Because the mold assessor receives a percentage of profits from the mold remediation process, the mold assessor is incentivized to write a recommendation or a protocol that is costly to the property owner, manager, or insurer; often including work that is not justified. For example, after hurricane Michael, I was called to a residence in Panama City to perform a cause and origin type of mold assessment. The mold remediator’s assessor happened to be a sister company (i.e., owned by the same person(s) owning the mold remediation company). This assessor received an inflated wage based on a percentage of remediation completed. The assessor wrote a report calling for the house to be completely gutted because of mold contamination. When I had completed my assessment, I discovered: (1) While there was damage to the exterior siding and roof, (2) there were no wet areas (the structural drying company had successfully dried the subject residence prior to my assessment), (3) the HVAC system was performing properly, (4) there was mold colonization in the lower portions of one night stand in a downstairs bedroom, (5) and the air and surface samples collected throughout the residence (other than bullet 4) showed no abnormalities in the mold spore populations. This is an example of pre-remediation “free mold inspection” scamming. The assessor wanted as much work performed as possible to cash in on the property damage claim. 

Because the mold assessor doesn’t get paid until the mold remediator does, the mold assessor is incentivized to pass the mold remediation work even if the mold remediator has performed poorly. For example, I was hired to inspect a work area where a mold assessor (who happened to offer their services through a “free mold inspection” mold remediation company) stated the mold remediation work passed the post-mold verification assessment (PRVA). When I got there, I observed mold colonization on ceiling beams that, when I wiped them with a Sporicidin wipe, cleaned easily from the surfaces. After collecting before and after pictures and a surface sample, I failed the mold remediation work. The mold remediator returned and 48 hours later, I was back onsite. I could see the spot I cleaned in the ceiling along with all the mold colonization in the beams. I failed the mold remediator a second time. All of this, had it not been for the property manager’s questioning the first mold assessor, would have afforded the mold remediator and mold assessor to be paid while leaving the property owner and manager with a property contaminated with mold. This is an example of post-remediation “free mold inspection” scamming. The assessor wanted the job completed as soon as possible so he/she could get paid.