Mold found by tenants

[Jen Breysler]

Hello, we are renting out a property in Oceanside for three years to the same tenants. After the unusual amount of rain this year, our tenants complained that there is a smell of mold and hired an inspection. The inspector said that the house is inhabitable as there is mold inside the walls. Our tenants have renters insurance, we have landlords insurance.

Can someone advice what are the next steps we should take? How do we correctly deal with this problem from the legal standpoint and just from the human standpoint? Thank you!

[Theresa Harris]

If the house is uninhabitable, talk to your insurance company.  Your tenants will need to find another place to live while remediation takes place.  Your insurance will cover the lost rent and once remediation is done, you can offer the original tenants the right of first refusal to move in.