December 2020
Mould is toxic and can cause health problems. Failing to address identified water leaks and mould can have long lasting repercussions.
One Vancouver condo owner filed a human rights complaint after spending years fighting her condo corporation – called a strata in British Columbia. According to the complaint, mould in her unit was caused by a water leak in the building in 2015. Testing found three types of mould – two of which “should not be found at any level in a normal indoor environment”. While the source of the leak was repaired, damage to the unit was not repaired. One room was deemed unsafe for occupancy. The owner experienced “significant heart and lung ailments” because of the mould.
Contractors hired by the building broke into the walls to spray the mould but failed to complete repairs.
A consultant report estimated construction to deal with water leaks throughout the building would cost $2.6 million. Repair cost for the single affected unit was estimated to be $250,000.
Best practice would have been to address water leak problems years ago when first discovered. Any mould found at that time would have been much less costly to address. Today, that $2.6 million repair cost is likely beyond the means of the condo community.
