I bought a Ryan Homes built townhouse in 2007.  I was unable to close on my Ryan Homes built house in November 2007 because I was deployed to Afghanistan for the fourth time.   The house is a four-story town house.  I own the top two stories and my neighbors have the bottom two stories.  When I moved into my house in January 2008, I noticed on the top floor that there were little dark spots along the edge of wall next to the base boards.  I didn’t think anything of it because it’s a new house; the edges I presumed were pretty spacious due to lack of being walked on during insulation.  These spots were initially in the hallway, they are now in all of the bed rooms, and even on the 32 stairs that it takes you to get from the front door to the first floor.

Oh by-the-way, I live by myself, no children, no pets, and when people come over, they have to take their shoes off.  I lived in the house for the first five months and then the Army sent me away again.  This time it was for a short moment.  When I returned in May I was sent away again for six months.  During the course of the six months, I stayed close by but in a hotel because the assignment required so.  I hadn't paid much attention to the floor whenever I did come back to the house for maximum of six days every two and half months and then back to the hotel I'd go.

Since leaving the Army full time in January 2009, I've gotten a chance to really pay attention to my home.  My aunt and niece were supposed to come live with me-that didn't happen.  I had to tell them that they can't come because there's a chance that I'd have to move out of the house because of this black substance that has now spread throughout the top floor of my NEW house.

I called Ryan Homes in February 2009.  They sent a guy out in March 2009 and he saw the substance and said that it was from candles.  When we went to the furnace we pulled out the filter after 42 days and it’s was horrible.  Since then, I’ve put in a 90-day filter and it’s fine.  I left the filter in for 120 days and I don’t have the problem.  I knew better and kept my cool.  That was an insult.  If candles were causing this type of problem it would be on my ceiling and walls - it isn't and has not been.

So that following Monday I called the county.  They called Ryan Homes and Ryan Homes calls me to let me know that they have called their contracted company, TMS Heating and Air Conditioning (TMS) to come out to my house and inspect the furnace.  They sent out the first guy and he showed me that it's not the furnace.  Of course, he could go so far without having to do major work.  Plus, heating and air conditioning is not my expertise.  He noticed that there were gaps in the furnace and scheduled a date for another employee to come out and fix the gaps.

Before the actual closing of the gaps, I called TMS to find out who will be fixing my carpet.  They said to contact Ryan Homes.  I called Ryan Homes and they said since it was candles that they don't have to fix it and they won't.  If I feel that they are wrong to get an inspection.

I ask Ryan Homes for a letter stating such.  He sends the letter and it states that candle soot was not a Ryan Homes warranty issue and no action will be taken.

The next guy comes through from TMS and fix the gaps.  When I asked for a written from the first guy of his findings, he said to contact the main office.  After three attempts of trying to get a statement from TMS, I was told that they don't give out copies of work orders as long as the house is under warranty.

I hire a home inspector.  He looked at my carpet and said that candles didn’t do this.  He goes into my attic to find that both types of fiber glass insulation:  pink batt and the white snow-like type have the same black substance on it as does my carpet.

I got a report from the inspector and acquired an attorney.  My attorney sent a copy of the report to Ryan Homes and they revisited my house in June 2009.  After visiting my house, I got a call from Ryan Homes with a proposition to avoid spending more money and trying to find out who's at fault; Ryan Homes will come in and replace the carpet on my top floor but I will be responsible for the carpet on the down stairs stairwell.  They both saw the attic and in the proposal that Ryan Homes mailed me they didn't mention the attic at all.

This substance is on my junction box, my fax machine, my toilet paper packaging in my laundry room, in my medicine cabinets, my bathroom cabinets, my shower gels bottles underneath my bathroom sinks, my security key pads (upstairs and downstairs), my Airwick plugs (new and old), my dishwasher, my microwave splatter proof covers (the one in the microwave and the one that's never been used that sits in the kitchen drawer, it's in my refrigerator, freezer, blender, mixer, and mixing bowls, it's also on my Lysol timed sprayer that I have hanging up on the downstairs wall in a corner.

Help!  They are taking advantage of the consumers.  I am not the only Ryan Homes customer that has gone through this type of problem with them.  Please visit the site:  www.ryanhomesnightmare.com, the owner of the site has the same exact problem that I do.  His issue occurred around 2000 and mine started in 2007 and is still ongoing. 

Stop this horrible company for it’s negligence and false advertising of commitment and impeccable quality.  We put our trust in them to build us a quality home and they fall extremely short. 

(Photo of another Ryan Homes with soot damage- From C Clark)