I rented a duplex from Kim & Aaron Cogbill for over a year. We paid a $250 deposit, as well as the rent for the POS duplex. It was a 2BR 1BA, was NOT cleaned, (they left a table, a recliner, a pile of leaves and trash in it) and it had not been painted. I moved the fridge and stove to paint behind them, and there was so much filth under there, I had to scrape it off. This duplex was very basic, no garbage disposal, no d/w no washer/dryer hook ups even. But we fixed it up nicely by painting (which I asked before hand) and keeping it sparkling clean.
I was sick with respiratory problems practically the entire time we lived there. I chalked it up to allergies, or sinus and I was pregnant at the time.
During the year we lived there, the first 3 months, our stove did not work, it wouldn't heat. I informed Kim of this problem the first week of rental. She claimed it worked fine when she cleaned it * (RIIIIGHT)* So they pulled a stove out of the rental duplex they were residing in while they built their house, and we used it. They took our stove and stuck it in the back of Aaron's truck, which to this day (4yrs later) is still sitting in the same place, rusting.
We had a hot water leak which I reported in Dec that first year, and was not fixed untill March. My gas bill was $300, which they refused to help pay for. Beacause of the location of the leak (between the wall in my daughter's room and the bathroom) mold had formed on the wall. Kim told me to use my steam cleaner to get it out. I hooked up a fan to dry the walls. And started investigating other areas of the house for mold. I found mold growing under the kitchen sink (where I couldnt see before because I was big as a barn carrying our child) closets, under the bathroom sink, and my husband (an electrician) fixed a ceiling fan that was SHORTING OUT. He also said the crawl space was covered with mold.
Speaking of our child, I was sick (again) and my water broke 8 weeks early. She was born with respiratory problems as well, and has asthma.
Our neighbor who lived down the hill from us complained to the city, because Kim & Aaron's septic was leaking raw sewage into his driveway. The city came out and investigated and wrote a warning to Kim & Aaron, who brought home a back hoe (he does dirt work) from his work, and covered the tank up again, and provided a false document stating it was replaced/repaired. They thought it was so funny, and sure enough, next time it rained, it smelled like a sewage plant, and sewage trickled down the hill. The neighbor put his house up for sale, and moved. We moved shortly after, but not before I got the pleasure of cleaning Kim & Aarons duplex they lived in for less than 6mos while they built their house. Omg it was disgusting. They NEVER cleaned the toilet and Aaron drank A LOT, so the aim on the toilet was bad. UGH!
There were things GROWING in their fridge. And they hadn't even removed a lot of their personal property, there were piles of boxes everywhere, and still dining room furniture how am I going to clean THAT? Dirty dishes lined the counters, and kitchen floor.
NASTY! We found TONS of alcohol containers, and rolling papers, and old "roaches" stubs of marijuana cigarettes. This woman is a TEACHER in an ELEMENTARY SCHOOL!
I took pics of our apt and the mold, I also videotaped the condition of the rental when we moved in, and out, and Kim & Aaron's place I cleaned INCLUDING THE DOPE/ALCOHOL. I did not pursue legal action against them, because quite honestly, it's hard to prove the mold did the respiratory damage to my daughter, but I know it did, and it was just the icing on the cake renting from these slum lords!
We moved from that hell hole, and the drunk/drug abusing Cogbills and their undisciplined brat but not soon enough! My poor daughter still has some problems with respiratory ailments. But since we moved, it has dissipated.
Renters beware! ~
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