- February 26, 2019
Michelle Regans, a grandmother who lives in Davenport, says that she moved into an apartment, leased by Great River Realty, with her nearly one-year-old grandson, Tayler. She said that ever since the pair moved in, there have been problems, including mice infestations and the issues with the refrigerator not working properly.
Those problems were trivial in comparison to the most recent issue she discovered. According to Regans, she noticed moisture was seeping into her apartment through the walls and windows, and that moisture caused high levels of humidity.
She then made a harrowing discovery: black mold growing along the baseboards of the bedroom.
“It’s everywhere,” said Regans. “It’s all up and down the windows. It’s all in the bathrooms. It’s everywhere.”
The mold is now growing in almost every corner of her apartment, including the bathroom, the kitchen, and the living room.
Regans says that she has tried to take care of the mold herself by cleaning it up with bleach and cleaning products, but nothing she does seems to work. She had no other choice but to get rid of her furniture because it was all covered in mold. Now, the grandmother is forced to sleep on a mattress on the floor and her grandson sleeps in a playpen.
Regans said that she is concerned about her grandson’s health. He’s having breathing issues and while she can’t confirm if the mold is causing the problem, she says that it certainly isn’t helping matters.
She has to take time off of work in order to stay home with young Tayler whenever he gets sick because he can’t go to daycare, which is quite often, and she says that because of that, she is now falling behind on her rent.
Regans said that she has contacted Great River Realty’s property manager, but no one has come to her apartment to take care of the mold problem. She says that she gets nothing but excuses whenever she contacts them.
“The owner is out of the country. He’s having some financial difficulties, so it’s hard for him to get the things you need,” Regans says the property manager told her.
A local news station contacted the property manager and left a voicemail, but has not received a call back.
Regans said that a city inspector visited her apartment to assess the mold growth. She was told by the inspector that the landlord would be contacted and that he would have 10 days to fix the problem.
Rich Oswald, the director of Neighborhood Services, said that an inspection was conducted and that when the inspector attempted to follow-up with Regans, he couldn’t get a hold of her. Oswald said that another inspector will go to apartment to perform another assessment.
Mold Inspection & Testing Des Moines has vast experience performing mold assessments in Des Moines and the surrounding areas. We strongly urge the property manager or landlord to arrange to have a mold test performed in Regans’ apartment to ensure her safety and the safety of her grandson. To speak with an MI&T representative, call 515.200.2695.
