'DREAM HOME' BRINGS LEGAL NIGHTMARE

House Used For Marijuana Growth Leads To Lawsuit

An Ontario couple thought they had found the perfect place to raise
their two young children. But the home of their dreams, located in a
good community, soon turned into a nightmare. They had purchased a
former marijuana grow op.

Four years later, health concerns and legal bills are piling
up.

The couple, who wish to remain anonymous, say there is evidence of
mould in the home and they worry about the health of their two young
children. Since moving in, the husband has suffered from sinus infections.

"Even if you get the air quality tests, you still have the worry in
the back of your mind, 'Is there any mould in the house? Is there
anything that's hidden? My children are coughing. Well, is it a cough
or is it because of something that's hidden behind the walls?' I don't
want to continue to live in a house that might have an effect on me or
my children later."

These folks found out the hard way they had stumbled into a former
drug den.

"In my case, it was my neighbour coming out and saying: 'By the way,
did you know this house was used as a grow op?' and my mouth dropped,"
said the husband.

The family is now embroiled in a costly legal battle over the purchase
of the house. The couple is suing the previous owner, the listing
agent and the realtor involved with the transaction.

The couple is drained emotionally and financially. "Essentially
they've been defrauded," said Toronto-area lawyer Andrew Ruzza.

"They've purchased something which is not what they
expected."

Ruzza, who is representing the family, believes legislation needs to
change to protect homebuyers in Canada.

In some provinces, such as B.C. and Quebec, privacy issues restrict
this type of information.

The resale price of a former drug house varies from province to
province, but the homes often sell for 10 to 25 per cent below market
value.

For those thinking of making a quick buck by flipping these
properties, be warned: it's costly.

"It's definitely not something I'd recommend to the average investor,"
said B.C.-based contractor Owen Brown, who rehabbed a drug lab in
Prince George, B.C., last year. "There was toxic mould
everywhere."

Brown said the former drug house took six months and cost more than
$150,000 to renovate.

Mould is linked to a wide range of symptoms and illnesses, including
asthma. Health Canada says it can trigger asthmatic attacks as well as
other respiratory problems. Mould exposure is also linked to headaches
and an increase in allergic reactions. It can be especially dangerous
for children and those with weakened immune systems.

In an attempt to protect the public, many police forces across the
country, including those of Ottawa and Winnipeg, now publish the
addresses of busted grow ops on their websites.

According to an RCMP report, law enforcement agencies across the
country seized nearly two million marijuana plants in 2006. The report
estimates 90 per cent of Canada's marijuana is produced in B.C.,
Ontario and Quebec.

In Calgary, health services work with the Calgary police when shutting
down a grow op. Alberta is the only province in Canada where public
health officers have the status of "executive officers" who can make
specific remediation orders to properties.

"We disclose this information on a regular basis to the public so they
can make an informed decision on whether they want to purchase a home
that's been a grow op," said Robert Bradbury, director of health
protection for the Calgary Health Region.

Bradbury said the CHR website, which lists active and inactive grow
ops, is popular among potential home buyers.