Several years ago, as a relative newbie, I rented an apartment in a 3 family to a middle aged couple, whose children were well into their teens. Of course, at that time I provided them with the standard lead paint notification papers, indicating that "being older than 50 years, I could hot guarantee their particular 5 room apartment was completely lead free" …..

Last week, this somewhat shocked couple suddenly informed me that not only were they a expecting a child in October, they were wondering if their apartment had ever been "officially de-leaded throughout.... and were thinking of moving etc...."

Making a long nightmare short, I found the state approved papers indicating that the fellow I bought this house from had fully de-leaded the other 2 apartments in this building, but never completely finished de-leading theirs.

Moreover, today I got reports from 3 "official" lead removal outfits, who gave me wildly different assessments, abatement suggestions and associated costs. The two figures that are the closest to each other are suggesting "encapsulating" about 600 sq. feet of doors, trim and base board area for about $10, 000 dollars , vs the other guys quote of "some $26,000 to replace and finish all that is needed with all new new wood." etc,.....

If you know anything at all about this complex subject and how these guys operate, etc., please help me regain a bit of my sanity. Thanks MIKE

Encapsulating Pre-1978 painted surfaces can be accomplished by:

a) Cleaning the surface to accept primer

b) Apply special primer to act as a bonding agent between the surface and the paint

c) Paint the surface with several thick coats, locking in the lead paint.

I purchased a building at 1/2 price because the interior hallways was painted with industrial lead oil based paint. It was pealing and the estimate to remove the walls, dispose of the hazardous waste then rebuild was cost prohibitive.

So I installed 3/8" drywall over the surfaces. Used mud and caulking to seal the seams. Then primed and painted the surfaces to encapsulate the lead paint.

Can you explain to these gentle people that for about two hundred years people used lead paint and that if you don't let your kid eat paint or gnaw on the window frames they probably won't get lead poisoning.

I think I'd happily let them move and then repaint, making sure everything is covered, then re-rent to a non snowflake.

"Get certified and do myself?" How does one go about this approach?

I saw a report that lead based paint is only dangerous if you eat it and a ridiculous amount or sand it into dust and breathe it. A guy I knew in mold/lead/asbestos abatement told me the same thing.

The lead problems of the 60's -70's were due to the smog from cars burning leaded gasoline. When they dug into it, the worst problems were in low income neighborhoods in dense cities with high traffic. Other sources were from lead based solder used to join pipes.

I would incentivise them to move then "remodel" the place yourself.

Then have it tested again and the abatement cost will be dramatically lower.

I use to run our state program. I won't take the time to tell you my opinion on the whole issue. I have been required to go to the national conferences with the Washington Big wigs that ENFORSE these laws. UGH!!!! You can no longer avoid them.

TAKE YOUR STATE ...RRP....COURSE. Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP)

It is a 1 day class.

This not a wish list kind of thing it is a necessary thing to do for any landlord that does not want to be crushed by lawsuits.

Take your time to answer them after you do the course......... then when you have the education take appropriate steps - the baby is not here yet.

Mike, NHSailmaker is correct. Take the MA state course.You can take one in NH that covers the MA requirements,BUT it does not teach you the MA laws. (I did this and then took the class in MA and sat through what seemed like a different class.) We have a whole set of our own requirements in MA. In most states the class is run by the EPA, NOT in MA.

Take it as soon as possible. There are two certifications you can get. One as a property owner to work on your own property and one to work on your own and other property. Take the General RRP course. You can do more with the RRP than you can as the property owner only.

You need to pay them to leave. Help them find a new home and pay them. Then work on the unit empty. There are still a lot of safety requirements to follow. google MASS RRP Certification.

Even though Federal laws cover lead issues, most states to not ENFORCE them as strictly as MA does. It would be in your best interest to get them out before the baby arrives & then complete any deleading that needs to be done. Of course you have to be extremely careful to not say you want them out because of the lead.

Google CLPPP MA. This will get you started in the right direction. There are some parts of deleading that a property owner can be certified to do themselves. Researching CLPPP & MA deleading will explain it.

Some cities & towns offer incentives to delead housing. What part of MA is the property in?

They are doing you a favor, they feel the need to move... tell them you truly understand their concern and you will let them out of the lease with no penalty for the next xxxx time frame. Let them find a place and move then you can decide what you wish to do with that unit. Much easier to do work when it is empty, and you really don't want the nightmare of people who are afraid to live.

GET your state RRP - NOW !!!! only then can you make intelligent decisions. I suspect in the Republic of MA that unless you take the week long course to be able to do lead remediation YOU (the unlicensed) can NOT work on just 1 vacant unit in a multi family building......but could in a vacant SFR but only if you planned to occupy it

Mike, Go to youtube and search for "XRF Technology for Lead Paint Inspectors". Since you are pretty sure the apartment does have lead paint, why not use a lead inspector with XRF technology to figure out which part of the apartment has lead paint. In the youtube video, only the door jamb showed above the limit. Why do a whole apartment abatement when only a few items may need to be abated.

I remember reading something once where they tested a whole house and it came back that it didn't have any lead, however, the mailbox post tested positive for lead paint. As a result, they didn't have to do anything to the house except replace the mailbox post.

Mike,

If you want to delead yourself you need the moderate risk deleading license that can be used to delead your own property. RRP is not for deleading.

Also, if you have a lead paint inspector do an inspection, he will record this inspection with the state.

If they find that you did unauthorized deleading without a license, the unit can risk being un-certifiable.

My husband took the RRP course a few years back when all of this was going down.