Bank dismisses mortgage for mold-affected family

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Bank dismisses mortgage for mold-affected family

http://www.pepperellfreepress.com/Stories/0,1413,109~5517~2244014,00.h

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By Don sson

PEPPERELL -- The family, whose financial and health problems

stemming from mold that pervaded their ee Road home have been

well-documented, received unexpectedly good news last Wednesday when

the bank that holds their Fannie Mae mortgage told them they will be

released from the document.

" Washington Mutual Savings Bank [of ville, Fla.] and Fannie

Mae is charging off the mortgage, " said. " It's just

wonderful news. We heard June 23 at 2 p.m. " She said the bank's

process is to contact its investors and " ultimately, " the mortgage

will be charged off.

The es haven't made mortgage payments for several months and

accrued $10,000 in penalties every three months. Their credit cards

are almost maxed out and their totals they can borrow have been

reduced.

" I feel wonderful, but I still have a lot of work to do, "

said.

One thing still to do was to send to the bank copies of an insurance

report saying that the house is uninsurable, a decontamination bill

for their two automobiles, and air quality reports from two different

companies.

Another is to continue working with residents of other communities

who, having read and seen news reports, have called for help

with their situations.

She finds it " very interesting " that on May 28 the Department of

Housing and Urban Development released a " Radon Gas and Mold Notice

and Release Agreement " ( www.aerotechlabs.com that is now a

requirement for all HUD home sales contracts to make certain that

purchasers know radon gas and mold may cause health problems.

" My next step once the paperwork is done is to approach the town to

tell the Board of Health that I want to see this through, "

said. " Thank God this news releases anything with the town having to

do anything [with the house] as I see it. "

said she did not ask why the bank excused her mortgage. " I

guess the reason the bank is taking it back is obvious, " she

said. " We haven't paid the mortgage, I'm now out of work, and we're

in financial ruin. "

Last month, repeated her story before the health board for the

first time. She had hesitated to ask the property to be condemned she

said because the family would have had nowhere to move to. It might

also have jeopardized a lawsuit her husband, Rich, filed against the

former owner, home inspector and two Realtors. That suit is still

proceeding.

Meanwhile, said she " can't say enough about [attorney] April

Babbitt " who represented her in foreclosure proceedings. " She did

[the job] unselfishly. She is an amazing woman, " said. " The

bank asked if I wanted to move back into the house. I said 'Noooo,' "

said.

She had sent a letter to one of the bank's vice presidents who was

assigned the case and told her story about creeping illness and the

toxicity of the molds in the house. She had been diagnosed with

Sudden Onset Asthma, and coughed constantly despite HEPA filters in

every room, and was prescribed Allegra, inhalers, a nebulizer and

steroids. She had endured unexplained rashes, headaches, nosebleeds,

and became allergic to allergy shots.

" He said it was the saddest letter he ever read, " said. " To

have someone with feeling working in a big bank is amazing. "

did not know what might happen to the ee Road house.