MOLD IN RENTAL DWELLING UNITS

St. Louis Revised Code tit. 25, ch. 25.82

in effect

St. Louis Revised Code § 25.82.010 Definitions.

25.82.010 - Definitions. Code Official as used in this chapter means the Building Commissioner or a duly authorized representative. Common area means a portion of a multiple-family dwelling that is not within a rental dwelling unit and that is regularly used by occupants for access to and egress from any rental dwelling unit within such multiple-family dwelling, as well as commonly used areas such as a laundry room. Mold means a fungal growth on an indoor surface, indoor building structure, or ventilation system, often caused by flooding, leaky roofs, poor building maintenance, or indoor plumbing problems. The term "mold" shall include any visible mold or any mold that a Code Official reasonably suspects to exist based on indicators such as odor, mold testing, underlying conditions conducive to mold growth, or other relevant factors. Owner as used in this chapter means any individual or entity that owns, master leases, manages, or otherwise directly or indirectly controls one (1) or more rental dwelling units located in the City of St. Louis, and any agent of such an individual or entity that makes tenancy decisions. Remediation or remediate means measures to eradicate mold through cleaning and eliminating root causes of mold, including but not limited to the guidelines created by the Health Department pursuant to Section 25.82.040. Rental dwelling unit as used in this chapter means a dwelling unit as defined in Section 25.56.020 that is being held out or being offered for rent or is being let for rent and/or occupied by any person who is not the owner of the premises. (Ord. No. 71946, § 1, 12-30-2024.)

St. Louis Revised Code § 25.82.020 Owner's responsibility to prevent and remediate mold.

25.82.020 - Owner's responsibility to prevent and remediate mold. The existence of mold in any rental dwelling unit is hereby declared to constitute a condition dangerous to health. Except for the responsibilities of tenants set forth in Section 25.82.030, an owner of a rental dwelling unit shall keep the premises free from mold, shall prevent the reasonably foreseeable occurrence mold, and shall expeditiously remediate mold. (Ord. No. 71946, § 2, 12-30-2024.)

St. Louis Revised Code § 25.82.030 Tenant's responsibility to prevent and report mold.

25.82.030 - Tenant's responsibility to prevent and report mold. Tenants should routinely clean those areas of the rental dwelling unit that are always susceptible to mold growth, including bathrooms, especially shower stalls, bathroom tiles, and shower curtains, except owners are responsible for plumbing areas; window moldings; the seal on the refrigerator door and inside the refrigerator; surfaces in and around sinks, except owners are responsible for sink plumbing areas; and surfaces on and around window air conditioning units on the inside facing side of the unit. In order to prevent mold, tenants should use existing exhaust fans or windows in the bathroom to vent moisture; and tenants should keep dehumidifiers plugged in, running, and water emptied, if provided by the owner, and should alert the owner if there are problems with the operations of any dehumidifier. Tenants should notify the owner of any mold they see or smell as soon as possible. Failure to comply with this section shall not constitute a violation of this chapter and no citation or fine shall be issued to the tenant. (Ord. No. 71946, § 3, 12-30-2024.)

St. Louis Revised Code § 25.82.040 Department of Health to create mold information.

25.82.040 - Department of Health to create mold information. Within sixty (60) days after the passage of the ordinance from which this chapter derives, the St. Louis City Department of Health shall create and make publicly available materials describing what mold is, how to identify and discover mold, the health hazards of mold, and how to remediate mold. (Ord. No. 71946, § 4, 12-30-2024.)

St. Louis Revised Code § 25.82.050 Certificate of inspection—Mold.

25.82.050 - Certificate of inspection—Mold. The Building Division shall not issue a certificate of inspection to an owner if mold is found in a rental dwelling unit and/or common area during inspection until after the mold is remediated. If the Code Official determines through inspection that mold is present, the owner shall be responsible for remediation. (Ord. No. 71946, § 5, 12-30-2024.)

St. Louis Revised Code § 25.82.060 Notice to owner of mold presence and remediation.

25.82.060 - Notice to owner of mold presence and remediation. When evidence is found indicating the presence of mold, a Code Official shall give the owner written notice of the presence of mold. a. This notice shall specify that the mold must be remediated within thirty (30) calendar days of the date of notice. It shall inform the owner of the notification obligations required by Section 25.82.070. It shall further state that if the mold is not remediated within thirty (30) calendar days of the date of the notice that the Code Official may revoke the certificate of inspection for such unit, condemn it for occupancy, and order the rental dwelling unit vacated. i. This notice shall further include the materials created by the Department of Health as outlined in Section 25.82.040. A Code Official may also include any additional guidance around mold remediation that they deem relevant. b. For good cause shown by the owner, the Code Official shall have authority to grant extensions for completion of work necessary to remediate the mold observed during the inspection where it is not feasible or possible to complete such work within thirty (30) calendar days of the date on which the notice was issued. c. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Code Official determines that a rental dwelling unit or the building in which such unit is located warrants condemnation pursuant to the provisions of this chapter or any other ordinances, the Code Official shall have authority to condemn such unit or building, without regard to the time limits specified above. (Ord. No. 71946, § 6, 12-30-2024.)

St. Louis Revised Code § 25.82.070 Owner's duty to notify occupants of mold presence and remediation.

25.82.070 - Owner's duty to notify occupants of mold presence and remediation. Within five (5) business days of receipt of written notification from a Code Official that mold was found in an occupied rental dwelling unit or common area, the owner shall give written notice of the presence of mold to all affected tenants living in that rental dwelling unit and/or with access to that common area. This notice shall further include the materials created by the Department of Health as outlined in Section 25.82.040. The owner shall provide such notice via in-person delivery, U.S. Mail, or electronic mail. The owner's failure to provide such notice shall be a violation of this chapter. (Ord. No. 71946, § 7, 12-30-2024.)

St. Louis Revised Code § 25.82.080 Mold remediation.

25.82.080 - Mold remediation. The owner shall be responsible for appropriate mold remediation. Upon the receipt of written notice from a Code Official, the owner of any building or rental dwelling unit specified therein shall take timely measures for the mold remediation of such building. Unless said work has been completed in the time specified in the written notice, inclusive of any written extension thereof that may be granted by the Building Division, the owner shall be in violation of this chapter. (Ord. No. 71946, § 8, 12-30-2024.)

St. Louis Revised Code § 25.82.090 Reporting and prohibition of retaliatory acts.

25.82.090 - Reporting and prohibition of retaliatory acts. a. If a tenant of a rental dwelling unit reasonably believes that mold is present in their unit, they shall, as soon as possible, report the presence of mold and suspected underlying cause to the Citizens Service Bureau for an inspection. i. A tenant's failure to report the presence of mold to the Citizens Service Bureau does not constitute a violation of this chapter and does not relieve an owner of the responsibility to comply with this chapter. b. Owners shall not retaliate against tenants who report or complain of code violations as defined herein applicable to the premises to a governmental agency, elected representative, or public official charged with responsibility for enforcement, or exercise any right or remedy provided by law. Retaliatory acts may include but are not limited to deferring or ceasing maintenance services and contacting or threatening to contact a law enforcement department or agency. (Ord. No. 71946, § 9, 12-30-2024.)

St. Louis Revised Code § 25.82.100 Enforcement.

25.82.100 - Enforcement. The Building Division is hereby empowered to enforce the provisions of this chapter. The imposition of penalties shall be as prescribed by Section 25.82.120. Nothing in this chapter or the administration or application thereof shall be construed to create a private right of action. (Ord. No. 71946, § 10, 12-30-2024.)

St. Louis Revised Code § 25.82.110 Implementation.

25.82.110 - Implementation. a. The Code Official shall provide appropriate training to division personnel for mold inspection. Such training shall include, but shall not be limited to: i. Procedures for investigating and identifying the root cause of the mold, such as flooding, leaky roofs, poor building maintenance, or indoor plumbing problems; and ii. Familiarity with the materials created by the Department of Health as outlined in Section 25.82.040. (Ord. No. 71946, § 11, 12-30-2024.)

St. Louis Revised Code § 25.82.120 Penalties.

25.82.120 - Penalties. Any person, firm, partnership, or corporation who violates any provision or provisions of this ordinance shall be issued a fine up to five hundred dollars ($500.00). Each day's violation shall constitute a separate offense. (Ord. No. 71946, § 12, 12-30-2024.)

Source: City of St. Louis, Missouri, Revised Code of the City of Saint Louis, 2020, Annotated, and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/mo/st._louis/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT25BUCO_CH25.82MOREDWUNFetched: 11/1/2026