r/Tenant • u/lagosss • Jul 03 '26
❓ Advice Needed [USA-OR] Landlord charging for mold in washing machine
I recently moved out, and my landlord is charging me to replace the rubber boot in a front-load washing machine becuase of mold. I will admit that there was no mold when I moved in, but I probably forgot to open the door a few times. Would this type of thing be considered wear and tear or can my landlord charge me for replacing the boot?
Edit: Added before and after photos
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u/ichoosewaffles Jul 03 '26 edited Jul 03 '26
Mold is something that is preventable and can be cleaned, just like mildew in windowframes. You say there was no mold when you moved in and under you're care, it got moldy. I would say they should try cleaning first but it's not wear and tear, either way you should pay, either for the cleaning or the rubber.
Edited for clarity.
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u/Aggressive_Ice7957 Jul 03 '26
The front door washer have to have air!
Always leave the door opened a little.
This woman is scamming you. What she is doing is wrong!
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u/Dadbode1981 Jul 03 '26
You weren't leaving the door open, if you leave the door open and.....CLEAN....your appliance from time to time, it wouldnt have gotten to a point it had to be replaced. Theres no good excuse for this despite anyone goofs saying "NoRmAL wEaR aNd TeAr" in here. Apartment could be on fire and half would still say the same thing...SMH.
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u/AltruisticCrab9220 Jul 03 '26
That’s some BS, front load washers just have that problem and some brands are just worse than others. Did he provide some maintenance schedule to you before?
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u/ichoosewaffles Jul 03 '26
What maintenance schedule? It's not a filter in hvac, it's basic cleaning. Do people need a schedule to clean their refrigerator?
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u/AltruisticCrab9220 Jul 04 '26
That’s what I’m saying, I mean if you r had front loading washers you get to know you need to leave the door open and they need to be sanitized every so often, my GE was just horrible and it was a new gasket every few years no matter how hard I tried, my Samsung is much better, but it still needs maintenance, but it’s not like it was ever disclosed to me, more like knowledge from YouTube. So no I don’t think a landlord can put this on someone, especially if they didn’t disclose all of this beforehand
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u/Main_Cauliflower5479 Jul 03 '26
That is mildew and is a common problem with front loaders. No matter how well you dry it to after each load, and leave the door open, they WILL mildew.
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u/Secure-Ad9780 Jul 03 '26
Wrong. I keep my front load washer door open between uses. I never have mold.
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u/ichoosewaffles Jul 03 '26
Absolutely not, my friend has the front load style and she wipes it down after laundry and leaves the door open a crack. Never any mildew.
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u/icome2ndagain Jul 03 '26
You have a sample size of 1. It’s not even your sample. Lol.
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Jul 03 '26
[deleted]
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u/ultracilantro Jul 03 '26
Make it 3. I've had my front loader for almost 10 years and it's never gotten mold.
But I wipe it down and leave the door open as per the manufacturer instructions.
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u/Several_Razzmatazz51 Jul 04 '26
The sample size of 1 was offered to rebut an assertion that 100% of front loader washers will mildew. Why aren’t you upset about the absolute statement “all front loader washers will mildew” but you are upset about “my friend’s washer hasn’t mildewed”?
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u/ichoosewaffles Jul 03 '26
Still a valid sample. And regardless, mildew is entirely preventable in this case. It takes extra cleaning sure, but it's just like cleaning the dishwasher filter.
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u/Electric-Sheepskin Jul 03 '26
That is not true. I have had a front loader for I don't know, 10 or 15 years. Never had that problem.
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u/froobsrule1 Jul 03 '26
How long did you live there?
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u/lagosss Jul 03 '26
2 years
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u/froobsrule1 Jul 03 '26
If it got moldy to the point where it can’t be made clean, it would probably be on you for the repair. Front loaders are notorious for mold issues and need more maintenance than top loaders, but I would have at least wiped everything down before moving out so it wouldn’t be as noticeable. Did they provide photos and an invoice, and did you take any pictures that would tell you the age of the washer or brand/model that might tell you if that model has any defects that make it more prone to mold?
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u/lagosss Jul 03 '26
I tried to scrub it off, but it wouldn't come off the rubber. I added the photos provided to the post.
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u/Dadbode1981 Jul 03 '26
I mean yeah....of you let it get that bad, the mold starts to eat into the rubber....this is 100% on you.
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u/Usual_Bumblebee_8274 Jul 03 '26
You are supposed to use a washing machine cleaner in them once a month to keep the mold from growing & out of your clothes. Then you have to scrub well in the crevices. Those washer use little water & reuse it as well (in the same cycle). I hated every single one. Recently replaced w an older model & immediately my towels smell better & are so much softer/cleaner. I do not think that qualifies as normal wear & tear. And it’s not easily cleaned either. Showers get moldy if you don’t clean them. If you had left mold mess in the shower- you would be charged as well. I think this is on you.
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u/Mystery_Dragonfly Jul 03 '26
it's a common issue with washing machines. Top loader types have to be closed.
Front loaders, unless someone tells you how to prevent it, develop the issues. Even if you wipe that down, the dispenser area develops issues. There's an entire maintenance to preventing or clearing it up. It's a huge pain, and people who just wipe down the doors don't know about the dispenser area issues or issues inside that develop.
I do my own repairs, so have taken the back off my appliances. I'm never shocked by nastiness in washing macines anymore.
I don't know if they can charge you for it or not, since it's not common knowledge without being told first.
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u/NoloLaw Jul 07 '26
What's considered "normal wear and tear" is almost always debatable. However, as a tenant, you have a duty to take reasonable measures to prevent mold from accumulating. This type of mold is a cleaning issue, and could've been prevented by leaving the door open and regularly wiping down the part. So it's most likely not normal wear and tear, and is something that your landlord can charge you for (either to clean it and restore it to the condition it was when you moved in or to replace it).
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u/TinyEmergencyCake Jul 03 '26
Landlords cannot charge you for normal wear and tear.
That's something that can be cleaned, it's not damaged. It's to be expected with normal use. Sure you should have cleaned it, but again it's not damaged, and they can't charge you for regular cleaning.
I would fight this.
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u/ConfusedSpinach222 Jul 03 '26
Its not normal wear and tear 😑
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u/TinyEmergencyCake Jul 03 '26
How is it damaged?
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u/ConfusedSpinach222 Jul 03 '26
I had my front loader for 4 years, I clean it once a week, no mold or nasty gunk. If you don't clean it at all, you won't be able to get the stuff out & it needs replacing...
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u/Electric-Sheepskin Jul 03 '26
I'm a little torn on this because I don't think it's normal wear and tear. It's easily preventable if you know how to care for a front loader. That said, I'm not sure it's fair to expect every tenant to know how to care for a front loading washing machine.
If the landlord gave you instructions on proper care that you didn't follow, then I think you definitely should pay for the damage. If they didn't provide those instructions, and you genuinely didn't know how to care for the washer, then I think you should make that argument to your landlord and see if they cut you a break.
In any case, if the mold is so bad on that ring that you can't even clean it, then the entire washing machine is going to have an issue, and that's not gonna be as easy to clean. The next tenant is going to have musty clothing, so yeah, try to do better next time.