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Leak/Mold Issue in Condo - Need Advise on How to Handle Management Company

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sw12982

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? New Jersey

I own a high rise condo in NJ. About 1.5 years ago, while I was just renting the condo, there was a major leak in a common building pipe that happened to occur behind a wall in my apartment. At that time, the management company paid to have the pipe repaired and the damaged dry wall fixed. However, it is common knowledge around the building that the management company used a regular plumber (not specialized in high rise condos) to save money and that the fix was not done properly. Now 1.5 years later, and now that we own the condo, the pipe has once again broken only this time it went undetected for so long that we had significant amounts of mold growing behind our walls. Both myself and my boyfriend have been experiencing respiratory and allergy type symptoms for months that we are now suspecting was caused by the mold. The management company is handling this leak again, however, we are wary of whether they are handling it properly and also concerned that they refuse to share any of the details of the air quality tests with us. It should also be mentioned, that we asked the management company for a week to get a mold specialist come which they only did finally when we mentioned our health issues to them. However, up until that point, and for who knows how long the mold was present, we were living in the condo. Once our health issues were mentioned, the management company finally offered to pay for hotel and meals until the air quality tests came back at an acceptable level. At this point, there have been two rounds of cleaning, tearing down sheetrock, etc. and several air tests and we are still living in a hotel. The management company keeps telling us that they will provide us with a full report including the air test results once it is complete, but with each passing day they still do not have this report to share. We are certainly appreciative that they are paying for our hotel and meals (though we have not yet been reimbursed for this), but we are becoming frustrated that a) we are not being allowed to see the air tests and b) that the management company is not moving this process along faster. We have tried to speak to a couple attorneys who tell us that we basically have no grounds to sue because the management company is paying for the repairs and our living expenses. Perhaps this is true, and obviously this was calculated by them, but is there nothing we can do to make sure that we are getting access to the air quality tests and also that the management company is addressing these issues in a timely manner? Are we just beholden to their schedule and their procedure for fixing things since they are paying for it all (which they should be)?
 


Banned_Princess

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? New Jersey

I own a high rise condo in NJ. About 1.5 years ago, while I was just renting the condo, there was a major leak in a common building pipe that happened to occur behind a wall in my apartment. At that time, the management company paid to have the pipe repaired and the damaged dry wall fixed. However, it is common knowledge around the building that the management company used a regular plumber (not specialized in high rise condos) to save money and that the fix was not done properly. Now 1.5 years later, and now that we own the condo, the pipe has once again broken only this time it went undetected for so long that we had significant amounts of mold growing behind our walls. Both myself and my boyfriend have been experiencing respiratory and allergy type symptoms for months that we are now suspecting was caused by the mold. The management company is handling this leak again, however, we are wary of whether they are handling it properly and also concerned that they refuse to share any of the details of the air quality tests with us. It should also be mentioned, that we asked the management company for a week to get a mold specialist come which they only did finally when we mentioned our health issues to them. However, up until that point, and for who knows how long the mold was present, we were living in the condo. Once our health issues were mentioned, the management company finally offered to pay for hotel and meals until the air quality tests came back at an acceptable level. At this point, there have been two rounds of cleaning, tearing down sheetrock, etc. and several air tests and we are still living in a hotel. The management company keeps telling us that they will provide us with a full report including the air test results once it is complete, but with each passing day they still do not have this report to share. We are certainly appreciative that they are paying for our hotel and meals (though we have not yet been reimbursed for this), but we are becoming frustrated that a) we are not being allowed to see the air tests and b) that the management company is not moving this process along faster. We have tried to speak to a couple attorneys who tell us that we basically have no grounds to sue because the management company is paying for the repairs and our living expenses. Perhaps this is true, and obviously this was calculated by them, but is there nothing we can do to make sure that we are getting access to the air quality tests and also that the management company is addressing these issues in a timely manner? Are we just beholden to their schedule and their procedure for fixing things since they are paying for it all (which they should be)?
accept the forced vacation.

the management does not want to continue paying your expenses, so I would think they are moving as fast as they can to get everything completed so you can go home.
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
And, you will probably want to have your own air quality testing done. They are not required to share it with you simply upon request.
 

festival

Member
Obviously, complain to your board of directors. The management company is hired by and answers to your board of directors. Ask the board to rattle their cage to get this finished since it is costing the association extra money. Ask the board to get the air quality test. The management company is not spending their own money. They are slowly and inefficiently spending your association's money, which comes from your condo fees.
 

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