Bought 2nd hnd house 3 mths ago: problems with drainage & percolation, any comeback?

Hi all, 1st time user.

Bought a house three months ago and have now realised the back garden needs drainage at a cost of €3,000.

Also the seepage pit does not seem to be doing its job as toilets back up in heavy rain.

Do I have any comeback from previous owners? ( I know where they live) thanks in advance.

Re: 2nd hand house,have problems

I honestly can't see you having any comeback regarding garden drainage - builders are not obliged to provide this when constructing homes. We had to do this ourselves 18 months ago. Can't answer the issue re. seepage pit.

Re: 2nd hand house,have problems

thanks babaduck, I was thinking it was a longshot

Re: 2nd hand house,have problems

Did you get any surveyor/engineer to check the property before you purchased? Read the report if you did as s/he might have commented on it, or worse for your part, specifically excluded it from his report and mentioned this in the introduction to the report.

Previous owner has no liability to you.

Re: 2nd hand house,have problems

thanks ravima, will dig out paperwork on that

Re: 2nd hand house,have problems

Moved from Askaboutlaw to Buying and selling homes.

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aj

Re: Bought 2nd hnd house 3 mths ago: problems with drainage & percolation, any comeba

thankyou ajapale

Re: Bought 2nd hnd house 3 mths ago: problems with drainage & percolation, any comeba

I had the same problem on a larger scale with a house I bought in the country.
It was a huge amount of hassle,and in the end I forked out 10 k to solve it.This involved all kinds of engineering,with pipes underground and a pump,plus a new septic tank.
The previous owners denied any issue with the septic tank and the surveryor doesnt go into detail,rather just does a general check.
You will probably find that anyone who signs a document in relation to you buying the house,will have some caveat on the document.
It should be noted by others intending to purchase a property where there is a septic tank ,that caution and several checks to make sure all is in order ,would be the best call.
Talking to the local famer is one way of finding out,this is what I did ( after the event) and he told me he had to come and empty the tank several times over the summer.Had I known that,I would have had it checked.hindsight....

Re: Bought 2nd hnd house 3 mths ago: problems with drainage & percolation, any comeba

thedaras said:

Talking to the local famer is one way of finding out,this is what I did ( after the event) and he told me he had to come and empty the tank several times over the summer.Had I known that,I would have had it checked.hindsight....

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It's very unlikely that the farmer would have told you about the septic tank before you bought the house out of loyalty to the neighbours.

It's a pity we don't have a system like in the UK where you are obliged to disclose everything about the property, down to issues like problems with neighbours etc.

Re: Bought 2nd hnd house 3 mths ago: problems with drainage & percolation, any comeba

It is not strictly true that there is never a comeback against the vendor of a second hand property. The 'standard' contract includes a reasonably comprehensive warranty that the property is in compliance with planning permission and building regulations.

A septic tank that doesn't work in rainy weather is, at risk of stating the obvious, clearly not in compliance. Of course if it is pre-'63, there may be no planning condition to comply with and if pre-1992, building regs may not apply. In addition, the 'standard' contract may have been modified with special conditions which to some extent reduce the vendor's duty in this regard.

Nevertheless, the starting point is that a seller who knows of, and fails to disclose, such non-compliance may well have left him\herself open to being sued.

Unfortunately for OP, if the extent of the problem is sufficiently small that remedial works of €3k will solve it, then it is unlikely to be economic to pursue the matter through the courts.