<html><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;font-size:14px"><div><span></span></div><div></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424777992153_4397" dir="ltr">I actually defended a mold claim recently that was filed by a former tenant and the landlord had used Harry's Mold Addendum and it held up very well. In fact, I represented the property manager and the plaintiff didn't collect anything from my client at all. The landlord's ins. co. paid out a small nuisance settlement just to avoid trial, but it definitely wasn't worth the plaintiff's attorney's time. My client followed all the procedures set out in the Addendum by terminating the lease and renting a hotel, but like Harry said, oddly the tenant refused to move out for a couple of months. Hmm, makes you wonder if he was looking for a lawsuit. In any event, the Mold Addendum served both the owner and PM very well as a defense. And if anyone has ever taken the depo of a mold expert, you'll understand why there are very few actual lawsuits filed for mold injuries - (1) proving causation is almost impossible; (2) proving that mold is actually toxic is almost impossible; (3) there's no proven permanent injury from exposure, the symptoms usually alleviate within a few days of moving away from the mold exposure; and (4) most of the time a tenant is just looking for free rent and will refuse to move out for quite a long time, so there's a contributory negligence issue.</div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424777992153_5025" dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr">Cary</div><div class="signature" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424777992153_5028"><div><font color="#0000ff" face="bookman old style, new york, times, serif" size="2"><strong>Law Offices of Cary P. Sabol</strong></font><div><font face="bookman old style, new york, times, serif"><strong><font color="#0000ff" size="2">P.O. Box 15981 | West Palm Beach | Florida | 33416 </font></strong></font></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424777992153_5027"><font id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424777992153_5030" color="#0000ff" face="bookman old style, new york, times, serif" size="2"><strong id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424777992153_5029">Phone: (561) 281-2744</strong></font><font id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424777992153_5033" color="#0000ff" size="2"><strong id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424777992153_5032"> <hr id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424777992153_5031"></strong></font></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424777992153_5034"><font id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424777992153_5041" size="1"><font id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424777992153_5040" color="#0000ff"><font id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424777992153_5039" face="times new roman, new york, times, serif"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424777992153_5038" style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;'><font id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424777992153_5037" size="1"><font id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424777992153_5036" face="times new roman, new york, times, serif"><font id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424777992153_5035" color="#0000ff"><u>IRS Circular 230 Notice</u>: Pursuant to recently enacted U.S. Treasury Department Regulations, we are now required to advise you that, unless otherwise expressly indicated, any federal tax advice expressed above was neither written nor intended by the sender or this firm to be used and cannot be used by </font><font id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424777992153_5042" color="#0000ff">any taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed under U.S. tax law. 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Thank you for your cooperation.</font></font></font></span></div></div></div></font><div><div><div class="MsoNormal"></div></div></div></div><br> <div style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> <div style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> <div dir="ltr"> <hr size="1"> <font face="Arial" size="2"> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">From:</span></b> Harry Heist <harry@evict.com><br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b> 'RPPTL Landlord Tenant Committee' <landten@lists.flabarrpptl.org> <br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b> Monday, February 23, 2015 9:42 PM<br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b> Re: [RPPTL LandTen] Mold Addendumswish to abuse the<br> </font> </div> <div class="y_msg_container"><br><div id="yiv2784205655"><style><!--
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--></style><div><div class="yiv2784205655WordSection1"><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'>The purpose of the mold addendum I drafted is simple.</span></div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'> </span></div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'>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.</span></div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'> </span></div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'>It expands on the usual and common clause regarding termination due to severe damage, destruction, fire, flood, need for repairs, condemnation etc.</span></div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'> </span></div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'>No tenant should live in a situation where there is a serious hazard but some refuse to vacate or allow the remediation.</span></div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'> </span></div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'>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. </span></div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'> </span></div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'>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.</span></div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'> </span></div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'>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. </span></div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'> </span></div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'>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.</span></div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'> </span></div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'>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. </span></div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'> </span></div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'>Harry</span></div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'> </span></div><div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><b><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'>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/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.evict.com</a> <br>Email: <a href="mailto:harry@evict.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:harry@evict.com">harry@evict.com</a></span></b><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'></span></div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;'>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='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'></span></div></div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'> </span></div><div><div style="border-width: 1pt medium medium; border-style: solid none none; border-color: rgb(181, 196, 223) currentColor currentColor; padding: 3pt 0in 0in; border-image: none;"><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><b><span style='font-family: "Tahoma", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'>From:</span></b><span style='font-family: "Tahoma", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'> 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</span></div></div></div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"> </div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'>Todd:</span></div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'>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. </span></div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'> </span></div><div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'>Leonard P. Cabral, Esq.</span></div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'><a href="mailto:Leonardcabral@lenslaw.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:Leonardcabral@lenslaw.com">Leonardcabral@lenslaw.com</a></span></div></div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;'> </span></div><div><div style="border-width: 1pt medium medium; border-style: solid none none; border-color: rgb(181, 196, 223) currentColor currentColor; padding: 3pt 0in 0in; border-image: none;"><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><b><span style='font-family: "Tahoma", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'>From:</span></b><span style='font-family: "Tahoma", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'> 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</span></div></div></div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"> </div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal">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.</div><div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"> </div><div><div><table width="250" class="yiv2784205655MsoNormalTable" style="width: 187.5pt;" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody><tr style="height: 22.5pt;"><td valign="top" style="border-width: medium medium 1pt; border-style: none none solid; border-color: currentColor currentColor rgb(227, 227, 227); padding: 0in; border-image: none; height: 22.5pt;"><div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal" style="line-height: 21pt;"><b><span style='color: rgb(41, 91, 122); font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 13.5pt;'>Todd B. Allen, Esq.</span></b><b><span style='color: darkgray; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 13.5pt;'> | </span></b><b><span style='color: rgb(138, 180, 208); font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 11.5pt;'>Attorney</span></b><b><span style='color: darkgray; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 13.5pt;'></span></b></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style='color: rgb(64, 130, 173); font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10pt;'><a href="mailto:Todd@LindsayAllenLaw.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:Todd@LindsayAllenLaw.com"><span style="color: rgb(64, 130, 173);">Todd@LindsayAllenLaw.com</span></a></span></b></div><div style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style='color: rgb(64, 130, 173); font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10pt;'>13180 Livingston Rd, Suite 201<br>Naples, FL 34109</span></b></div><table width="275" class="yiv2784205655MsoNormalTable" style="width: 206.25pt; word-spacing: 0px;" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody><tr><td width="72" style="padding: 0in; width: 0.75in;"><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='font-family: "Times", "serif";'><a href="https://www.facebook.com/LindsayAllenLaw" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><img width="27" height="28" id="yiv2784205655FE4A57AE-E387-4A70-A0C5-098574CDC725" src="cid:TwMYOmvhqOqHWhYesyOm" border="0" data-id="e080881f-0194-c6f4-189b-980b9dd555f3"></span></a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/LindsayAllenLaw" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="color: black;"> </span></a><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/attorneytoddallen" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><img width="28" height="28" id="yiv2784205655CBEA8A4F-AEA3-490C-A533-077FA170F4EB" src="cid:6ixbLDr2bg0lF8hmQK7C" border="0" data-id="61987e80-2398-2acb-59c8-3f8a1c91ba44"></span></a><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/attorneytoddallen" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><br></a></span></div><table width="275" class="yiv2784205655MsoNormalTable" style="width: 206.25pt;" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody><tr><td width="72" valign="top" style="padding: 0in; width: 0.75in;"><div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(10, 83, 125); font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10pt;'><br>[office]<br>[mobile]<br>[fax]</span></div></div></td><td valign="top" style="padding: 0in;"><div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(10, 83, 125); font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></div></div><div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"><span style='color: rgb(10, 83, 125); font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10pt;'>239.593.7900<br>239.300.3506<br>239.593.7909</span></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in;"><b><span style='color: rgb(64, 130, 173); font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10pt;'><a href="http://www.lindsayallenlaw.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="color: rgb(64, 130, 173);">www.LindsayAllenLaw.com</span></a><br><a href="http://www.www.lindsayallenlaw.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><img width="156" height="38" id="yiv2784205655_x0038_4DAC440-5380-4DBE-A238-896294189A3D" src="cid:TmOpKhVc7VE6xlUTRToH" border="0" data-id="8ae7947c-4d12-1e6c-8e58-761c4cd6194e"></span></a></span></b></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><div class="yiv2784205655MsoNormal"> </div></div></div></div></div><br>_______________________________________________<br>landten mailing list<br><a href="mailto:landten@lists.flabarrpptl.org" ymailto="mailto:landten@lists.flabarrpptl.org">landten@lists.flabarrpptl.org</a><br><a href="http://mailman.fsr.com/mailman/listinfo/landten" target="_blank">http://mailman.fsr.com/mailman/listinfo/landten</a><br><br></div> </div> </div> </div></body></html>