E.F. from Broward County, Florida writes:
Dear Mister Condo,
Condo repaired leaking pipe between 1st and 2nd floors. They did no air drying after repairing the pipe. A year later we found mold on a connected wall which must be remediated before selling our unit. Is the condo responsible for mold remediation? Thank You!
Mister Condo replies:
E.F., I am sorry that you have mold growing anywhere near your living area. As you know, mold is a serious matter and the remediation is necessary to prevent further mold growth and/or elimination of any health risk the mold poses. The problem with mold growth one year later is that it is now a “he said/she said” type of problem with the condo or HOA likely not interested in paying for the remediation that may or may not be attributable to the repair that was handled a year ago. Still, it never hurts to ask. Write to the association and state specifically what the problem is and what you think caused the mold to inhabit the connected wall. Whether the association agrees to pay for the remediation or not, I encourage you to get it taken care of as quickly as possible. Depending on the amount and location of the mold, it may not be a very expensive process. All the best!