Interesting Borrower Call

[gregb]

Last evening a borrower called me asking for a copy of an appraisal I completed in 2014 for a sale transaction. After referring her to the lender she relayed the following:

Sale was completed by a trust, with no disclosures regarding the condition of subject as it had been a rental property.

Home inspection was completed, borrower is not sure if the home inspector was there before or after the termite work, which including tenting.

Borrower found out a tile roof was added to replace a wood shake roof by the seller, about 10 years ago. The tile roof was added without a city building permit.

Termite company admits it's workers broke approximately 60 of the roofing tiles, but stated to borrower it was not responsible for replacing the roof tiles. Borrower hired a drone, with results of 95 broken tiles, as the roofer hired declined to walk on the roof. And borrower paid for the original termite work, about $2,500 as the seller refused to do the work.

Borrower's home insurance company is not accepting responsibility to replace the roof or to remediate the mold that has occurred after a recent 7 days of steady rain. Estimated cost to replace the roof is $28,000, with roofer claiming the tile roof was not correctly installed as it is missing plywood sheathing under the roof tiles.

Borrower is considering recourse against the seller, both agents, title company, home inspector and the termite company.

 

[glenn walker]

Two years later the termite company admits they broke 60 tiles on the roof ..Don't think so !

 

[KONA]

Greg, not a good sign. Sounds like the buyer (borrower) is seeking out all those involved in the transaction.

 

[J Grant]

Since you are not a home inspector and not responsible for roof beyond what is visible, imo you have nothing to do with this. Refer her to the lender, if lender releases a copy to her nothing you can do about it

 

[A K]

The termite company workers are idiots?

You would think that after they break a couple tiles they would stop trying to walk on it.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

I testified twice in a jury trial when a termite inspector labeled a house termite free. I had noted in the report there were soft spots in the floor and recommended inspection. The insurance man inspected the house and noted that same soft flooring. His termite inspector inspected and found the house was eat up...totally uninsurable. The trial was the buyer who had the termite inspection. I don't see why the insurance company fought it, but the first trial was a mistrial. The second found for the buyer.

If your certs are in place, then your liability is low but you may testify.

PS - If my termite inspector is walking the roof, I would probably wave both hands at him to get him off...because he would be moron stupid to even be there. If you find termites UNDER the house then you don't need to look much further, and would trace them up from the inside in the first place.

As a termite man once said, "I like to find termites. My liability goes to zero if I find them. It is when I don't find them and they are there that I get hammered."

 

[Mr Rex]

I testified twice in a jury trial when a termite inspector labeled a house termite free. I had noted in the report there were soft spots in the floor and recommended inspection. The insurance man inspected the house and noted that same soft flooring. His termite inspector inspected and found the house was eat up...totally uninsurable. The trial was the buyer who had the termite inspection. I don't see why the insurance company fought it, but the first trial was a mistrial. The second found for the buyer.

If your certs are in place, then your liability is low but you may testify.

PS - If my termite inspector is walking the roof, I would probably wave both hands at him to get him off...because he would be moron stupid to even be there. If you find termites UNDER the house then you don't need to look much further, and would trace them up from the inside in the first place.

As a termite man once said, "I like to find termites. My liability goes to zero if I find them. It is when I don't find them and they are there that I get hammered."

To get the tent over the house.

 

[gregb]

Front view of subject, which was built in 1979. The appraisal inspection date was before the termite work was completed.

 

[Artemis Fowl]

Was it these guys?


You already referred to lender so good luck to them.

 

[J Grant]

Unless there was active termite infestation visible, chewed/rotted wood etc, it was not an item you were responsible for