DONELSON, Tenn. (WZTV) — Tenants at the Sheffield Heights Apartment Complex say they’ve been living with mold for weeks, and claim management has done little to address the issue.
Brian Sackett and his girlfriend moved into the complex at the beginning of July. Not long after settling in, Sackett began to experience health issues. When he started looking for possible causes, what he discovered alarmed him.
“When I noticed that it was on the vent cover itself, I went ahead and pulled the vent cover off. And found mold. Actually, behind the vent covers, going through the HVAC duct,” Sackett told FOX 17 News.
Sackett says the mold is visible not just in the HVAC system, but also around the bathroom faucets, inside the toilet tank, and even beneath the vinyl flooring.
He says he reported the issue immediately, sending multiple emails to both the leasing office and property management. In the two weeks since first reporting the problem, Sackett claims the only action taken was a maintenance worker replacing the duct covers, while the underlying mold issue remains untouched.
“They won’t acknowledge that there is mold there. They continue to deny that it exists,” Sackett said.
When FOX 17 News visited the Sheffield Heights leasing office, staff stated the matter was being handled by their legal team and that Sackett would be contacted. However, once the manager learned a reporter was on the property, she declined to answer any further questions.
FOX 17 News also attempted to contact Morgan Properties, the company that manages Sheffield Heights. Our call went unanswered, the voicemail box was full, and an email sent to the company bounced back.
Metro Codes, which handles residential complaints and inspections, was not available for comment at the time of reporting.
In the meantime, Sackett says he had samples of the mold tested, and results confirmed the presence of multiple types of mold in the apartment.
“I have taken samples. I have sent them off to be tested. They’ve been tested. Come back. Confirmed as a couple of different types of mold itself,” he explained.
Now planning to move out within the next two weeks, Sackett says he wants to be reimbursed for the time spent living in what he calls an unsafe environment. He is also seeking compensation for moving expenses and medical costs linked to his exposure.
There has been no official response from Morgan Properties.
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