleaning the area—not just wiping the visible patch.

If the landlord is unresponsive, you can file a complaint with the Rental Dispute Settlement Center in Dubai. Given the potential health implications of black mold and the property damage it causes, they typically treat these cases with urgency.