Mold concerns plague South Bend homeowner

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Mold concerns plague South Bend homeowner

Mar 13, 2008

WNDU 16 South Bend*

Reporter: Marcie Kobriger

http://www.wndu.com/home/headlines/16632181.html

When she first laid eyes on this little oak street house Jill

Ditmer saw potential as an investment...

" It had a lot of character. I liked the wood floors. I like the

neighborhood, " Ditmer recalls.

She had the home inspected, signed the papers and moved in January

2007. It was then she saw the potential to make the house a home for

herself and her three year old son.

" It was good to come home and see that this was my home, and I got

excited decorating, " Ditmer says.

But the potential Jill didn't see when she first bought the home was

a potential risk to her and her sons health; risks that came from a

sewer line that was initially uncapped, and mold that's still all

over the ceiling and in the basement.

" When it rains or even minimally rains or when the snow melts I have

water coming in from every direction. He had everything freshly

painted in the basement, and now the old stains coming back out, "

Ditmer shows NewsCenter 16.

Shortly after moving in, Jill's three year old son began having

breathing problems. His doctor found an allergy to mold. Mold Jill

says is growing in her new home; mold that's clearly visible in the

crawl space. Mold, she says that is just one of the problems the

inspector she hired should have found.

" There's no way they could have even opened the door. You walk in

and someone who doesn't know anything about it would have known

something was wrong. There was a three gallon bucket of water

underneath a leak with an open gas pipe, " Ditmer says of the

problems in the crawl space.

With no means of legal recourse against the previous owner, Ditmer

says she doesn't know what to do next. She's thinking about just

giving the title back to the bank, in hopes that they don't

foreclose on her loan.

Email Address: marcie.kobriger@...