Who is responsible for apartment closet mold: tenant or landlord?« Back to Previous Page

This is an excellent and very common issue we encounter in Dubai, especially in coastal areas like Marina. The high ambient humidity, combined with specific building and AC characteristics, often creates these isolated damp zones.

Legally, the responsibility typically falls on the landlord to provide and maintain a habitable property free from defects that cause issues like mold, as per the implied warranty of habitability in UAE rental law. This includes ensuring the property's central air conditioning system is functioning correctly to manage humidity levels. If the mold is a result of a structural issue, like water infiltration from a leaking pipe in the wall or faulty external waterproofing, that is unequivocally the landlord's responsibility to rectify.

However, tenant responsibility comes into play if the dampness is caused by their lifestyle (e.g., excessive drying of clothes indoors without ventilation) or a failure to use the provided AC system appropriately. Since your AC is always on, that likely isn't the cause.

The master bedroom closet is a classic problem area. The AC's cooled air often doesn't circulate well into closed closets, allowing warm, humid air from the outside to seep in and condense on the cooler surfaces inside, leading to mold. This is an HVAC design or maintenance issue.

My strong recommendation is to first formally notify your building management and landlord in writing.
Request a professional inspection to determine the root cause. They should check for:
• AC airflow and temperature differential at the closet location
• Proper sealing of the external wall and closet door
• Potential internal leaks

For a definitive assessment and remediation plan, our certified team can provide a thorough inspection. We use thermal imaging and moisture meters to pinpoint the exact source of the humidity and provide a legally valid report.

Call 800-MOLDS or email hello@saniservice.com to schedule an evaluation. Do not let this continue, as mold can spread quickly and affect your health and belongings.