Expert: Dick Dennis - 6/26/2006

Question
My daughter and her husband just bought their first home in the Los Angeles area.  Before escrow closed, the plumbing had backed up.  They have been in the house a couple of weeks and are still having plumbing problems.  The insurance company charges them $50.00 every time they come out and they have not fixed the problem yet.  Is the sellor liable for repairs during the first year after they sell their house?

Answer
It sounds to me like the seller provided a Home Warranty program for a year (usually a minimum) in which they do charge a fee to doesn't pay for the whole trip for repair. Your daughter could have paid for a more stronger program in which they would not have had to pay anything for each visit. But, of course, they would have had to pay for it prior to close of escrow. Or they could have had the seller pay the additional cost.

The Realtor should have explained the difference in Home Warranty programs. Maybe they were explained and your daughter, in her naivety, just didn't know the difference.

I do wish you well.

Dick Dennis        dixiedee13@aol.com
oldproblemsolver.com