How can I find out if the previous owners of my house covered up a fire?

Question

We discovered a leak in our kitchen ceiling. When we took the sheet rock down, we discovered evidence of fire in the beams. The previous ownes did not disclose this information. What options do we have?

Answer 1

Most states have some form of seller's disclosure that the seller's had to fill out. If your state has that, you should review the document. If you don't have it, ask your realtor for a copy. By law, they have to keep it for several years ( varies by state,)

I would start by calling the fire department to see if there is anything on file regarding a fire on the premises, also the police dept. I would also follow up with the township offices and see if any permits were issued to make repairs to the home.

If you feel that your home has been compromised structurally, you should follow up with a structural engineer to assess the damage. I would not go to a lawyer until I have gathered the evidence necessary to show the sellers lied, and you have suffered material damage,unless it is for an intial free meeting.The lawyers all charge huge fees, so be sure of your facts, first.

Furthermore, you dldn't state if the seller's owned the property for the entire time since it was built. Is it possible that the damage occurred before they owned it, and perhaps were not aware of the damage, since it could not be seen by eye, behind the sheet rock?  Was there also evidence of repair-for instance, were the beams "sistered" (reinforced by having additional wood screwed to the original beams)?

You are right,  you have some additional sleuthing to do. And, I would also suggest that you contact your realtor, if you were represented by one. It is your realtor's obligation to work with you, even if the transaction is over, if in fact, there was a fire, undisclosed, and there is damage that needs to be addressed. Tap all of the free help you can get, first. Good luck!

Answer 2

go to the library and ck the newspaper archives--if there was a fire, it might have made the paper (if you're in a small town).  other than that-i would guess that you would have to hire someone that does "home inspections"---make sure you find someone that is certified and ck them out through the better business bureau

Answer 3

Go to the nearest firehouse and see if they have a record of a fire at your address

Answer 4

I think if you already closed on the house & live in it, there's nothing you can do.  You might be able to sue the previous owners.

Call up your real estate attorney & ask if this is something they would have had to disclose this& what your rights are.

Answer 5

Talk to the real estate agent that sold you the house, or at least the agency head.  the seller deceived them also.  Your rights are probably dependent upon how long ago you bought the house.  If the agent can't or won't help see a real estate attorney.

Answer 6

It is entirely possible that the previous owners were not aware of a fire, if it occurred before THEY purchased the home.  Furthermore, evidence that a fire occurred is not a required disclosure as long as appropriate repairs were made to the premises.  Such repairs do not necessarily require replacement of all wood which may have gotten blackened, as long as structural integrity remains.

You can investigate to see if there are any fire records, but my guess is that you won't get anywhere legally unless you can credibly display that the house was not properly restored.

Answer 7

Sure it was FIRE and not discoloration caused my mold or mildew?

Is it something that was a obvious repair or could it have been from an owner in the past? How old is the house? You might check with you local fire marshall!

Good luck and I hope this helps!