Magic33bus

What is the name of your state? NJ

HELP on disclosure!
We bought our house four years ago and are doing a major renovation. In the process of doing the renovation, our water pipe from the house to the curb broke. So we had a plumber come out to fix the expensive problem. When the plumber was digging deep into the ground he hit a old oil tank used for heating. The oil then preceded to leak into my basement. We are 95% sure the previous owners who converted the furnace to gas never disclosed when we purchased the house. ( at this moment, can't get to my files) Can we go after the previous owners for not disclosing it and also the people who did the conversion for illegally leaving it in the ground with oil still in it. It is against the law. What are my options. SHould i also go after for my township if they knew about it and a permit was pulled and inspected by the town?
thanks sooo much. What a mess!

[HomeGuru]

Originally Posted by magic33bus

What is the name of your state? NJ

HELP on disclosure!
We bought our house four years ago and are doing a major renovation. In the process of doing the renovation, our water pipe from the house to the curb broke. So we had a plumber come out to fix the expensive problem. When the plumber was digging deep into the ground he hit a old oil tank used for heating. The oil then preceded to leak into my basement. We are 95% sure the previous owners who converted the furnace to gas never disclosed when we purchased the house. ( at this moment, can't get to my files) Can we go after the previous owners for not disclosing it and also the people who did the conversion for illegally leaving it in the ground with oil still in it. It is against the law. What are my options. SHould i also go after for my township if they knew about it and a permit was pulled and inspected by the town?
thanks sooo much. What a mess!

**A: yes, you can but you have a hard road ahead.

[nextwife]

Do you KNOW the prior owners were the ones that did the conversion? The conversion may have preceeded their ownership - and knowledge. Also, there was a time when such conversions were perfectly ok and so was burying the tank. It is possible that the conversion, depending upon when it occured may not have been illegal. And the age of this furnace may not tell you when they converted, The furnace PRIOR to this one may have been the conversion.

[HomeGuru]

Great food for thought.

Yes we do in fact it was the previous owners and we believe the conversion occured in 1995 just 8 years ago. The previous owners bought the house in 1991. In fact they moved just down the street, 2 doors. I am going to the city tomorrow and the lawyer who handled the real estate transaction, I think that is the best bet for me, any thoughts?

[HomeGuru]

Ok, keep us posted.