I found what appeared to be mold on the inside slider of the sliding glass doors of my apartment. The sliding glass door also appeared to be broken because when it would rain, the water would flood the inside of the slider and remain stagnent. I went to the main office and explained concerns to leasing agent, spoke to the propert manager the following day and was told maintenance would come up and fix situation.
They did not arrive that day and I decided it was best to have professionals asses, test, and recommend suggestions as mold is nothing to joke about. Maintenance arrived the follwing day and attemped to clean with a solution that did not work and finally resorted to using a screwdriver, at which point I asked to please stop because I had professional certified mold experts coming to test and determine if mold was present, the souce, and how to properly fix the issues it any.
I was told, "you could grow it in a pitri dish in the oven if you wanted" at which point I was grateful to have hired professionals to come and address the situation. Later that day I received an email from the office saying that the service request was completed.
Completed? Nothing had been completed, they hadnt even addressed the other sliding glass door, which has the same problem, let alone the issues that were to be found.
The professionals came and did multiple tests and took samples from places I never thought of, including the inside of the AC coils where it was also discovered the HVAC was broken.
Days after I had a presceduled doctor appointment I made 3 months prior with my doctor of over 15 years. I explained my health concerns with symptoms of chronic fatigue, memory loss, sneezing, wheezing, coughing, sinus issues, and not feeling well at all. She explained the serious health implications mold has and the importance to professionally and properly address.
The lab results from the testing showed mold on the inside of the sliding glass door as well as mold in the AC coils. Recommendations for remidiation were provided.
When I spoke to the property manager, he simply tried to brush the issue off as nothing. I said I would call the mold experts back because there was a specfic protocol that should be followed. I tried to call the propert manager back and he refused to answer the phone resorting emailing back and forth as his method of communication.
Luckily, every single correspondence with this property manager I have saved and can prove the dates and times of these conversations and most importantly the blatant lying he has continued to repeat this past month.
I specifically asked him if the people he wanted to come were "qualified" because anyone who is knowledgeable with mold issues knows it is nothing to ignore and can only get worse if not fixed properly, especially in Florida.
He replied they were not professional contractors. I replied saying that was not my question and knew I needed to get professional legal from an attorney for help as it was clear he was unable and unwilling to fix this issue that was affecting my health.
I have spent $450 on an inspection that not only revealed mold growth and a broken door but also mold growth in the ac coils and a broken HVAC unit. I have spent $750 on a lawyer to help give me a voice in this issue and hundreds more for nights in a hotel because of how I would feel if spent too much time there and my health in simply too important.
I have spent an entire month waiting for help. This property managert has told my lawyer he has tried to call me and that I refuse to allow anyone in my unit. When I confronted him through email about these lies, he refuses to answer. Manintance has access to my unit 24/7 and I have never refused help, I have been begging for it!
When i asked him why he never told me maintance was EPA certified, educated in mold issues (clearly not), and are qualified with other education classes he will not answer. I asked him these questions from the day I got the results back.
As the property manager knowing of a serious conern and health issue with a resident in a community that "Takes Care of the Way People Live", I have no idea how he hasnt once been to see my unit, especially with the pictures of what found.
If I had not had professionals come to test, I would have never known about the broken HVAC or mold being present in the AC coils and who knows how long this could have gone on for. There is no record of any maintenancing of my AC unit, ever since 2009 when the building was built.
I have reached out to both the leasing agent and this property mananger in every method possible for help. I have written letters, asked to be moved to another unit (not in same building because not sure if all units are or will be affected the same), sent emails with proof of mold in lab results, sent letter from doctor with professional recommendations, proof of mold in disturbing pictures, proof of a broken sliding glass hurricane door, phone calls, hired an attorney for help to try and reach him, sent a certified 7 day notice to both the corporate office and the leasing office, with absolutely no help, I promise and can prove it.
I am not willing to go through this anymore as it is unhealthy, unsafe, a total breach of the leasing agreement, and is uninhabitable. The property managers attempt to address these concerns after an entire month and after spending $2,000 spent proving to him he's not doing his job is too little too late.
The property manager's plans to fix the AC before the sliding glass door should be a note of caution to anyone who is thinking of moving into The Gables Wilton Park. You would assume someone having educational classes in mold, being EPA certified, and qualified knows you want to fix the source of the mold first.
This property has been negligent and refuses to compensate for any out of pocket expenses. They have completely ignored attempts for help, know I have been sick, lack integrity, honesty and are a liability.
James
Wilton Manors,#2Author of original report
Sun, May 10, 2015
This building is not ADA compliant and a very serious concern for those who depend on these basic rights to safe living. As a resident in this building for many years, I witnessed "adjustments" to supposidly meet ADA standards.
Although they claim to have made the necessary adjustment, they are far from meeting any legal standards. I have witnessed residents and visitors try to leave the lobby without success needing help because the metal magnetized doors were too heavy for their electric chairs to open.
On one particular ocasion I actually heard a young woman let out a sign of pain because as she tried to power and muscle her way through the doors her feet were being hurt at which point I left the elevator (which break at least twice a week) to open the door for her to leave.
One one ocasion I took a picture of an electric wheelchair left in the lobby because whoever it belonged to could not leave without help. If anyone is in need of a building with accessability, please look elsewhere for your safety.
#3Author of original report
Sat, March 21, 2015
This is an update to the report filed previously against the porperty manager's negligence, inability to do address major liability concerns, and lack of concern for the property brand's image or concern for paying tenant.
After I filed the report on this website, maintenance came to "fix" the broken HVAC, clean the mold from the AC coils, repair damage to the broken glass slider hurricane proof doors, and clean the mold on the inside of the sliding glass doors. On the way home from the hotel where I spent the night previously, the 4th night thus far, I received multiple emails about how the service requests were fixed.
I also recieved an additional email from the property manager saying the sliding glass doors were tested and did not leak. I asked him, "how did you test the doors for water damage?" to which he relplied by throwing a bucket of water on them and that drained as they were designed to do.
I told him that I am not arguing with him anymore about proving anything. i had tried to explain that when it rains the water floods and if that isnt enough proof besides have mold growth as a result, i cant argue with insanity.
I told him I was going to notify the news and he said to wait until it rained and then place another maintenance order. I asked him why would I wait for it to rain again and go through all of what just went through instead of addressing the source of the problem as was recommened by experts in the first place.
I returned home to find both inside track doors flooded once again. I emails the property manager once again asking why both doors were flooded again.
He sent head of maintaince to come up and verify what I was saying was true, as if I have the time or patience to continue this any longer. I literally had my lawyer on the other end of the phone line while asking head of maintenance confirm that what he was putting his hands in was in fact water in the in inside of my sliding track doors.
I recieved an email once again stating that an "outside contractor" was coming to asses the problem as they were not qualified to fix. The contractor did come and according to the property manager, the doors only required minimal/minor adjustments and they were qualified to fix them.
After two more days of trying to fix the door, they have resorted to drilling holes from the inside of the sliding glass doors to the outside as a makeshift drain for when the water does flood. While this might work at home for a quick fix, this is no way to fix a broken hurricane proof door and an insult.
I was told in an email from the property manager that water flooding inside was normal and for some reason he thinks that a hurricane proof door should allow water to flood the inside, in Florida where hurricanes are notorious.
Above all, to not fix the source of the problem, a broken door allowing water to flood the inside, will ignite the cycle of mold growth again. By drilling a hole from the inside of my door to the outside to drain water seems like a faster way for moisture to accumulate and aid to water damage or in my case mold.
I am going to file a lawsuit against this property and go to the news with all documents, emails, and pictures so anyone who is considering living at this property will check, and ask for proof that these units are in proper working order and meet all standards.
James, Wilton Manors, FL