Over the past several months hundreds of Miami-Dade County residents have reported the presence of defective Chinese drywall in their homes. These homeowners believe the values of their properties have been impacted by this problem.

In response to this problem, Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser Pedro J. Garcia has implemented a policy of providing assessment relief when homeowners can establish that their properties have been impacted by defective Chinese drywall.

The following are some of the signs which indicate that a home was built with defective Chinese drywall:

• Sulfur-like odors
• Recurring and costly A/C problems
• Charcoal or black corrosion of copper Freon lines and/or electrical wiring
• Made in China notation on the drywall
   

Homeowners should contact or visit the Office of the Property Appraiser and provide documented evidence of these conditions. Such documentation could include a report by a professional engineer, architect, building inspector or environmental specialist. Insurance claims can also be used. An estimate of the cost to remedy the problem should also be presented.

Each case will be reviewed based on its own merit and the Property Appraiser’s Office will substantiate any claim by conducting its own field inspection. The extent of assessment adjustment will be based on the cost of remedying the problem.

See also: Frequently Asked Questions about Chinese Drywall Assessment Relief