MEMPHIS, Tenn — A woman in Midtown claims to have pleaded with her landlord for months to fix mold and sewage leaks throughout her home.
The City of Memphis has already issued multiple code violations to management company MDM Investments of Memphis. Dominic Barnes said she and her four children have lived with these problems since the summer.
“I’m continuously bringing up, ‘Hey, the pipe is still uncovered,’ or ‘Hey, the sewage is still coming in through the shower or the toilet or the sink,'” Barnes said, discussing how often she tells management about the issues. “There’s sewage in the yard, which is putting everybody else at risk.”
Barnes said they moved into the house back in April. She said she discovered the mold in June.
“You can smell it. It smells bad,” Barnes said, pointing some out in her bathroom.
The mold is also visible on her pipes and in the attic. Barnes fears the mold is also causing her 12-year-old daughter to have an allergic reaction.
Barnes said the property owner sent a repair person out to fix the problem and said it took multiple tries to stop the shower from leaking sludge.
In August, Barnes said maintenance replaced a section of pipe on the side of her house. One week later, she said the top of one pipe popped off, allowing the sewage to flow through her front yard.
“It was tissue and clear water at first when the pipes busted, and next thing you know, it was raw sewage coming out,” Barnes said.
MDM Investments told Barnes that if she wants these issues fixed, she’ll need to move out temporarily by Nov. 1 so they can rehab the home.
Dominic said she can’t afford to move, and the landlord told her they will not be giving her any financial help.
It was Oct. 5 when the city of Memphis issued MDM Investments of Memphis two code violations for the mold and sewage.
Mike McGhee with MDM spoke with ABC24 on Wednesday and issued the following statement:
“Ms. Barnes has a full new sewer line just installed. And we've already talked with the city of Memphis code enforcement, and everything is being addressed. There has been no eviction filed on Ms. Barnes, but we gave Barnes the option to say if you have an issue, you will need to vacate the property so we can rehab the property, because if there's an issue, we don't want to be liable if you're saying that something's making you sick or something like that.”
Code Enforcement visited the property again Thursday to survey the damage. They have cited MDM Investments of Memphis to Shelby County Environmental Court.
“You failed me and my children,” Barnes said. “And if you’re failing us, you’re (probably) failing other people as well.”
Barnes said she asked for financial compensation to help get a U-Haul and a place to stay for her and her children. She said for now, she plans to move into a hotel.