Whos responsibility is this?

[getmeoutofhere]

We have had our investment property on the market and we now have a buyer The contracts have all been signed. About a week or so before the contracts were signed the property manager sent a letter saying the oven no longer works and from what I can gather it hasn't worked for quite awhile (we originally had the property with a different property manager until we recently swapped to this one). So my question is, do we legally need to replace/fix the oven or is that the responsibility of the buyer seeing as the contracts have all been signed? Is it the buyers responsibility to check to make sure things like that work before they sign the contracts? Thanks in advance!

 

[wylie]

I would think the house is being bought as it was (and is), which is with an oven that doesn't work. I don't know if the buyer can hold up the sale if he/she finds out at the pre-settlement inspection that it doesn't work. It seems possibly different states have different rules, but I don't know.

 

[getmeoutofhere]

Thanks for your answer. Do you think there is anything that the buyer can do once they've moved in and found out that it doesn't work? When buying a house should you check that things like this actually work before signing the contracts to avoid having to fix things once you move in?

 

[wylie]

I have never checked ovens, but perhaps I am too trusting .

Every house we have bought has been a "fixer upper" except our first one. The oven didn't work properly but it was not an issue because we put in a new kitchen.

If I was buying a house with a kitchen that was not in need of ripping out, I would possibly turn on the gas or the oven to check, but if it doesn't work when I inspect it, I would reflect that in my offer, or accept it as the price I must pay for that particular house.

It would ring some alarms though, and I would want to check a few more things...

 

[AngelMoo]

Wouldn't it be too late once the sale is done and they've moved in? If anything it might be an issue pre-settlement but then worst case a new oven is $5-600... less for a second hand one which would be better as the house didn't come with a brand new oven!

 

[travelbug]

Legally or morally?

Is there a tenant?
So you leave them with no stove for another 6 weeks then the new owner has to run out and buy one the first day they own it?

mmm

We sold our house and the hot water system blew up the week before settlement. It didn't even enter my head not to replace it. Maybe I'm different.

 

[Sheryn]

About a week or so before the contracts were signed the property manager sent a letter saying the oven no longer works and from what I can gather it hasn't worked for quite awhile

Me personally I would replace the oven and claim cost via tax (may not get the whole amount back) as i would think this is fair.

You may have to discuss this with solicitor as new buyers may need to be informed.



Regards
Sheryn