Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Pennsylvania
Property repairs
Hello,
My wife and I purchased property in PA, almost 2 years ago. Recently we had a water leak in the pipes, and problems with the furnace. Upon having someone fix the pipes, it was noted that most of the pipes were pvc. We were told that they should be copper because they were main pipes. Then the furnace broke. We had someone come to see why, and were told we need a new furnace. The furnace has a large hole in it, and is gicing off carbon dioxide in the house. Also there is asbestos in the basement. Prior to purchasing the house, we had the house inspected by an inspector the realtor suggested, who never indicated any of this. He stated the house was fine. My question is, prior to the house being put on the market, isn't the mortgage company, and city suppose to check these things out? Are we responsible for getting these things repaired, or are they liable?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Property repairs
Once you close on your purchase, the responsibility for the property is yours. The City does not inspect a property that is being sold, and the mortgage company has only an appraisal, to establish the value of the property on which it is lending.
You should have received a Seller's Property Disclosure Statement, which is supposed to disclose fairly detailed information about the property. The home inspection company should also provide a fairly extensive report of systems and other conditions of the property. The inspection report should not consist of merely "it's fine".
Depending on how long after the inspection and your purchase the problems began, you may or may not be able to try to go after the inspection company, although they generally limit their liability for the inspections and reports.
If the Seller's Property Disclosure Statement was not given at all, or if it misrepresented conditions of the property, you may have rights against the seller.
You should consult with a real estate lawyer in the county where the property is located to review your options.
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