Did you get a "home inspector"?

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Posted by Rich-CA on August 22, 2008 at 09:45:13:

In Reply to: Re: DIY blues posted by helena on August 22, 2008 at 04:26:56:

You need to understand what the jobs of these people are before you can justify an accusation of missing something that a professional should have examined. Home Inspectors generally only deal with the building itself. Appraisers job is to determine the dollar value, not to ensure the house's systems are working.

Agents never do inspections because they are not qualified to find the kind of things like what you describe.

Appraisers go by public records and an examination of the building. If public records say there is a septic system then they assume its there. They job is to determine dollar value not verify that everything is working.

I have never had either an inspector nor appraiser try and determine if the external hook ups worked beyond flushing the toilet and making sure the sinks drained when filled with water.

Is this a new built house or an older building. If its new built, does your state have a warranty period?

If its an older house, then I wonder how the sellers ever lived in a place with essentially no sewage disposal. I also wonder how a house could get a certificate of occupancy without working sewage systems. You may also want to check with the city or county and see what plans were filed and which permits got pulled on the house. For a septic system a city inspector usually has to sign off on it.

That is about all you can do yourself, after you gather the info, then go to an attorney and lay out the case (its better than paying the attorney to do the legwork just to tell you there is not enough proof for a solid case).

One more question - did the seller live in the house? If they did, then this is one of those things they could not help but know about when the sh---t came up through the bathtub drain.

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