While many members of the state and federal government have been discussing tax rebates for those who have Chinese drywall in their homes, it is not an open and shut situation for those wishing to make claims. Instead, it can be a long and tedious uphill battle with mixed results. WPBF of Florida recently featured a couple facing this challenge
Larry Kosakowski and his fiancée, Kelly Wonderlick, can fill their living room table with their Chinese drywall battle. They’ve already found that the imported wall boards corroded electrical wiring and ate up appliances. The telltale Knauf stamp can be seen all over the attic.
“The value of the property is important to us,” said Kosakowski. “It’s your biggest investment.”
That’s why the couple’s battle is now taking them to the Saint Lucie County property appraiser’s office. They want their Chinese drywall taken into account when it comes to their assessed value.
“If the home is unsellable, if I have to put several hundred thousand into to fix it back up, should I have to pay taxes on it?” asked Kosakowski. “I don’t think so.”
St. Lucie County Property Appraiser Jeff Furst said 20 to 30 homeowners are already asking for similar drywall consideration.
The thing that comes up again and again is to retain meticulous records of expenses incurred. That way, tax refunds are easier to navigate should they come to fruition and a legal expert may better handle any sort of settlement or claim that can be made once the judiciary has decided who can be held accountable for this disaster.