MY ADVICE:
1. DO NOT SIGN if you're a tenant - this opens you up to liability but the tenant is never liable for work the homeowner or property management (PM) company ordered. This is a dishonest tactic to shift liability onto vulnerable tenants.
2. In my experience, they are there to lie and coverup air pollution issues on behalf of wealthy homeowners to the detriment of renters' health and safety, and you should be aware of this and brace yourself for what will be a highly hostile visit.
3. Do not expect them to behave with any modicum of respect or decency, and you should have a family member, or loved one present when these people are in your home.
4. Record the air quality testing with your cell phones or other device!! You will need proof of all the ludicrous things they say, the dishonest tactics they employ, and shoddy work they do if you want to fight for clean air for you, your pets, your guests, your roommates/friends, and/or your family.
Firstly, there was never a debate about there being mold in this house when I first moved in 3.5 mo ago. The smell was diffuse, in every room of the house. The realtor reported it to the PM, and the PM employee who did the initial walk through reported it and recommended a mold inspection. The PM first said it was the carpets, then carpets got re-cleaned but the problem persisted, then they said it was from the leaks in the ceiling at the time from recent rains but leaks dried out and the problem persisted, then the PM company ordered a "mold inspection" where the guy didn't even take any samples (alongside many other issues), and when I complained about that they sent the nightmare company that is QIC.
Mathew/QIC came to my home on 1/28/25, and we started by showing him the bathroom where all guests and myself frequently smell mold. QIC argued persistently and said it wasn't mold it was standing water. I told him I put some bleach down the drains once to try to kill the mold and that's probably why it smells a little better now, but it's a chronic problem. He dismissed this entirely although standing water is OF COURSE a mold risk, and he declared there's no mold in the bathroom.
I told him I was concerned that mold had gotten in the ductwork bc although the guest bathroom is primarily the problem, I still smell it in my bedroom when the AC is on, despite airing the place out for the 3.5 mo.s, buying an air purifier, and pouring bleach down the drains (and after carpets have been re-cleaned). QIC said if mold isn't visible on the outside of the vents then it's never inside the vents or ductwork. This is an absolute lie. So according to QIC, mold only exists if it's externally visible without having to move anything or look inside anything. That's insane. Of course mold exists in places where it's not readily visible unless you actually look. Mathew went on to say that QIC NEVER looks in ductwork. Apparently the company who NEVER examines the inside of ductwork is an expert on what goes on inside the ductwork given external condition alone????
This is only about 5-10 minutes into our visit, and it just gets worse. QIC's entire demeanor is hyper aggressive thus far -eye brows raised, head shaking, eyes wide, talking loudly, interrupting, etc. My dog was abused before by a man, my dog normally gets scared by having men in the house, but my dog normally barks at men. My dog stayed laying down in the bedroom with his whole body shaking in fear throughout QIC's entire visit. That's never happened before.
Next, QIC tried to pressure me to sign authorizing the work in a really repeated, high pressure way. When I finally called the PM, he backed off immediately. No other maintenance personnel have ever done or tried this.
This next part is what made me really think that QIC just likes to treat women especially bad. QIC kept saying that he'll put the air test equipment where I want. He suggested the bathroom. I said that right now it seems like the living room is the worst so we should put it there. He kept arguing, got louder, more interruptive, and saying he's not going to do anything without my consent AS HE WAS putting his testing equipment in the bathroom. I just gave up, but he did it again. I have some orthopedic pads (under 1in) on my hallway floor for my dog, and there's an air intake grill at the floor level in the hall which goes to the heater. The AC, not the heater, was on the entire time, and the AC is primarily the issue. The AC is ran by an HVAC outside with no return air vent that anyone can find. QIC said he wanted to move the pads but wouldn't move them w/out my consent, and when I asked him why he gaslit me, got argumentative, and did it w/out my consent w/out ever providing a reason. He just forced his will against my consent while telling me I agreed to something I didn't agree to.
The whole visit from start to finish was more hostile, more unprofessional, & more filled with lies & disrespect than anything I've ever experienced. read more