New York Tenant Says Landlord’s Washer Installation Flooded Room, Mold and Mushrooms Found in Basement
NEW YORK CITY — A shocking case of alleged landlord negligence has surfaced after a tenant reported his apartment was left waterlogged, mold-infested, and filled with mushrooms in the basement — all while his landlord attempted to blame him and even pursue eviction.
Mold and Mushrooms Discovered in May
The saga began in May, according to Reddit user IronMike34, who lives in the ground floor partition of a New York apartment.
One day, he heard a crack in the kitchen floor. When he checked the basement, he discovered that not only was the foundation rotting, but the mold problem had become so severe that mushrooms were sprouting.
The tenant said he notified the landlord about the issue, but instead of addressing the hazardous conditions, the landlord allegedly gaslit him and dismissed his concerns. Frustrated, the tenant began preparing to move out of the unsafe apartment.
Landlord hooked up a washer wrong upstairs, told me I should’ve had insurance
byu/IronMike34 inmildlyinfuriating
Botched Washer Setup Floods Apartment
The situation escalated in mid-September, when the landlord installed a washing machine in the upstairs unit.
According to the tenant, the washer was improperly set up, and soon after, water began leaking through the ceiling into his apartment, leaving his room drenched.
“All the furniture below and other stuff got wet,” he wrote.
He explained further:
“This room was full of boxes as we are moving due to black mold and lead paint. All my belongings got wet including a brand-new couch we bought for our new home. Landlord caught wind of that and is attempting to evict us before we leave. Same landlord that saw no issue with the foundation crumbling or the mushrooms growing in the basement.”
The tenant also said the landlord smugly blamed him for not carrying renters’ insurance, despite the flooding being caused by the landlord’s faulty installation
Landlord says there’s no issue here.
byu/IronMike34 inmildlyinfuriating
Landlord’s Response and Eviction Attempt
Instead of taking responsibility, the landlord allegedly attempted to evict the tenant before his planned move-out.
This came after weeks of complaints about black mold, lead paint, crumbling foundations, and mushrooms growing in the basement.
The tenant said the landlord’s neglect had already forced him to look for a new place, but the flooding incident and the attempted eviction added even more stress.
Tenant Exploring Legal Options
Now, Reddit user IronMike34 has stated he is exploring his legal options and may pursue reparations for the extensive property damage.
It is unclear whether the washer mishap was deliberate, but the timing — coinciding with the landlord’s eviction attempt — has raised suspicions.
Outrage Online
The post, shared to the Mildly Infuriating subreddit, quickly drew widespread attention, with many commenters saying the case was far beyond “mild” and instead “extremely infuriating.”
Users expressed concern about the tenant’s health risks due to black mold and lead paint, as well as frustration over the landlord’s behavior.
Among the comments:
- “Time for small claims court.”
- “Yep, this is negligence, pure and simple.”
- “All your insurance would do is to claim the money from the landlord. His insurance should pay because he made a stupid mistake.”
- “Tell him there’s no need because it’s his insurance which will be paying. Or him if he doesn’t have it.”
Comment
byu/IronMike34 from discussion
inmildlyinfuriating
Others were shocked by the landlord’s audacity in ignoring the dangerous rotting basement and allowing mold and fungus to spread unchecked.
Tenant Moving Out
Thankfully, the tenant confirmed he has already found another place and is well on his way out of the hazardous apartment and away from the landlord he described as “dangerous.”
For now, the legal outcome remains uncertain, but the story highlights the ongoing struggles of renters dealing with neglectful landlords, hazardous living conditions, and attempts at shifting blame.
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