What to do if I purchased a home but the sellers did not make the repairs that they were obligated to?
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What to do if I purchased a home but the sellers did not make the repairs that they were obligated to?
The sellers did a multiple page disclosure that said everything was in working order. I had a independent inspection and there were a list of things to fix which they agreed to do. Now that the sale has closed and I’ve moved in, I’m finding many of the items were not fixed including: electrical issues, garage doors that are incorrectly wired, central vacuum that is missing the pin to work and lights that had fixtures but were not wired. Do I have a time frame and legal state statute or law to fall back on?
Asked on October 2, 2012 under Real Estate Law, Washington
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Contracts and other agreements like the agreement you describe to make repairs may be enforced by the courts: there is no doubt but that legally, such an agreement can be enforced. If the sellers did not honor their agreement, you could sue them to recover the cost to make the repairs themselves. For smaller amounts, you'd be best off suing in small claims and acting as your own attorney. Typically, you have at least two years to initiate (file) the lawsuit.
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