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selling a house and responsibility
westf27 - 12/11/12 at 01:45 PM

If you sell a house and within a week a pipe bursts what sort of comeback from the new owner can you expect via a solicitor.
I am not sure whether its buyer beware like used cars or there is a legal responsibility.

Theshed - 12/11/12 at 01:51 PM

none whatsoever - unless you had said anything about the condition of the pipe prior to exchange of contracts

blakep82 - 12/11/12 at 01:52 PM

^ correct! not your problem at all.

and thats what they have building insurance for

Jon Ison - 12/11/12 at 01:54 PM

And surveys, its just unlucky I'm afraid.

Alfa145 - 12/11/12 at 01:57 PM

Not your problem. They have no comeback what so ever.

If its internal and made a mess their insurance should cover it. If they didn't get insurance, tough.

Slimy38 - 12/11/12 at 02:18 PM

My boss sold his house, and just before exchange the boiler packed up. They left it for the new owner to sort out.

Of course, Murphy's law applied and their new house also managed to lose it's boiler within the first week...

Peteff - 12/11/12 at 02:36 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Slimy38
My boss sold his house, and just before exchange the boiler packed up. They left it for the new owner to sort out.

Of course, Murphy's law applied and their new house also managed to lose it's boiler within the first week...


That's not Murphy's Law that's Karma

Simon - 12/11/12 at 05:33 PM

So, you're boss's boiler broke in the house he was leaving before completion and he left it, then the house he moved into had the boiler break too.

That ain't Murphy's Law, that's Jenga

So deserved!

ATB

Simon

ian locostzx9rc2 - 12/11/12 at 05:47 PM

A friend of mines next door neighours moved and the new owners moved in within 3 days they had a wiring fault in the loft massive fire gutted the place that was about 6 months ago and they wont be back in till the new year ...... Thats UNLUCKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No comeback to last owners.....

T66 - 12/11/12 at 06:37 PM

A chartered surveyor explained to me last year, it is the buyers liability to establish issues with the property, not your liability as a seller and good egg....

SteveWalker - 12/11/12 at 06:38 PM

Years ago a house near us was sold. Before the new owners even had a chance to move their stuff in, a gas leak caused the house to explode - what was left was around a foot high! They had not at that stage arranged insurance

Dave Ashurst - 12/11/12 at 08:09 PM

Buyer beware, absolutely!

...edit to add: and the buyer has to arrange insurance from exchange of contracts but before completion, i.e. they insure it before they own the house!

[Edited on 12/11/12 by Dave Ashurst]

SteveWallace - 12/11/12 at 09:03 PM

If the new owner had arranged a survey in the run up to the purchase and that survey should have revealed the defect but did not, then there would be a potential claim against the surveyor (who should have PI cover).

This happened to someone I knew a few years ago - first day in the house, he walked into the kitchen and fell through the floor boards. He made a successful claim against the surveyor as he had paid for a full structural survey and it was reasonable to expect that the floor could hold his weight!

I suspect that a burst pipe is just tough luck though

westf27 - 13/11/12 at 08:28 AM

Thnks for all the replies,as usual the forum comes up trumps.

regards steve