Liability of previous owner

[jfbrew]

What is the name of your state? WASHINGTON

We recently bought a house from a 'contractor' who buys homes, fixes them and sells them. Although he did a good job on the woodfloors, etc., he put in a cheap shower kit which did not hold to the wallboard, and consequently leaked through our ceiling in the kitchen. When I broought this issue up to him, he said it was not his fault, but that it was the fault of the shower kit and calk.

He also admitted he did not know much about putting in shower kits, but that it was installed correctly, and he would not lift a finger or pay a dime for repair, and since we bought the house as is, he is not liable for anything. Is he legally bound to replace the apparatus with a properly functioning kit and pay for any associated damages?

 

[HomeGuru]

What is the name of your state? WASHINGTON

We recently bought a house from a 'contractor' who buys homes, fixes them and sells them. Although he did a good job on the woodfloors, etc., he put in a cheap shower kit which did not hold to the wallboard, and consequently leaked through our ceiling in the kitchen. When I broought this issue up to him, he said it was not his fault, but that it was the fault of the shower kit and calk.

He also admitted he did not know much about putting in shower kits, but that it was installed correctly, and he would not lift a finger or pay a dime for repair, and since we bought the house as is, he is not liable for anything. Is he legally bound to replace the apparatus with a properly functioning kit and pay for any associated damages?

**A: you have a good case against him. The "as-is" law does not protect the contractor from being incompetent.

 

[jfbrew]

addendum to previous thread

I forgot to make this clear in my last thread: The man I spoke of is not technically a contractor, rather, he refers to himself as a 'consumer' (in other words, he is not a licensed contractor, but the handyman in a husband and wife team that purchases, fixes, and sells houses).
He also says he does not guarantee his work, because he is not a real contractor. Is this a somantic argument, or does the fact that he is not a real contractor lessen my case against him?

 

[HomeGuru]

Not by much.