Home Insurance Forum

I recently had water damage in my home because of a pipe leak in the upstairs bathroom. The water damaged carpet throughout my townhouse along with other minor damage.

My insurance company sent a restoration company to "fix" the problem. This company dried the carpet and cleaned it, taking almost a week and a half to do that. Now, the carpet looks almost back to normal besides a few matted areas, but I still have a lingering mildew smell throughout my home.

When I complained of this smell, the restoration company came back out and their evaluation noted that everything was fine. I am not the only person who has noticed this unbearable smell. Everyone who has come into my home has noticed it.

This carpet is a little over a year old, and it was not matted nor did it smell like mildew before this water damage occurred. What can I do now to get this problem corrected?

Earvin, Michigan

Dear Earvin,

Your beef is with the cleaning company first and foremost — that's who did the shoddy job.

It sounds as if you need to call the cleaning company back, have them return to your home, and insist that they remove the odor.

If this doesn't work, you can call the Better Business Bureau and file a complaint against the company.

Additionally, let your agent know that your dealings with this cleaning company are going very poorly. Inquire if it would be possible to make an insurance claim for another company to come and finish the job.

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