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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>The purpose of the mold addendum I drafted is simple.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>It allows us to terminate a lease in the event there is a serious mold situation as we deal with many cases where the tenant refuses to vacate and the situation is a hazard to the tenant or the property. It protects all parties.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>It expands on the usual and common clause regarding termination due to severe damage, destruction, fire, flood, need for repairs, condemnation etc.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>No tenant should live in a situation where there is a serious hazard but some refuse to vacate or allow the remediation.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I will only recommend to my clients that the mold addendum termination is invoked in cases where a certified mold inspector determines that the mold is a true danger. Most mold is harmless. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>As for potential abuse, that is your department Leonard. The tenant has a remedy of the 7 Day rent withholding/termination. They can also call code enforcement, health department etc. Many tenants will try to use a small mold situation as a reason to not pay rent while “stewing” in what they claim is a mold infested apartment. Often serious mold situations are caused by the failure of the tenant to run the a/c in a reasonable manner, something we really cannot force a tenant to do.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>As for tenant performed mold tests purchased from Home Depot, these are a complete joke. Mold is a very complex issue. The reason you do not see more tort claims filed is that rarely can it be shown that the tenant has suffered health issues from the mold. The expression amongst attorneys in the earlier days that “mold is gold” is no more. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>As a struggling young attorney back in the day, my wife and I decided to forego getting our air conditioning fixed in our home for almost a year. We left the windows open and used the ceiling fans. The home suddenly blossomed with mold. Clothes were ruined, shoes ruined and mold was everywhere.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>The mold addendum is a useful tool for a landlord. I rarely see it abused nor would I take a case where I felt the landlord was abusing it. Quite often though, we see mold situations caused by the tenant’s failure to run the a/c at all or to excessively use the a/c to the point of causing condensation on windows which migrates to window frames, sills and walls causing mold growth which often goes unreported until the situation becomes severe. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Harry<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>LAW OFFICES OF <br>HEIST, WEISSE, & WOLK P.A.<br>PH: 1 800 253 8428<br>FAX: 1 800 367 9038<br>"Serving the Property Management Professional"<br>Website: <a href="http://www.evict.com/">www.evict.com</a> <br>Email: <a href="mailto:harry@evict.com">harry@evict.com</a></span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>THIS E-MAIL MESSAGE IS CONFIDENTIAL, ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGED, AND INTENDED FOR THE PERSONS NAMED ABOVE ONLY. ALL OTHER USE, COPYING, OR DISTRIBUTION IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> landten-bounces@lists.flabarrpptl.org [mailto:landten-bounces@lists.flabarrpptl.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Leonard Cabral<br><b>Sent:</b> Monday, February 23, 2015 7:45 PM<br><b>To:</b> RPPTL Landlord Tenant Committee<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [RPPTL LandTen] Mold Addendums<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Todd:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>First, who is complaining about the mold?? If it is the tenant I look to see if the landlord knew of the mold before the apartment is rented. If the tenant is complaining usually what I get for the tenant is some $$ to move (amount depends on how long they lived there and if the landlord knew of the mold before renting). I also have my client do a mold test which I would have a landlord do if they wanted to move a tenant out for mold. If the landlord wants the tenant out and uses mold as the reason I think I could make a compelling argument that the mold addendum is against public policy by using HUD’s Quality Housing Standards. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Leonard P. Cabral, Esq.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><a href="mailto:Leonardcabral@lenslaw.com">Leonardcabral@lenslaw.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> landten-bounces@lists.flabarrpptl.org [mailto:landten-bounces@lists.flabarrpptl.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Todd Allen<br><b>Sent:</b> Monday, February 23, 2015 4:34 PM<br><b>To:</b> RPPTL Landlord Tenant Committee<br><b>Subject:</b> [RPPTL LandTen] Mold Addendums<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Has anyone litigated a mold addendum that gives the landlord the ability to terminate the lease for the presence of mold (in the opinion of the landlord)? Interested in hearing if anyone thinks this violates public policy.<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=250 style='width:187.5pt'><tr style='height:22.5pt'><td valign=top style='border:none;border-bottom:solid #E3E3E3 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:22.5pt'><div><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:21.0pt'><b><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans";color:#295B7A'>Todd B. Allen, Esq.</span></b><b><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans";color:darkgray'> | </span></b><b><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans";color:#8AB4D0'>Attorney</span></b><b><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans";color:darkgray'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div></td></tr></table><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;orphans: auto;text-align:start;widows: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;word-spacing:0px'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans";color:#4082AD'><a href="mailto:Todd@LindsayAllenLaw.com"><span style='color:#4082AD'>Todd@LindsayAllenLaw.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;orphans: auto;text-align:start;widows: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;word-spacing:0px'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans";color:#4082AD'>13180 Livingston Rd, Suite 201<br>Naples, FL 34109<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=275 style='width:206.25pt;orphans: auto;widows: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;word-spacing:0px'><tr><td width=72 style='width:.75in;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Times","serif"'><a href="https://www.facebook.com/LindsayAllenLaw"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=27 height=28 id=FE4A57AE-E387-4A70-A0C5-098574CDC725 src="cid:image001.jpg@01D04FA8.D2D0BE60"></span></a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/LindsayAllenLaw"><span style='color:black'> </span></a><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/attorneytoddallen"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=28 height=28 id=CBEA8A4F-AEA3-490C-A533-077FA170F4EB src="cid:image002.jpg@01D04FA8.D2D0BE60"></span></a><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/attorneytoddallen"><br></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=275 style='width:206.25pt'><tr><td width=72 valign=top style='width:.75in;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans";color:#0A537D'><br>[office]<br>[mobile]<br>[fax]<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></td><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans";color:#0A537D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans";color:#0A537D'>239.593.7900<br>239.300.3506<br>239.593.7909<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></td></tr></table><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans";color:#4082AD'><a href="http://www.lindsayallenlaw.com/"><span style='color:#4082AD'>www.LindsayAllenLaw.com</span></a><br><a href="http://www.www.lindsayallenlaw.com/"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=156 height=38 id="_x0038_4DAC440-5380-4DBE-A238-896294189A3D" src="cid:image003.jpg@01D04FA8.D2D0BE60"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></td></tr></table></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div></body></html>