Heard in the News
This entry was posted on 11/5/2006 3:14 PM and is filed under Pet Peeves.
A few weeks ago it was reported on TV that a couple had purchased a home only to discover after they had moved in that the home had a serious mold problem. This led to their actually having to move out due to health issues. The costs associated with this problem both emotionally and financially have proven to be high. The home had been inspected prior to purchase and according to the correspondent had been “given a clean bill of health”. The mold issue is fast becoming what asbestos and UFFI insulation were some years ago. The expression I found disturbing in the report was that the home had been “given a clean bill of health” by the home inspector. The implication is that home inspectors are liable on this front when clearly according to the state’s standards of practice they are not. 266 CMR 6.11 2 (c) Clearly states that home inspectors are not only not required but are prohibited from ‘Determining the presence or absence of any suspected hazardous substances.. or contaminants in soil, water, air quality’. Ethically if there are clear signs of mold present during a home inspection this should be drawn to a buyer’s attention. Also if a home inspector has assumed the responsibility to perform some type of mold testing then he/she has opened the door on liability. Buyers need to be aware of this information and that is why one should seriously think about having an independent contractor test indoor air quality prior to purchase.
