Irish_Red
02-02-2007, 12:22 PM
In August of 2006 I contacted the owner of my apt. complex to complain about a leak in my closet that left my carpet soaked. Apparently something on my heater broke and leaked into the master bedroom closet.
After a week of not hearing anything I contacted her again with no answer. A few days later a letter came announcing our apartment complex had been sold to a new owner and that a management company was now taking over. I immediately sent a letter to them including the growing mold problem in my apartment, along with a list of other problems I had in the apartment that I had not been able to get fixed. I never recieved a reply via mail or phone.
A few weeks later when rent was due, they asked us to list the problems we have in our apartments so they could fix them without any call or acknowledgement that I'd sent a plea for help to fix this mold problem. Again I sent the same list I had sent before. A couple weeks go by and nothing. Meanwhile I'm getting congestion and allergy symptoms that go away when I leave the apt. Going home was sure to make me feel ill. I called the management company and told them I was getting sick from all the mold.
I contacted Code compliance for the city of Corona in late October 2006 and got the usual run around from them. I finally got tired of being sent to someone else so I contacted city council with my problem with the mold and the negligence of the management company to fix this issue.The problem was brought up to the Mayor of Corona (Karen Spiegel) and she made Code Compliance stand up and take notice of my situation and help me.
Finally after a few inquiries from Code Compliance, the management company had a guy come out and he removed the carpet. He sprayed something around in the closet that made my face turn red and burn whenever I went near it. The mold smell persisted.
Right after the removal of the carpet, Code Compliance for the City of Corona came out and did an inspection. I showed them numerous pictures I had taken of the carpet and the closet showing the mold that was everywhere. Of course the smell of mold was still quite prevalant and they said that they would have to send a letter of violation to the management company. I was worried about retalitory eviction because of this and the Code Compliance dept. said that if that happened there were things I could do to protect myself (supposedly).
With the smell still happening weeks later, I pointed out to the management company that it might have been in the walls and that further care was required. After fighting with them for a month they came out and removed the bottom 14 inches of wall. I was unable to be home so I don't know if there was mold on the part they removed and conveniently it was thrown away. I looked inthe dumpster and didnt find a bag. A friend of mine that was home said she saw them carting the trash bags from my house and taking them with them (curiously strange). The smell went away but my allergy problems persisted. I had things ruined by mold and clothing I had to throw away because I couldnt get the mold smell off. With the inside of the walls exposed, the smell went away. They did nothing to clean up the mess that was there.
On Dec. 19, 2006 I recieved a notice to vacate tennancy within 30 days for no reason at all. We paid our rent on time and had never had problems other than the mold and the expectation of them to fix it. I called every entity I could think of. Because I have a job - nobody could help me. I make $12.00 an hour and my boyfriend makes $17 an hour and this is supposedly not considered low income. I am a single mom raising two teens without the help of their deadbeat father who wont help with child support. The management company said they were wanting us to leave because they felt we were unhappy. Yes, I agree - the apt. was making me sick.
Just after the first of the year Code Compliance has a mold inspection company come out to our apt. They have some kind of air sucker thing that takes samples of the mold inside the apartment. I hear nothing about the results. The week before we had to move out I recieved a registered letter from the Managment company stating that they really wanted us out of our apartment in 48 hours because of a serious health concern (which means they found high concentrations of mold).
So I am wondering if I have any kind of legal foot to stand on here. I'm getting bronchitis and having allergy problems all the time still. I continually catch colds and am unable to fully get well before another one happens. Until this mold incident I was a relatively healthy person. Now I'm always sick. I'm worried if I dont get well I may loose my job!
Up to the point where I had mold in the apartment I never had allergy problems and was rarely sick. I do not live in that apartment now. I have been out for two weeks. I still have ALL of the pictures and letters.
I have sent inquiries asking for help to several lawyers. I got one response back from one idiot who apparently can't read. He told me that it's hard to sue the government. I'm not suing the government I want to make the management company and owner of the property pay for my medical bills and for the problems I'm going to be having because of this respiratory issue. I want them to pay for the respiratory problems my cat now has and never did before. I want them to pay for damage done to my kids.
I cannot get any info from the mold company that came out. Even though the outcome directly affects me they say they can't legally tell me what they found. Code enforcement can't get the management company to call them back. This is ridiculous. These jerks almost kill me and endanger my life and are going to get away with it? What about the other apartments? How many of those have mold too and the tennants don't realize it???
Thank You for your time
After a week of not hearing anything I contacted her again with no answer. A few days later a letter came announcing our apartment complex had been sold to a new owner and that a management company was now taking over. I immediately sent a letter to them including the growing mold problem in my apartment, along with a list of other problems I had in the apartment that I had not been able to get fixed. I never recieved a reply via mail or phone.
A few weeks later when rent was due, they asked us to list the problems we have in our apartments so they could fix them without any call or acknowledgement that I'd sent a plea for help to fix this mold problem. Again I sent the same list I had sent before. A couple weeks go by and nothing. Meanwhile I'm getting congestion and allergy symptoms that go away when I leave the apt. Going home was sure to make me feel ill. I called the management company and told them I was getting sick from all the mold.
I contacted Code compliance for the city of Corona in late October 2006 and got the usual run around from them. I finally got tired of being sent to someone else so I contacted city council with my problem with the mold and the negligence of the management company to fix this issue.The problem was brought up to the Mayor of Corona (Karen Spiegel) and she made Code Compliance stand up and take notice of my situation and help me.
Finally after a few inquiries from Code Compliance, the management company had a guy come out and he removed the carpet. He sprayed something around in the closet that made my face turn red and burn whenever I went near it. The mold smell persisted.
Right after the removal of the carpet, Code Compliance for the City of Corona came out and did an inspection. I showed them numerous pictures I had taken of the carpet and the closet showing the mold that was everywhere. Of course the smell of mold was still quite prevalant and they said that they would have to send a letter of violation to the management company. I was worried about retalitory eviction because of this and the Code Compliance dept. said that if that happened there were things I could do to protect myself (supposedly).
With the smell still happening weeks later, I pointed out to the management company that it might have been in the walls and that further care was required. After fighting with them for a month they came out and removed the bottom 14 inches of wall. I was unable to be home so I don't know if there was mold on the part they removed and conveniently it was thrown away. I looked inthe dumpster and didnt find a bag. A friend of mine that was home said she saw them carting the trash bags from my house and taking them with them (curiously strange). The smell went away but my allergy problems persisted. I had things ruined by mold and clothing I had to throw away because I couldnt get the mold smell off. With the inside of the walls exposed, the smell went away. They did nothing to clean up the mess that was there.
On Dec. 19, 2006 I recieved a notice to vacate tennancy within 30 days for no reason at all. We paid our rent on time and had never had problems other than the mold and the expectation of them to fix it. I called every entity I could think of. Because I have a job - nobody could help me. I make $12.00 an hour and my boyfriend makes $17 an hour and this is supposedly not considered low income. I am a single mom raising two teens without the help of their deadbeat father who wont help with child support. The management company said they were wanting us to leave because they felt we were unhappy. Yes, I agree - the apt. was making me sick.
Just after the first of the year Code Compliance has a mold inspection company come out to our apt. They have some kind of air sucker thing that takes samples of the mold inside the apartment. I hear nothing about the results. The week before we had to move out I recieved a registered letter from the Managment company stating that they really wanted us out of our apartment in 48 hours because of a serious health concern (which means they found high concentrations of mold).
So I am wondering if I have any kind of legal foot to stand on here. I'm getting bronchitis and having allergy problems all the time still. I continually catch colds and am unable to fully get well before another one happens. Until this mold incident I was a relatively healthy person. Now I'm always sick. I'm worried if I dont get well I may loose my job!
Up to the point where I had mold in the apartment I never had allergy problems and was rarely sick. I do not live in that apartment now. I have been out for two weeks. I still have ALL of the pictures and letters.
I have sent inquiries asking for help to several lawyers. I got one response back from one idiot who apparently can't read. He told me that it's hard to sue the government. I'm not suing the government I want to make the management company and owner of the property pay for my medical bills and for the problems I'm going to be having because of this respiratory issue. I want them to pay for the respiratory problems my cat now has and never did before. I want them to pay for damage done to my kids.
I cannot get any info from the mold company that came out. Even though the outcome directly affects me they say they can't legally tell me what they found. Code enforcement can't get the management company to call them back. This is ridiculous. These jerks almost kill me and endanger my life and are going to get away with it? What about the other apartments? How many of those have mold too and the tennants don't realize it???
Thank You for your time
