Background of My Nightmare with Lennar Homes Builder

Thinking about a new construction Lennar home? Don’t let the same thing happen to you. This is my story of purchasing a new construction home from Lennar. It’s been a nightmare that will never seem to end. The property address is 6111 Yeats Manor Drive in Tampa, FL at the Westshore Yacht Club.

In January 2012, I contracted with WCI Communities (now Lennar) to build a dream home in the Westshore Yacht Club neighborhood located in Tampa, FL. At the time, I could have absolutely no idea of the nightmare I was about to walk into and one that continues with no end in sight.

The total estimated cost to repair all the Lennar construction defects is nearly $300,000, which includes extensive mold remediation throughout the new construction home. Although the builder acknowledged the construction issues, the senior executives I was working with eventually went silent and ignored all Lennar home warranty requests and repairs.

 

• 25 A/C Malfunctions
• 16 Rounds of Antibiotics
• 80+ Outstanding Construction Issues
• $24,360 Unreimbursed Repairs During Warranty (the Lennar warranty excludes so much and basically takes away general consumer rights as well)
• $82,360 in Legal Fees
• $568,750 in Lost Work Time
• $211,650 in Unrecoverable Investments
• $917,180 Total Expenses Related to Lennar Construction Issues

A/c problems? Found out cold air returns DO NOT connect to air handler, they are dummy vents. All flexible "duct work" NOT PROPER! This is why the system struggles to circulate the air! No returns on first floor either. @MyLennarHome pic.twitter.com/NEZCmyoDPR

— Brett (@trcelectric25) January 2, 2018

Beautiful home designs, but #Lennar #FloridaHomes fails to deliver on promises. Big gap between marketing & sales vs. reality. #unhappyhomeowner https://t.co/oY24GimDE6

— Tarkan Kocoglu (@Tookbank25) January 22, 2018

Black mold is growing at Bonita Landing Bonita Springs FL and #lennar is ignoring everyone's cry for help https://t.co/EHw8IJNx6I

— Marc Candels (@ElecEstimator) September 21, 2017

This is a rip off, Lennar denied all responsibility, there’s mold on the ceilings of multiple houses in my neighborhood. The security is so lax (even though we pay highly for it!) that there was a break in midday because the gate was left open, gate left open at night too!

— 🌸 vale 🌸 (@Vale_Elii) November 28, 2017

Current Direct Cost of My Lennar Home

Although my purchase was primarily an investment, in just four years I have already accumulated direct costs of almost 200% of the purchase price. These costs include attorney fees, out of pocket expenses for repairs – even during the Lennar warranty period, and lost billable time at work.

The indirect cost of my purchase far exceeds anything I can measure.

#OMG I've spent the last 10 minutes reading how @krisfannin has been systematically abused by @Lennar Home Builders and the #Florida @AGPamBondi 's office in his 4 yr pursuit of a just settlement for his dangerously defective home! https://t.co/HocmUqVWaU

— John Westra #VR #XR #AR #Innovation (@John_Westra) November 22, 2017

I’m Not Alone

My neighbors on one side have already replaced all their appliances and countertops in under four years.

My neighbors on the other side of me just experienced a $40K flood caused by an improperly installed A/C unit (most of the units here are and have caused lots of mold issues in the neighborhood).

As another house sold (people paint, cover up and don’t disclose), I see the new neighbors starting to move in yesterday. Then I looked around and realized that just in my vicinity of 17 houses, there have been SIXTEEN turnovers in just four years.

That’s not normal. However, people won’t do anything. They are scared to lose their money.

Both Builders Stop Communicating After Inspections

After several inspections and meetings (including the District President of Lennar – Mark Metheny and his team at my home in March), they have just stopped communicating, even after admitting that the construction was not done correctly and agreeing to many of the disputed repairs. My belief – just as with the old builder – is the home is not only beyond repair, but the issues go well outside of just my home. It seems as though when Lennar realizes how serious some issues are, they simply go silent and ignore homeowners.

I believe that is their business policy; distract, litigate, & ignore in hopes the owners give up. Despicable

— Jason Shmason (@Jason_TheGreat) November 19, 2017

construction issue on new unit. High humidity causing mold. Promised fixed or new unit. Now lennar is avoiding calls/emails.

— Joe Suguitan (@JoSugi1) January 19, 2017

I'm #disappointed with @Lennar . New home purchased many blue tape issues Toilet doesnt work no power to kitchen many calls no response

— Patti Maffucci (@PattiMaffucci) March 18, 2017

Still no response from @Lennar addressing #waterheaterproblems #designflaw #customerservice #customerexperience #homebuilders #newhomes

— Kenny Biggs (@kennybiggsjr) March 5, 2017

Lennar then often blocks them on social media – their last channel to communicate with the builder.

With all of my issues , I guess Lennar just can’t handle the facts ! pic.twitter.com/vBkPxsTlNm

— Neal Diamond (@DiamondNealauto) December 17, 2017

I’ve had dozens of inspections since the first month I moved in. All anyone wants to do is keep inspecting and then they become silent.

After the last meeting, they were supposed to send an updated issues sheet (I have a detailed spreadsheet dating back to 2014 that lists all the construction issues along with each response as it went from WCI, WCI’s inside legal, WCI’s outside legal and now Lennar), but have not received that or a response.

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Note: As of the date of this publication, all the Lennar executives went silent and none of the construction repairs were ever made, including the promised replacements of two, improperly installed and defective A/C units causing extensive mold exposure and health issues.

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What you have documented is incredible. I am speechless.

— Kamyar Shah (@kshahwork) November 8, 2017

Mold and Environmental Issues – Lennar Simply Doesn’t Care

They witnessed mold in many places and continue to do nothing and let me live here. My plumbing and metals in confined spaces (even the oven) are corroding.

The initial suspicion was Chinese drywall, but since it is suspected that something subterraneous is coming into the homes. There was a factory here and land remediation was not completed (that was confirmed by the DEP and EPC).

For example, none of my ceiling fans work in either the main house or guest retreat. Upon one of their inspections, they found that the insides of the fans were rusted and corroded with no signs of water damage around. There are no signs of rusting or corroding outside of the fans or appliances.

Water intrusion has happened and they determined it was improperly installed roof flashing as well as A/C units that have flooded and caused mold because they weren’t installed correctly. Yet they continue to let it happen.

I’ve had over two dozen air conditioner malfunctions in just over four years. My health continues to decline. More importantly, my quality of life and work have greatly diminished as I work out of my home.

You know you scored a genuine Lennar home when #mold starts growing on your furniture. #mylennarhome #fraud @AGPamBondi pic.twitter.com/V6vDTI8NCJ

— Kris Fannin (@krisfannin) January 17, 2018

@Lennar your houses are absolutely the epitome of INCOMPETENCE. You should be ashamed. When our neighbors are professional tradespeople and explain to us what you did wrong, it is mind boggling how poorly these houses are "built."

— Amy Cole (@amycole96) January 4, 2018

My Lennar Home Impacts My Health and Well Being

I can barely put my regular shoes on because of swelling. People who have spent more than a few days here have experienced similar symptoms and as far back as 2013.

I have frequent rashes, bloody noses, sinus infections, hair that falls out and is bloody at the root, etc. None of this was happening before I lived here. I rarely took antibiotics before I moved here and now it’s at a point where I shouldn’t take anymore.

Mosquitos have infested the place (as you can see in the videos, people are bitten to a point of welts and rashes). This has happened since early 2014 and has only gotten worse over time. Nobody will come here anymore for that reason.

Don’t buy from them. We had a Lennar home built in Texas and they left our drains open slightly, leading to about 8 years of toxic mold exposure. They did fix the bathroom but ignored our complaint about our persistent toxic mold illness that nearly killed us.

— Denise (@Crossroads_30) November 30, 2017

My Life is Nothing Like it Was Before I Moved into My Lennar Home

My life has completely changed since I moved here and nothing is changing. Every aspect of my life – health, emotional, financial, career, relationships – has been greatly impacted in the last four years. The stress alone – taking the potential environmental factors out of it – as you can imagine has been great and taken its toll in so many ways.

I haven’t been able to take a day off – not even a holiday – since August of 2015. That is because I have to try and make up lost time as much as possible after hours, weekends and holidays.

I was happy, fit and successful when I moved here. All of that is eroding and I’m no longer sure who to turn to or what to do.

These are just small examples of how my life has drastically changed in just over four years.

Frustrated #homeowners left with crumbling backyard & absent builder @Lennar https://t.co/34ncOFmDc3 #AtxRealEstate #realestate #Atx

— Jason Shmason (@Jason_TheGreat) November 14, 2017

I’m Trapped – I Cannot Even List This Property

I’ve wanted to sell my Lennar home and get the equity out, but again – I can’t even list it. That’s not my fault.

Above and beyond the house, the environment in the neighborhood with the association and the amenities add to all of this.

I won’t do what others are doing and not disclose all the issues. This is just one of many examples. They ended up telling the buyer that Lennar fixed the issue. Lennar did nothing.

Here is the example of a neighbor falsifying disclosure to sell their house. I won’t do this to another person and family. It’s not right.

I Won’t Pass My Lennar Home Issues to Another

Most of the issues I would have to disclose even if they were repaired. Not only is it illegal, more importantly, it’s unethical not to disclose. I won’t do that to someone. I would never wish what has happened to me to anyone – not even the people who are responsible for it.

None of this is my fault. I’ve constantly looked for ways to accept some responsibility in the hopes that there is something I can change in all of it. I can’t find anything and that’s frustrating in itself.

I have continued to be cooperative for more than four years but nothing is getting done. I simply cannot live like this anymore.

The repairs to my life, health, finances and work ONCE I leave here are overwhelming to even think about, so I’m trying to stay focused on the goal of just getting out first. All of this when I simply wanted a home.

I’m at a loss as to what to do and who to turn to at this point. I just know I can’t keep doing this alone and I cannot keep living like this. This shouldn’t be allowed to happen and it does and not just in this neighborhood from what I am realizing.

Shame on you @Lennar my neighbors have been without heat for 3 Days? Several in our neighborhood due to the same furnaces installed in the WRONG locations. Fix your mistakes.

— Emily Hunt-Nelson (@EmilyHuntNelson) January 4, 2018

The Purpose of This Website

After some recent social media posts, it became apparent to others homeowners in the neighborhood and beyond have had similar issues and frustrations with the builder, Lennar.

This section of my website dedicated to documenting my experiences in the community and specifically the still unresolved construction defects and disputes with the builder.

My hope is it will help anyone who might be in a similar situation or considering a purchase either at the Westshore Yacht Club or many of the other Lennar communities. I also hope any person, agency, or business that can help will.

Lastly, this is my story. It’s exhausting to explain everything that has happened in the years since purchases a new construction Lennar home. This site acts as an archive so I don’t have to continue explaining it all.

Thank you for following along. If you have had similar experiences or know of someone – anyone – who might be able to help, please use the form on my contact page to get in touch.

I still have to private message them with the details, which will go on for days. Doctors, specialists, surgeries, medications, treatments, hospital stays, the list goes on and on. The silence is confirmation that they know they’re liable.

— Denise (@Crossroads_30) December 2, 2017