Moving Container Mold Damage: A Cautionary Tale

John P. Lapotaire, CIEC

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — A woman who moved to our area from upstate New York recently has had quite a time. It has been a frustrating, agonizing experience. The reason? She used a PODS moving container, and somehow it developed some cracks in the roof, causing much of her stuff to get wet and moldy.

Kellie Tracy looked through some of her belongings covered in mold. It fills her garage in Palm Beach Gardens. Framed pictures of loved ones, moldy and water-damaged. Antique furniture with mold on it, box springs with mold damage. Family photos and snapshots that are stuck together. Things she can’t replace.

“These are my mothers day cards from my kids that are still wet!” said Kellie.

How did Kellie’s stuff get so moldy and water-damaged? She says a PODS moving container that she used when she moved from Oneida, New York to South Florida somehow got damaged while in transit or in storage.

Cracks in the top of the PODS container, allowed moisture to seep in and soak all of her belongings. She didn’t realize there was a problem until the PODS container was delivered to her new address in Palm Beach Gardens last week.

“My boxes were soaking wet, slimy, black. It was disgusting, I mean it was disgusting,” said Kellie.

Clothing, flat screen TV’s, photos, pillows, antique furniture. Mold on almost al of it. Belongings she acquired over a lifetime, ruined in a few months.

“There’s tons and tons of black mold. That I have literally fished out of boxes trying to salvage you know just a few of my personal things. There’s tons and tons of stuff that I have just thrown away,” said Kellie.

She never dreamed a move could turn out so bad.

“My pictures are priceless. So there is no money that is going to bring back my children’s pictures and the memories that those pictures held for me. It’s sad!” said kellie.

Kellie told us that at first she had trouble getting anyone with PODS to return her calls or deal with the situation. However, they have refunded the nearly $3,000 she paid to rent the container, store it and ship it to Florida.

PODS sent us this statement:

“We extend our most sincere apology to Ms. Tracy. This was a very unfortunate and isolated occurrence and we will continue to work with Ms. Tracy towards an amicable and expeditious resolution.” Dwayne Van Horne, PODS

Kellie says PODS sent a representative and an insurance adjustor out to inspect her belongings and try to place a value on what she has lost. She says she hopes to find out in a week or two how much they will pay to reimburse her.

Read more: http://www.cbs12.com/articles/problems-4736651–.html#ixzz1dbsAJZKO

• John P. Lapotaire, CIEC•  Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant•  Microshield Environmental Services, LLC• www.Microshield-ES.com