COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Beth Blessing bought a home in North Columbus to be used as a rental property. But in 2013, she found mold in the basement.

“I wouldn’t live down here,” said Blessing. “I don’t want anybody living where I wouldn’t want to live.”

To fix it, Blessing hired EverDry Waterproofing, paying more than $11,000 dollars for crews to install a sump pump and what EverDry calls an “EZ Breathe” machine to combat the mold. Thinking that did the trick, Blessing finished the basement, but the mold persisted.

“My basement keeps bringing on mold and water,” Blessing said.

Blessing called the company back to the home several times for years.

“They come in and they say, ‘We’re fixing the problem.’ But they tear your walls out,” said Blessing. “I said, ‘Who’s going to replace this? Because at what point are you costing me money? Because I can’t rent my own property.'”

In 2017, Bill Saunders hired EverDry when he noticed an issue with his home’s foundation. He paid $17,000 for the company to install an EZ Breathe machine, a sump pump, and a trench to move water away from the house.

“None of it to me is really working,” said Saunders. Mold also became an issue in his basement. Saunders also reached out to the company repeatedly, for two years.

“I’ll call, I’ll call,” said Saunders. “And it’s getting to the point that no one’s taking phone calls now, so what am I supposed to do?”

Bother Blessing and Saunders called Better Call 4 in the spring of 2022. I reached out to EverDry shortly after, and unlike Blessing and Saunders, I was able to get through.

I spoke with a company representative, who spoke with both customers. After several meetings, phone calls, and visits, I was told by that representative in late October that “work has been completed for (Bill) Saunders.”

“They took a couple months to come in and finish it, but they finally got this one done,” Saunders said. “I appreciate you guys coming out and helping me because I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere by myself.”

As for Blessing, from early November of last year through late February, she and the company discussed her demands, including reimbursement for work she did herself to remove mold, and for lost rent — more than $6,000 dollars.

A representative told Better Call 4 that the company offered Blessing a financial settlement on February 21, which she rejected.

Now, per the terms of the contract, the parties will proceed to arbitration.