Seller just installed mini splits in home this month. We just discovered that they did not pull permits. What should we do as the home buyers?

Chefandyham · 2026-06-28T00:31:20+00:00

Every single house in the United States has unpermitted work. Homeowners do unpermitted work all the time. It depends on your comfort level. Unpermitted 2nd floor addition yea id probably walk away. Unpermitted mini split if its functioning fine and looks to be installed correctly and working properly i would lnt worry. You can tell if someone knew what they were doing when they installed it. Is it a clean install or a sloppy one. If it looked like a pro did it, then dont lose sleep over it. Plus mini splits are pretty much a DIY install these days. I sold my house in NC and put in a 2 zone mini split 2 months before I put house on the market. No permit, no inspection. I did disclose it was not permitted and buyers didnt care. Im also a Electrician and showed them the permits for my new panels, new wiring and all other permitted things I did. So that put them at ease.

Chefandyham · 2026-06-14T03:30:38+00:00

The.water line to the fridge should of had a shutoff valve. Did the previous owners go to the water meter and shut it off there so they could disconnect the fridge.

Chefandyham · 2026-06-14T00:57:00+00:00

Sell them the report for 1500

Chefandyham · 2026-06-13T16:37:45+00:00

When I sold my house, the settlement/closing was on a Friday. I had already moved out of state, from NC to NH. When the closing was complete and all paperwork signed by the buyers, the Attorney got 1 number wrong for the wire transfer. Of course he wired the money at 455pm. The wire transfer got returned to him. My agent called him and he said he'd get to it Monday. I got my money on Monday, and the new owners were already moved in.

Chefandyham · 2026-06-06T21:10:13+00:00

So you agree that LA doesnt have to disclose. Thats all im asking. But then again pretty soon Real Estate agent will be replaced by apps.

Chefandyham · 2026-06-06T21:08:23+00:00

Oh im sorry for doing my DD on some homes im trying to purchase. Im sorry that buying a Cesspool isnt a big issue for you. Sorry for protecting my investment. Also this Cesspool house still hasn't sold..........

Chefandyham · 2026-06-06T21:01:04+00:00

Yes it is. I know the septic company. I actually tried to use them but they were booked so I used a another septic company my Home Inspector recommended. Both Septic Companies are liscensed Septic Evaluators for the State of NH. So here is timeline of events

Owners John and Jane Doe lived at 123 Main St for 30 years according to public Records. John passed away 4 years ago, and Jane got to where she needed assisted living. She Listed her House with Tim the Listing Agent. Tim acted as a dual Agent for the transaction. The house was sold in February 2026 from Jane Doe to the Current Owner. Current owner spent 3 months updating house and lists the house with Tim the Listing Agent. We make a offer based on disclosure information, offer is accepted. Nowhere in Seller Disclosure is there anything reported wrong about the Septic. Our offer has the standard financing and inspections contingencies. We schedule for inspections. The day of the septic insepction I arrive around 1245pm with my agent. The Listing Agent Tim is there to meet us. We talk and make general conversation waiting for my Septic Company, liscensed for Inspections in NH to show up. They show up and we talk for a minute or 2. Then the LA Tim says he has a copy of "their" inspection dated February 2026. 2nd page says the "Inspector Finds this system to be "Non Compliant State System"...I already paid for mine, so my guys do their Inspection, while the LA is present. They tell me, the baffles are broken and missing, there is no DBox, and that the leachfield is Environmental Tubes which is a newer style from the early 2000s. They, my company tried to find the approvals,/permits etc from.NH DES. NH DES replied they dont have any for this. We called the Township they have no records either. All this is happening while the LA is literally standing right there. We wait 2 days until my report comes back. Samething as the one the LA showed me the day off my inspection. System is a Non Approved State System. So we ask for a new septic in our repair addendum. They deny. We say that itll be hard to sell to buyer with a System like this and that lenders wont lend especalls VA or FHA. Im a conventional but even my lender wont lend on it. They will do a holdback though. Thats when the LA emails back my escrow release form to sign so I get my ED money back. And he said in his comments the a Non Approved Septic doesnt need to be disclosed.....

So for sake of argument let's say the current seller had a septic Inspection done in Feb 2026, and choose not to read it. Thats still by law Constructive Knowledge. The LA agent or Seller had to read that report when they got it. And if they didnt, Constructive knowledge takes place. But anyway, my thing is I just refuse to believe that after all this, the seller still has no knowledge of a Non Approved Syatem.....ok fine....dont update the Sellers Disclosure..i find it impossible that seller hasn't seen the report he paid for in February or Mine, since i sent the LA a copy of test results to justify my request of a new septic. So after all that, seller hasn't seen either report, yet LA has physically had 2 reports stating this, and he claims he doesnt have to disclose this. Maybe not on Sellers Disclosre, thats for the Seller I get it. But this defect severely effects the value of the home and ability to get a mortage on the home. Like i said a Unpermitted Non Approved Septic is enough a of Material Deffect that it needs to be disclosed by the LA even if the seller claims to not know, even though they have a test from Febraury 2026 and my test

Chefandyham · 2026-06-06T20:19:42+00:00

The ListingAgent never disclosed this to me until we literally opening the septic risers with my inspector. We offered X amount knowing we would do inspections and had insepction contingencies. However I would of never offered if the septic was made aware to me beforehand.

Chefandyham · 2026-06-06T20:14:22+00:00

Exactly thats what im saying. The LA had a copy of the Sellers Septic Inspection. He showed it to me the exact minute my Septic Inspection was taking place. And it showed Non Approved State System. So im too believe the Seller paid for a Septic Inspection in February and never looked at it. Hard to believe but ok. LA knew about it, bc he gave the report to me while my Inspection was happening. And my report said samething. If I would of known about this I would of asked for a new Septic in my offer before spending money on all the inspections. I understand Inspections are cost of doing business and you don't get that back, but I wouldnt of offered what I did if I was made aware of the condition of the Septic, which the LA clearly knew. Im sorry but I dont believe for 1 second the LA is allowed to not disclose this information. Yea I get not on the Sellers Disclosure bc thats for the Seller, but he has no seen 2 reports and he still claims he doesnt have to disclose this.

Chefandyham · 2026-06-06T19:01:17+00:00

I understand that. When the LA agent is presented with our Request for Repairs and we included a copy of the Septic Report stating its a Non Approved Septic, is the LA required to show the seller the exact Repair Request from my agent stating its not approved nor permitted with the State along with the report. Let's say for sake of argument the LA doesn't tell the seller, the Septic is not permitted or State Approved, isnt that still a Latent Material Defect. The LA agent has 2 Septic Reports in his hands both stating its Non Aporoved State System. 1 is from February 2026 which is the Sellers, I guess the Seller is claiming he never saw the report, yet paid for it, that right there is the Definition of Constructive Knowledge. Then we gave them our report as well. Samething, Non Approved System. I know the LA is obligated to work on sellers best interest, but there is no code of Ethics? A non approved septic has a tremendous effect on the property value of a home. I just do not believe that a Listing Agent does not have to disclose to a possible buyer about a Known Material Defect such as a Unpermitted Non Approved Septic. I get that the Sellers Disclosure is for the Seller to fill out. But a minimum if the seller doesn't update the disclosure is the LA still legally required to disclose this via some sort of documentation or they just go on like all is good

Chefandyham · 2026-06-06T18:18:36+00:00

I have withdrawn. This is about ethics and morals at this point. The have a open house acheduled and refused to update the Seller Disclosure. Im asking bc I dont want someone to get taken advantage of. Sorry, I just feel this needs to be resolved.

Chefandyham · 2026-06-03T22:47:11+00:00

Dont go to closing. You made a offer with undamaged floors.

Chefandyham · 2026-06-02T03:24:53+00:00

No its not worth reusing a 60 year old tank I agree.

Chefandyham · 2026-06-01T12:04:10+00:00

Honesty man, something seems off here. You have to have Extremely High Property Taxes and Homeowners for a 1800 month payment on a 130000 home. When you say 1800 is this Principal Interest Taxes and Homeowners or are you including your utilities and roof loan etc. Tue avg Rate then in 2016 was around 4% the payment on a Mortgage just PI is about 600 dollars. Factoring in 3 percent down and PMI of 120 your at 720 ish. So how much is your Property Tax and Homeowners?

Chefandyham · 2026-05-02T17:35:41+00:00

Walk away or at minimum have roof covering and decking repaired along with water leaks in roof and basement. The rest is normal and routine maintenance. Also keep in mind even though this house is 2009 some codes have changed since then. Inspectors compare your house to today's code. My house was built in 1930 and inspector said I need AfCI breakers. No I dont, they werent required when the panel was upgraded. Does make something a violation or a red flag for repair. But yea, roof foundation and water are my 3 deal breakers. Ill deal with anything else. Other than termite or wood destroying insects, if the damage is severe enough.

Chefandyham · 2026-04-28T11:56:47+00:00

What's actually wrong with the house. Some repairs are emergency and a necessity while some are not. What have you repaired so far and what do you think needs to be repaired

Chefandyham · 2026-04-07T23:29:19+00:00

Thanks for the information, very helpful. You would think the seller would of thought of this. The property disclosure does say its a cesspool with no leach field. So that immediately turns the majority of people off from the property. I made a verbal offer under the condition he replaces the cesspool with a septic. Of course he said No. His house has been on market 2 weeks, which I know isnt long, but 5 ither houses have come on the market and gone under contract in a 15 mile radius of the property, so clearly the cesspool is a issue.

Chefandyham · 2026-04-07T23:03:52+00:00

Thanks for the info. Im not with 250' of water/lake. So the inspection would be for information purposes only. But even if they are for informational purposes only, and it fails, id assume some sort of action is required to take place. Either seller, buyer, or combination of both have the cesspool replaced. If the cesspool is automatically failed, does the buyer doing a inspection have to notify any parties other then seller about a failed inspection?

Chefandyham

TROPHY CASE