Leopold dad takes real estate agency to VCAT to fix mould issue in rental bathroom

A Leopold family who has been living with mould growing in the bathroom of their rental property for as long as four years are taking their real estate agency to the state’s disputes umpire.

Mould growing behind the bathroom wall. Picture: Supplied

                          

A Leopold family has been living with mould growing in the bathroom of their rental property for as long as four years.

Joshua Sawyer, his wife and young kids moved into the home in 2020 but shortly after reported there was water damage near the shower and mould in the silicon to his property manager at Prime Real Estate.

“It’s only got worse over time,” he said.

“There is a bitter, foul odour in the bathroom and it’s a real earthy smell.”

Josh Sawyer in his Leopold bathroom that has been plagued with mould problems. Picture: Alison Wynd

Ms Sawyer said the property manager tried to get the issue fixed including resealing the shower and re-grouting the tiles but the mould continued to grow behind and on the wall.

He said a hole in the bathroom wall near the shower was plastered over last week but the mould, believed to be black mould, was not cut out.

A report completed in September, which Mr Sawyer paid for out of his own pocket, showed mould growing behind the shower wall.

“There is significant water damage to the walls,” the report stated.

“The moisture levels show in excess of 50 per cent moisture which would indicate that there is an ongoing water intrusion event occurring.

“The plaster is soft to touch and upon inspection where there is a hole in the wall, mould can clearly be observed.”

According to Tenants Victoria, rental providers have a legal duty to make sure the property meets basic minimum standards including being free from mould and damp.

It stated fixing mould caused by building structure was an urgent repair under rental laws.

“It’s frustrating (and) it’s horrible,” Mr Sawyer said.

Mould visibly growing near the shower. Picture: Supplied

He now fears for the health of his three children, including his son who has asthma.

“I want to know it’s safe for my kids,” he said.

“It’s not acceptable.”

Western Victoria Primary Health Network’s clinical spokeswoman Dr Anne Stephenson said mould could cause health problems as it products allergens and toxic substances.

“Inhaling spores or touching mould may cause allergic reactions in sensitive people,” she said.

“Moulds reproduce by means of tiny spores which are invisible to the naked eye and float through the air.”

Dr Stephenson said everyone’s health could be affected when exposed to mould, including those who had hypersensitivities such as asthma or were immunocompromised.

Mr Sawyer has been living in rental properties since 2016 and said he had never encountered an issue like this.

He is now taking Prime Real Estate to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal in an attempt to get the issue fixed.

A Prime Real Estate spokeswoman said the rental provider had attended to any maintenance requests reported by the renters at this property.

“We, on behalf of the rental provider, have also consulted Consumer Affairs Victoria and VCAT and reports have been made available for their information,” she said.

The content summaries were created with the assistance of AI technology, then edited and approved for publication by an editor.

Originally published as Leopold dad takes real estate agency to VCAT to fix mould issue in rental bathroom