Mortgage debt adds to woes for Whatì, N.W.T., woman in an overcrowded house
CBC
In addition to the stress of living in a three-bedroom home with 12 people, Jacqueline Williah has another problem — a huge mortgage debt she didn't know about until her former husband died.
CBC wrote about Williah's situation last week, as an example of one of many people in the territory living in overcrowded housing. The story behind the ownership of that house is just as distressing as her present situation.
"I thought it was my house," Williah said. "And next thing, I look at the bills and I'm facing $141,000."
Williah was living with her parents before she moved into the little house along the shores of Lac La Marte she now calls home. She remembers the house was originally reserved for an elder in her husband's family, but the elder decided not to live in the home because it was too far from amenities in the community.
Williah and her husband moved into the three-bedroom home in 1994. Shortly after, they started a family that now includes six children and three grandchildren, all of whom still live there.
The couple split up in 2010, after which she remained in the house with her children.
But it wasn't until her former husband died in 2021 that she got a surprising letter from Housing NWT.
"Dear Jacqueline, I am very sorry to hear of Fred's passing," the letter begins. "I send my sincerest sympathies to you and your family. I hope you are doing well.
"I am writing to provide an updated mortgage balance and offer you a payment plan. Your current balance as of October 31, 2021 is $141,209.50. Since signing a mortgage agreement, we never did receive a payment, so the balance owing is quite high."
Williah was shocked to find out she didn't own her house that she lived in for close to three decades.
"I never signed any papers," she told CBC.
Williah has not seen the original mortgage document.
It was her understanding any paperwork signed in 1994 was transferring ownership of the house to the family.
Williah's story is one of several across the territory when it comes to the miscommunication and confusion surrounding mortgage documents signed in the '80s and '90s.
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