How often should the carpets be changed? And, can they be changed upon request given extenuating circumstances such as contamination or infestation of some sort? My neighbor has lived in her apartment for 8 years and the landlord refuses to change her carpets. She is not certain whether the carpet was changed when she first leased the apartment. She has also found mold in her shoes. Other neighbors have had mold appear as well. What rights does she have?

Thanks in advance

How often should the carpets be changed? And, can they be changed upon request given extenuating circumstances such as contamination or infestation of some sort? My neighbor has lived in her apartment for 8 years and the landlord refuses to change her carpets. She is not certain whether the carpet was changed when she first leased the apartment. She has also found mold in her shoes. Other neighbors have had mold appear as well. What rights does she have?

Thanks in advance

I would call the local health department out there. You might have an issue where the landlord is responsible for putting everyone up in a sasfe place while the mold is getting cleaned up!

Laws differ from state to state.

I know of no regulations for how long before carpets should be replaced, but tenants are responsible for the cleaning and maintaining of their apartment. If your friend has been there for 8 years, then she should have maintained the carpet. Carpets lifetimes vary with the quality of the carpet, but 8 to 10 years is not unreasonable. She can push for a new carpet, but the landlord is also entitled to raise the rent to make up for the cost of new carpeting.

It looks to me that the mold is a larger problem, and if the carpets are infested with black mold, removal is the only option.

She has also found mold in her shoes. Other neighbors have had mold appear as well.

If the carpet is molding, there must be a leak somewhere. It sounds like there is a problem that is common with the entire building. Perhaps a backed up drain under the floors? I spent many years repairing that kind of problem. There must be a root cause for this.

Though there may be a problem with the carpet, the problem may be the tenant. Such as bathing and not preventing water from spilling onto the floor. I had a tenant that would wash dishes and constantly spilled water on the floor. Her solution was to place a rug over the area. When she left, I had to replace the area where she stood. along with the bathroom floor. It seems she had a general problem with water. Another possibility is that it has been raining often in their area and they are storing their wet shoes in a dark area. Then of coarse there may actually be a problem with a water leak. The landlord should take a look and determine for him/herself what the cause of the problem is, if any.

I agree. Mold can appear in the summer season here just by not using the air conditioner enough. I noticed the poster did not include what state or general location they are in.