What I Learned About Maintenance Requests and Follow-Ups When Mold Isn’t Being Addressed
The request went in — and then everything went quiet.
Filling out the maintenance request felt like the responsible thing to do.
I expected a response, a plan, or at least acknowledgment.
“Once I hit submit, I thought the waiting would get easier. It didn’t.”
The silence that followed felt heavier than I anticipated.
Waiting without feedback can keep the nervous system in a constant state of readiness.
Why the lack of response felt so unsettling
I didn’t know if my request had been seen.
I didn’t know if it was being taken seriously.
“Every quiet day felt like I had done something wrong.”
That uncertainty echoed the instability I felt before creating a paper trail, which I reflected on in this article.
Silence often creates more distress than clear answers.
How follow-ups became emotionally loaded
Each follow-up felt like a risk.
I worried about sounding demanding or impatient.
“I didn’t want to push — but I also couldn’t afford to disappear.”
This mirrored the fear of retaliation I had already been carrying, which I wrote about in this piece.
Power imbalances can make simple communication feel risky.
Why maintenance systems didn’t feel built for mold
The request form felt designed for broken appliances.
Mold didn’t fit neatly into a checkbox.
“The system treated it like a minor inconvenience, not a safety issue.”
That disconnect made me question whether my experience was being minimized.
When systems don’t reflect lived reality, people often internalize the mismatch.
What helped me stay grounded while waiting
I stopped assuming silence meant dismissal.
I reminded myself that delays don’t always reflect intent.
“Not everything unresolved is a personal failure.”
That reframing reduced some of the pressure I was placing on myself.
Separating process delays from self-blame can ease emotional strain.
The questions unanswered maintenance requests raised
Did I do this correctly? Should I follow up again? Why does waiting feel so destabilizing?
These questions didn’t require immediate solutions — they explained why the situation felt so consuming.