thanks for all the advice everyone.

To clarify: I have lived here four years: the first one with a standard one-year lease, the last three as a tenant-at-will. When this numbnuts bought the house, he inherited my security deposit and tenancy, which, legally, he can terminate with 30 days' notice.

I am going to go try and talk to him now (he is upstairs gutting the place), and let him know what I found out, that I am concerned about the health risk, and respectfully request he not do this work until I have vacated the premises, and that he and his lawyer will receive a letter to that effect.

Peg