Calgary woman claims she was surprised by mould in her home following inspection
A Calgary woman is sharing her tale of buying a home only to find out the property had extensive issues with mould.
Zahra Khatoon moved to Canada in 2018 in hopes of a fresh start. The mother of four worked for years to save up enough to buy in Calgary.
"So that made me think, I have to work hard to buy a house because when my children's will come, I want to give a better life to them," Khatoon told CTV News in an interview.
She bought a northeast Calgary home over the summer, but soon discovered mould throughout.
She hired a home inspector prior to moving in and said they did not find any major issues. But as soon as she started settling in, it was clear there was something wrong.
"There was a mushroom growing and the laundry room… was full of the mould," she said. "In my kitchen, under the sink, there was the mould."
A second home inspector and mould specialist confirmed that there were several areas affected, Khatoon said.
Drywall has now been ripped off the walls in the basement and in the bathrooms. Khatoon has attempted to clean up the mould from under the sinks.
Khatoon now says she feels as if she rushed into putting in an offer on the home and alleges the first home inspector, who was licensed, didn't properly warn her of potential issues with the property.
The president of the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors (CAHPI) said Khatoon's case highlights the importance of hiring a licensed professional and taking the time to further check references and reviews.
"Hopefully we can turn this around and say, 'You know what people, hire the right people, the qualified people.' Alberta has a licensing system on purpose because there were some bad things that went down," said Peter Weeks, CAHPI president.
B.C. is the only other province that possesses a licensing system for home inspectors.
You can consult Alberta’s online directory here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
Storm-battered U.S. South is again under threat. A boy swept into a drain fights for his life
Dangerous storms crashed over parts of the U.S. South on Thursday even as the region cleaned up from earlier severe weather that spawned tornadoes, killed at least three people, and gravely injured a boy who was swept into a storm drain as he played in a flooded street.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.