MEMPHIS, Tenn — After spending months battling with management, a Memphis single mother who had lived with mold and sewage inside the house she was renting finally got the property owner in environmental court.
Dominic Barnes believes a large, twisted root inside an old clay pipe is to blame for her problems with sewage spraying up through her yard.
“It was living inside the pipes,” she said. “It looks like a piece of pipe, but it’s the root.”
She said the problems with sewage started in May, continued into November and ultimately forced her to move out.
“Due to the fact that we were forced to be inside a home that was uninhabitable, I am seeking damages,” she said.
Monday, she said property owner MDM Investments of Memphis sent a construction crew out to dig up the pipes, replacing old clay ones with PVC. It was captured on the Ring doorbell camera.
Despite the fix, Barnes said she is also taking action against ownership for defamation of character.
“[They] tried to deem the issue with the sewage problems as my issue of placing baby wipes and feminine products down the toilet,” Barnes said.
MDM’s Mike McGhee sent a letter to Consumer Affairs on October 30th, blaming Barnes for the problems and claiming all issues were already resolved, except for what the company claims the city is responsible for.
Barnes said that on Nov. 3, the City of Memphis sent a team out to the house.
City equipment showed something solid blocking the pipe and confirmed again the issue was up to MDM Investments to make right.
Barnes hopes the long fight to finally get the pipes fixed can be an example for other Memphians who face landlord trouble.
“Because if they're doing you like that, they’re doing other people like that,” she said.
For anyone in a situation where a landlord/property owner won’t take action, Barnes recommends contacting City of Memphis Code Enforcement, the relevant county entity like the Shelby County Health Department, and then reaching out to the local news organizations.
MDM Investments of Memphis sent ABC24 the following statement:
“The matter was closed by the Health Department. The matter was also closed by the environmental court. All other matters are hearsay without independent expert analysis. Mrs. Barnes will need an interior inspection from code (enforcement) due to the nature of the home kept by Mrs. Barnes.”
The city of Memphis said that while the raw sewage issue was found in compliance during Wednesday’s environmental court hearing, MDM Investments is due back in court Dec. 6th to make sure the mold issue has been resolved.