When you buy a home, the sellers are obligated to make certain disclosures. Perhaps the most famous example is that they have to disclose if there’s lead paint in the home. But there are a lot of other issues that need to come to light, as well.
Many of these issues deal with water, and the reason why is clear. Water damage in a home can be devastating. It can cause a lot of related damage to other places where there aren’t even any water problems. For instance, a roof leak can cause damage in the ceilings throughout the entire home.
To deal with this, the Kentucky Revised Statutes § 324.360 gives sellers a list of things that they need to disclose. They can either say that it is unknown, they can answer yes, they can answer no or they can say that it is not applicable in that situation.
What are the six questions?
To help you understand what they’re supposed to be telling you, here are the six main questions that are asked on the form:
- What is the condition of the basement and are there any known leaks?
- What is the condition of the water supply and what is the source of that supply?
- What is the condition of the roof and does it have any known leaks?
- Are all of the component systems in working condition or are there any issues that need to be brought up?
- What is the condition of the sewer service?
- Are there any other appropriate matters that fall into this general category that need to be discussed?
By no means are these all of the things that sellers are obligated to disclose, but they give you a good idea of how this process works and why it’s so important to get these answers before you buy the house. They can also help you to see if anything concerning is going on. If the seller hasn’t disclosed one of these things that they are asked about, what other types of damage may they be keeping from you?
The process of buying a house may become more complicated than you anticipated, and it’s important to understand your legal options.