Fort Simpson (June 20/03) - Darrell Snider has a long list of complaints about his new home.

Since he took possession of the three-bedroom house from the NWT Housing Corporation less than two months ago, there have been plenty of problems, he said. Some have been addressed, others remain unresolved.

Darrell Snider is unhappy with several aspects of his new home. For one thing, a lengthy tin panel fell off the edge of the roof. His daughter was playing nearby at the time. "What if that hit her? That tin is sharp. It could have cut her face," he said. - Derek Neary/NNSL photo

A hole in the roof and the malfunctioning furnace were fixed, according to Snider. So was the basement, which flooded before he moved in. However, he wants soil samples taken to be sure there are no contaminants.

Larry Campbell, of the NWT Housing Corporation, said the flooding was caused by a break in a village water main. It was cleaned up and there's nothing to worry about, he said. He added that the pressure-treated wood won't be damaged.

Among the other problems that Snider told the Drum he has encountered:

• a laundry room door that won't close properly
• sand in the paint
• knife marks in the siding
• a leaky pipe in the bathroom
• defects in the drywall
• no outdoor water taps

Snider provided a list of 18 grievances -- not all matching those aforementioned -- to Lyall Gill, general manager of Nogha Enterprises, that contractor that built the house. Gill wouldn't speak to the details of Snider's case. He said Nogha Enterprises returns to check on all the houses it builds as soon as it can.

Snider purchased the dwelling at a reduced price as a First Nations member through one of the Housing Corporation's programs. However, he said he had to take out a substantial loan to do it.

"These houses aren't free any more. People have to pay for these houses," said Snider. "If they're going to build houses for their own people then do a good job."

He noted that he's capable of fixing the problems, but he said he had been told not to repair things himself.

On the contrary, Campbell said home-owners are encouraged to make their own repairs. He added that there's a 12-month warranty for the contractor to address any outstanding issues.

"The first year there is always shifting and stuff like that that happens," Campbell explained.

That doesn't satisfy Snider.

"I don't feel that I should have to wait 12 months when it should have been done when I moved in," he said.

Nogha Enterprises is the successful bidder for the majority of housing contracts in Fort Simpson, according to Campbell.

He said only one in ten new home-owners, on average, contacts him with complaints.