Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Rhode Island

My father in law died while helping his landlord keep water from getting into his apartment ( an ongoing problem that the landlord never fixed) Father in law had a heart attack after.

the rental unit was filled with mold and had a smell that made your eyes water.. Landlord is now fixing to rent it out to another tenant. Is there a way that the landlord must be told to fix the terrible conditions instead of just putting a band aid over the problem?? I have been sick since coming back with respiratory problems, so I know it must be filled with mold spores in the apartment.

We just do not want other tenants go get ill.

Thank you for any help you can give us.


Asked on 4/19/10, 8:20 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Staff General Counsel LawyersCollaborative

You certainly can write a letter to the landlord specifying the conditions you feel are dangerous - while such a letter may not force the landlord to fix the problem, it may make him realize that if he does not fix the problem now, he will not later be able to claim that he was unaware of the problem.

The little information provided, though, also raise the question of whether or not landlord was negligent, that is, whether the landlord breached a duty owed to your father-in-law? And if so, whether or not that negligence may have caused or contributed to your father-in-laws death? Did the doctor expressly state that the heart attack was brought on by mold or other conditions int he apartment?

Bottom line: where loss of life is involved, it would be prudent to sit with an experienced lawyer for a no charge/no obligation consultation.

Condolences on your loss,

Scott J. Summer, Staff General Counsel

Note:� The above information does not constitute legal advice. Unless a written Collaborative Representation Agreement has been signed, neither LawyersCollaborative nor any of its Staff General Counsel is your legal representative.

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Answered on 4/27/10, 5:30 pm


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