House seller charged 39 000€ for frozen pipe!
On 17 February 2015, Savon Sanomat reported on a case where, after selling a detached house, it was discovered that the plumbing had frozen during the previous owner’s ownership, which in turn caused water damage. The court ordered the old owner to pay a price reduction and damages. The total amount of compensation was €39 000. With this amount, the renovation would have been carried out twice already.
The seller of the house may not have known about the problem
In many of these cases, there is pure ignorance. HVAC technology and the lifespan of plumbing and systems are difficult issues for homeowners to grasp, so it is understandable that mistakes happen.
Insurance does not cover when the house is sold
Insurance usually covers most of the water damage. If the house is newly purchased and it is found that the water damage was caused by the previous owner’s fault or ignorance, the previous owner will have to pay compensation. In this case, the previous owner’s home insurance will not cover a single euro of the damage and the seller of the house will be liable for the full amount.
Are you selling your house and worried about the condition of the plumbing? Order a free condition survey from HVAC Security!
Selling an old house is always a risk for the seller. In a sales situation, one’s own humanity comes into play and it is quite normal that a single-family homeowner is not an expert in all species. That’s why we recommend that you ask our experts to visit your home before you sell your house. We bring plumbing knowledge to your home.
