non-disclosure Do I have a case?

[robbeck]

I live in Arkansas and I purchased a house in Feb of this year. I spent the summer remodeling the property and finally moved in last week. Immediately we started having plumbing problems. I figured maybe the septic system needed to be pumped, but when I talked to my neighbor he informed me that the previous owner had all the plumbing draining into an old well and that there is no septic system. Shouldn't this have been disclosed to me?

The man I bought the house from was selling it because his mother (who lived in the house) had just died. However, the gentleman did grow up in the house as his father had built it and was well aware of the plumbing situation. f

What are my options here? Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,
Rob

 

[alligatorob]

I’m no lawyer, but I have some house buying and selling experience and since no one else has answered you yet I’ll tell you what I think your options are:

1 Call a plumber or septic tank pumping company to take a look, I am not sure I’d rely on the memory of a neighbor.

2 What did the seller disclose? Was it accurate?

3 Recognize that the seller may not have been aware of a problem. Old houses that had septic systems installed years ago often do not meet current codes or standards. A cesspool or tank may resemble a well and these were commonly used. I have seen old cars used as septic tanks. It would not surprise me to see an old hand dug well converted to a cesspool, this may have been legal at the time, and it may have worked for years. The point is in an old house you can’t expect the septic and drain system to look like a modern one. Is it possible that this problem was not apparent when a single old woman lived in the house but now that you use the plumbing more it will not take all of your **** so to speak?

4 Talk to your real estate agent, if you had one, or your lawyer.

Good luck

Alligator Rob

 

[rmet4nzkx]

Drink bottled water.