JULINGTON CREEK PLANTATION, Fla. — A tenant renting a home in Julington Creek is fighting a mold battle.
She noticed there was a bit of mold building up in the house, so when she got an expert out there, they quickly learned there was even more hiding beneath the surface.
“It was the one in my closet, over my clothing," said the tenant, who didn't want to be identified. "That was the worst vent that had spores all over it.”
The tenant said it was more than two years ago she noticed the black stuff building on her closet vent. She started logging the dozens of messages sent to her landlord, Progress Residential, asking for someone to come address the issue – with many of the emails dating back to last summer.
Tired of waiting, she called TCB Envirocorp Environmental Project Scientist Mark Mongon to do an analysis. That test showed the house was not safe for people to live in.
“When you see stains like this on the front side of drywall and popcorn, usually it’s 10 times worse on the back," said Mongon while pointing to stains in the living room ceiling.
The tenant used the test to tell her landlord she was going to withhold rent until it was fixed.
“I already knew it was bad, especially when they pulled the HVAC out and I got real insight into what it really looked like inside that machine," the tenant said. "Now, seeing it all over the house is really kind of shocking.”
Months later, she said Progress Residential sent out a company to assess and ultimately replace the HVAC system.
However, Mongon’s follow-up test from last week showed the home still wasn’t safe for occupancy – with four types of mold showing up.
“The vent structure is what’s contaminated," Mongon said. "To the best of my knowledge, they have not done any remediation work at this structure yet.”
Mongon’s tip for renters – ask landlords to powerwash and caulk once a year.
“Unless you keep that envelope sealed, you’re going to have moisture, rodents and insects coming in," said Mongon.
A Progress Residential spokesperson issued the following statement regarding the situation:
“When concerns arise, we strive to work with our residents to find an appropriate and effective resolution as quickly as possible. We are aware of the concerns raised by our resident, and we are actively working with them to resolve this issue.”
The tenant says she has gotten a lawyer involved and is searching for a new place to move her family to, however, she says progress is charging her more than $10,000 for the rent she refused to pay, late fees and legal fees.
At this point, she just wants out – if not only for her, but also for her two children.
“That’s the hardest part about it is trying to make the right decision for your kids," said the tenant.
The tenant is asking Progress Residential to let her out of the lease, remove all the charges, so she can move her and her family into a new house so they can take that first deep breath in and not have to worry about what they’re breathing in.