3/10/08

Wilmington, NC - A Wilmington woman is upset with an apartment complex that failed to get rid an un-invited guest -- mold.

Nioka Jewett moved out of Harbour Ridge Apartments a couple of days ago. Now she wants the apartment complex to pay for her damaged furniture and her medical bills.

Jewett's apartment is infested with mold. It has been like this for several months. She says it started around the windows and doors, and when her landlord didn't do anything to fix the problem, the mold grew, and got much worse.

Now she and several of her children suffer from respiratory problems. Some of them will have to visit a lung specialist.

Jewett wants Harbour Ridge to pay for her medical bills and her ruined furniture. She said, "They don't want to do that. They want to beat around the bush and figure out a way not to give me my money. That's why I have to take the next step to tell people these apartments are not worth living in."

Jewett says she's now considering taking legal action against her former landlord.

Vista Realty, the owners of Harbour Ridge Apartments, said they are investigating all the facts and will handle them accordingly.