Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Iowa

Re: Repairs needed not disclosed

Unless the bill is paid, usually the city will shut off the water supply eventually. From the facts you have presented, it seems likely that the seller is responsible for the bill. However, if you dig your heels in, and refuse to pay the seller's bill, it will be your water which is shut off, not the seller's. While I can't give specific legal advice based on the limited facts you have presented, I would make the following suggestion. Find out from the city what the timeframe is before they terminate your water service. If it is relatively short, pay the bill and contact the attorney who represented you in your closing. (You did hire an attorney to represent you in one of the biggest financial transactions of your life, didn't you?) If the timeframe is lengthy--several months or more--you could try suing the seller first. Bottom line is, no matter what the circumstance, no matter who is right, the bill will probably need to be paid to prevent your water service from being terminated.