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I’m having trouble with a black film is covering all the surfaces in my rental. It’s worse around the baseboard heaters, fridge & stove. I developed a bad cough about a week after moving in almost 3 years ago. The landlord/ owner got the air ducts cleaned & I cleaned the air exchanger filter hoping the issue would be resolved but it’s getting worse instead of better.  
The owner refuses to get an inspection. I don’t want to move but obviously have to if I can’t get whatever is causing the problem to stop because my health is at risk.My Dr tells me my cough is caused by environmental factors. I’m normally a healthy, active person with no health problems or allergies.The owner offered to let me get out of my lease early so she can rent but I don’t feel that’s fair to the next tenant if the problem isn’t fixed.I’ve been staying in Neepawa the last 3 months & my cough disappeared. 2 days home & I coughed so bad I was vomiting.  
Any ideas who would be able to analyze the substance in my home & evaluate the health & safety risk.? I’m told by the landlord an inspection is $500 or more but I don’t see why I should have to foot the bill.  
Any advice/suggestions would be appreciated.

https://ebrandon.ca/messagethread.aspx?message_id=577898&cat_id=3  
 
Good luck

I would suggest going to the residential tenancy branch (maybe a note from your Dr would be helpful as well to take along with photos, conversations you have had with your landlord etc).  
 
You could also advise your landlord you are going to ask the tenancy branch for advice and see if that would prompt them to an inspection?

Move out. Take the landlords offer to let you out of your lease early your health should be the priority.  
After you move out you can still bring your issues to Heath department and tenancy office.  
A home inspection could take samples but your right it should not be you paying for it.  
 
IMO get out while the offer still stands and take care of your health before it causes you permanent issues especially if it turns out to be a form or early stages of black mould.  
 
Edited by Mac72, 2021-11-15 08:27:07

You may wish to research thermal tracking and baseboard heaters. It looks like that may be what you are experiencing. It's somewhat common around heat sources like baseboard heaters. The black marks and "film" can be dust, soot from fireplaces, pet dust, a result of smoking, etc.  
 
Not necessarily dangerous, but certainly a sign that dust/dirt/soot of some sort is present.

Thanks for all your suggestions. I’m awaiting an inspection and am currently looking to rent a different apartment.

Looks like thermal tracking like another poster said.  
 
Do you burn candles or incense?

If you have been in the apartment for several years. The tenancy branch will side with the landlord in this case unless there is a building deficiency liked roof leak causing the problem. If there is surface mould etc developing it's the responsibility of the tenant to clean inside the unit.

As others have stated its called "Ghosting" or "Thermal Tracking".  
 
If you have the know how to do it, or your landlord is able to do it, you just need to shut off your baseboard heaters, let them cool off, then give them as well as your stuff a good cleaning.  
 
Now this articles does mention other things can also cause it but the biggest thing is to have the baseboards properly cleaned as well as yourself staying on top of keeping your walls clean.  
 
Good luck.  
 
https://www.ecicomfort.com/blog/preventing-black-marks-on-the-walls-from-your-baseboard-heaters

The problem is 100% because of high humidity ! The wall control on the HRV should have Auto/On/Off ! Set it to on 24/7! Also the other issue overlooked all the time is the Fresh air Intake hood outside ! It has a fairly fine screen and gets plugged up with that White fuzz you see floating around from cottonwood trees! This can also create other serious problems such as a negative pressure in the house that can down draft your chimney and produce Carbon Monoxide ! Get a CO detector and check that intake hood ! Other than than possibly some dampers are closed

I've been cleaning for the past few years but unfortunately the black film keeps appearing. The stains above the baseboard heaters can’t be scrubbed off. I live alone, don’t smoke & rarely burn candles. I’m a meticulous housekeeper but am tired of spending my retirement trying to keep ahead of the unsightly mess.  
I thought renting would involve less maintenance than my home but it’s becoming a nightmare. I’m hoping to find a place that has maintenance or a caretaker. I rented in Quebec for 17 years & 3 years in Winnipeg & problems were always taken care of in a timely fashion.

It's the functional design of baseboard heaters that's causing the problem, along with living habits. I have rentals with baseboard heaters and I have seen the same thing occur periodically from time to time in different units occupied by an assortment of tenants. My conclusion... High humidity and the lack of air movement. The picture shows the details of water dripping/originating from the window, previous paint cover-up and stains bleeding through. I would first get rid of the blinds (or keep them open/rolled up all the time) and ask for either a dehumidifier and/or a fan (free-standing or ceiling) Get the air moving against the glass to keep the condensation from happening. Laurakaran may need to change their personal "living" habits. Like let the bathroom exhaust fan run during baths & showers and for twenty minutes afterwards. Plus, prepare meals with the kitchen exhaust hood fan running. Those two changes and opening up the windows coverings to get air will make a big difference. However, getting the tenants to do any of it is a whole situation all on it's own (the whole "leading a horse to water" thing often happens). The dehumidifier or fan will only do some of the job. The rest is up to the tenant.  
 
Now, what to do with what you've got. If I was the landlord... First, problem solve by identifying with the tenant why it's happening and what must be done to put a stop to it. Run the exhaust fans regularly, open up window coverings during the day and place furniture/clothing/plants away & not up against the wall space under the window to allow the air moving every day. Next, wash/scrub the wall baseboard, heater and window casings (sounds like you're already doing that part). Then let it dry out with the new habits and using a circulation fan and/or dehumidifier (the landlord should supply that). What happens next, with regards of repairs, will get tricky. If it appears to be (or determined by the landlord) as mildew... The landlord should repaint the wall, baseboards and behind the heater with a "specialized sealed paint" meant for properly addressing mild mildew (because mildew stains will "bleed through" cheap paint -as it appears in the picture). However, often enough, this is when the two parties start to polarize to what is satisfying with regards to repairs. Opinions, personal judgements and repair methods will differ. ...So what's right? Well, if the wall is soft or stays wet... specialized paint won't solve the issue, the drywall has to be opened up and checked out. Landlords like to save this as a "last resort". Tenants may demand professional remediation whether there's evidence of black mold or not. My thought on that is it's easier to demand to be "let out of the lease" than that. I would rather let a tenant go and fix the problem that I believe needs to be done, instead of getting the Residential Tenancy Branch involved and costing more money to only prove your original fix would have sufficed.  
 
So yeah... Work with your landlord to dry out your rental, ask for and pay attention on the repairs. And if you think your health is still at risk... Move out. Don't stay and try to fight. It's not worth your well being if the landlord wants to drag it out.  
 
Just my opinion, I could be wrong.  
 
Edited by snowman5, 2021-11-19 11:46:22

Turns out lack of maintenance in my rental is causing my health problems.I wish I’d have been aware that the core of a HRV needs to be cleaned annually. After almost 4 years of neglect you can imagine the filth that was being circulated into my place. It’s been recommended to be cleaned professionally or replaced. I cleaned it the best I could but it’s still quite dirty.  
I appreciate all your feedback regarding my living situation & also recommendations for a mover. I’ve found a place where there is maintenance on site & the HRV core will be cleaned for me !  
Posting this in case others are not aware of this easy fix to avoid health problems & unsightly discoloured surfaces in your home.  
Cheers!