Help--is off-campus housing making my dc sick?

Parent Cafe
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<p>Our dd, 19, is living off-campus, alone, in a tiny studio apt attached to a garage. Although new, in a trendy area right on the Bay, and 1/3 mile walk from school, we are disturbed because dd’s health has deteriorated since moving in 2 months ago. Each time we have visited her we have smelled a sewer odor in her studio. She has tried to mask it with deodorizers, top no avail.</p>

<p>She had been keeping her window open during the day but has to close it at night. She developed a persistent cough about a month go, and it got worse. About 2 weeks ago I went to visit to replace/install her computer and she told me she had been sick for 3 days with 103 temp, nobody to help her. I felt so bad; her friends ignored her. We thought it was the flu so I took her to a clinic; they ran a test and ruled out the flu. When we returned to her apartment I heard scratching noises in the wall; she has rats/mice in there.</p>

<p>Imagine my alarm when 48 hours later I get a midnight call, dd is in the ER with a fever over 104. Turns out she has pneumonia. So I pick her up, bring her home, give her antibiotics, and insist on bed rest like the doctor ordered, 10 days. By day 3 dd was complaining she needed to go back to her apartment, it’s boring at home. She promised to rest in her apartment and has a friend coming over to check on her and bring her food. That was last Friday, one week ago. I went to see her mid-week and she was still pretty ill. The sewer smell was there.</p>

<p>This past Wednesday dd calls me and asks what she can do about the smell?–it is so bad she can’t stay in her apartment. We tell her to call the landlady, who lives nearby. She did so, and told the landlady 1) about the strong sewer odor and 2) about the rodents. </p>

<p>The landlady instructed dd “all you need to do is run the shower several times a day, and keep the bathroom vent on 24/7”. About the rodents, she scheduled an exterminator come check the garage area, although she has never had this problem before and she doubts it exists.</p>

<p>I couldn’t believe the response so I sent an email to the landlady asking to clarify what is going on, could she give more detail. She has not replied to my emails (though she has to earlier ones about rent payment!) nor is she answering her cell phone. We know that she is aware of the problem because just a few weeks ago she had the plumbers out working on the very wall of the garage that is shared by our dd’s studio–the banging woke dd up at 7 am! </p>

<p>So here it is the 10th and final day of our dd’s antibiotics and although she has no fever, she isn’t better. We’re guessing that the sewer gases are in her lungs and producing liquid; hence, the pneumonia and other symptoms (chronic congestion, headaches, sore throat, etc.). </p>

<p>The problem is we are not 100% certain that the sewer gases are causing dd’s health issues, and unless we have proof, dd refuses to move back on campus (there is no other option). I did call our county code enforcement and once I told them about it- they wanted to go out that afternoon and do an inspection, they said the sewer gases in such a small 20 x 20 space are dangerous. But dd will not listen to us. Meanwhile she has become so ill she has had to drop 2 of her 5 classes and is falling further behind. </p>

<p>Talking common sense with her doesn’t help, and she is such an bull-headed young person that if we try to come down with an iron fist–“you must, or else”–she will be so angry that she will retaliate by quitting school or have no further communication with us. She just won’t listen. BTW, my husband just looked up the building permit info for this unit and it was stated to be a “storage room/home office” and it obviously was not designed for full-time occupancy. It violates code. </p>

<p>Has anyone been able to deal with a situation like this? We would move our dd out in a heartbeat if we knew that her poor health was due to the studio, but without proof, what can we do?</p>

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<p>Call the codes office and report the violation. Hopefully that will result in an eviction.
Good luck, and I hope she’s better soon.</p>

3

<p>Could be mold. Could be dangerous.</p>

4

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She can and should still move out - it’s not a prison. Your D can document exactly what happened including dates and specific conversations, emails, etc., and work on getting any security deposit later. When it comes to health it’s not worth monkeying around even if there’s a potential financial hit because of it.</p>

<p>It really does sound like a plumbing issue though. If the plumbing isn’t properly vented or the plumbing not properly done then sewer gases can come out inside the house rather than out the vent stack above the roof. This is a clear violation. There’s a good chance the construction of this alleged ‘apartment’ wasn’t done to code. That can actually probably be checked with the county (or city) building department and assessor offices.</p>

<p>Beware these jury-rigged so-called ‘apartments’. I’d stay away from them.</p>

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<p>They offered to come out that afternoon. How could you possibly turn that down? What else would you want?</p>

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Why would your D not listen to you on as important as this? You need to insist that the inspection takes place immediately and if it were me I’d also insist that she move out immediately since it’s affecting her health and can even cause death! Your D needs to be educated on just how serious this can be. If you’re contributing financially at all to this housing you should tell her that you’ll quit paying immediately.</p>

<p>Here’s a tidbit on sewer gases you might want to have her read -

[Indoor</a> Air Issues: Sewer Gas](<a href=“http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/eh/air/fs/SewerGas.htm]Indoor”>http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/eh/air/fs/SewerGas.htm)</p>

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<p>How much proof do you need?</p>

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<p>She should leave and the landlord should be reported. The plumbing vent stack appears to be missing or installed incorrectly. We occasionally have to flush our basement toilet because it dries up and lets in sewer gasses, but that’s only because it goes for years without being used, running a shower several times a day is a ludicrous solution.</p>

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<p>Get her out, now.</p>

10

<p>Agree with the above post. Get her out now! Another (suitable) living arrangement can be found. Health (physical or mental) is not to be messed with.</p>

11

<p>What sort of additional proof are you waiting for?
She already had to drop classes because of environmental illness, ended up in emergency room - perhaps she should be admitted to hospital? Only she lives by herself so no roommate to call for ambulance.</p>