Recognize Signs of Water Problems in the Ceilings

The following are photos of a rental home that had many problems with a leaky roof.  The owner decided to get a contractor to hide the cosmetic defects within the home prior to putting it out on market, rather than replacing the roof.  The owner may have been in over his or her head with expenses and couldn't afford to replace the roof. 

The landlord, and those managing the unit, may have hoped that the cover-up wouldn't be exposed before the residents' lease term ended.  However, problems showed up before the expiration date.  The water damage increased in size, leaving trails of water marks behind, and began to damage other ceiling areas in the four-bedroom rental by shifting its direction when it rained resulting in a buildup of mold and mildew in the attic area.  See some photos below and notice the cover ups that eventually became more visual:

 

The dampness caused the light to no longer work.

 

Behind this ceiling shot is mold and mildew, leaving behind an unpleasant odor in the home.

 

Warning: when shopping for a rental home, always look up!  Some leasing consultants are very skilled at distracting prospects away from the flaws in the rental.  Deceptive behavior eventually will be found out and it is then that disgruntled residents will make threats to sue.