City pipe water damage

[bentcorntown]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Oregon

Me and my mother recently purchased a manufactured home in Cornelius. We found some water damage and we found out the water pipe going to are house had burst only a few months ago. The city tried to make the previous owner pay to fix it but it was desided that the city was responsible for it somehow. As far as I can tell they just fixed the pipe and nothing else. The damage to the house is somewhat subtle so the previous owner may not have pursued it as he was very elderly and just past away. The more I tear into the house the more it seems the pipe did more than just damage itself. As the current owners do we have any right to ask the city to fix this or are we on are own? Thank you.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

An outside water leak is extremely limited in the effect it could have had.

 

[justalayman]

No. You bought the home "as is" and as such, the damage came along with the home.

 

[bentcorntown]

I'm told the water was erupting 3-4 feet into the air and was doing so for a long time. Enough to flood the land and half way back the trailer. Its a manufactured home so its foundation is basically cinderblocks and the house is shifting quite a bit. Many of the walls are trying to separate because the front half of the house is sitting on much wetter earth. And the inside of the wall that was 4 feet from the pipe is half wrought. And of course we didn't notice it because you can't tear a wall apart before you buy a house. And we hadn't been in the place long enough to the hear the house moving.

 

[justalayman]

If you have any recourse it would be from the seller. If the failed to disclose a material but hidden issue you may be able to seek compensation from them.

 

[FarmerJ]

In the time being while you try to learn if you have any recourse perhaps you should consider opening up the skirting and getting under there and get the house jacked up / re leveled in order to stop any more damage from it sinking /settling. If the city /public water utility paid the cost of repairing the water line thats really great, most public water systems require the lot owners to pay for repairs from the tap into the main line all the way back to the house. (personally I dont think your going to actually get anywhere with your city as far as claims , and if you had any possible chance of recourse then it might be with the seller) So who sold it ? a adult child of the last owner ? did this leak happen before the last owner died or after ?