California
I purchased a remodeled home in 1999. I purchased the house "as it" since I had been living there as a renter for 6 years.
The owner carried the loan.
I recently discovered a hidden old retaining wall behind my living room wall.
This retaining wall is now broken with the top half leaning up against the inner drywall, causing the drywall to split since this old retaining wall has broken off at the top. It's about 8 feet tall of thick cement.
The previous owner had given me a photo album containing "before & after" photos. I never paid much attention to the pictures, but after discovering the break, I studied the photos and there is one photo showing the exposed old retaining wall with a crack in it from one end to the other. The owner merely framed in front of it, redrywalled and left it. I was never made aware of it during the sale period.
Is he liable for paying for the removal of this wall? I checked with the City of Los Angeles and the only thing they could find was an Application for Inspection, listing only drywall installation on it. However the old owner did a lot of new plumbing & electrical with some cement work. There are no permits on file for this work. Thank You
I purchased a remodeled home in 1999. I purchased the house "as it" since I had been living there as a renter for 6 years.
The owner carried the loan.
I recently discovered a hidden old retaining wall behind my living room wall.
This retaining wall is now broken with the top half leaning up against the inner drywall, causing the drywall to split since this old retaining wall has broken off at the top. It's about 8 feet tall of thick cement.
The previous owner had given me a photo album containing "before & after" photos. I never paid much attention to the pictures, but after discovering the break, I studied the photos and there is one photo showing the exposed old retaining wall with a crack in it from one end to the other. The owner merely framed in front of it, redrywalled and left it. I was never made aware of it during the sale period.
Is he liable for paying for the removal of this wall? I checked with the City of Los Angeles and the only thing they could find was an Application for Inspection, listing only drywall installation on it. However the old owner did a lot of new plumbing & electrical with some cement work. There are no permits on file for this work. Thank You