Are aggressive dogs required to be disclosed by seller?
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Are aggressive dogs required to be disclosed by seller?
Neighbor’s dog tried to attack me at 9:30 a.m. when I went to my car (trapped me in my house) and then tried to attack my husband when he came home to help me get out of the house at 12:30. Called Animal Control and they said the previous owners had contacted them many times for the same issue. Did they have a responsibility to disclose this when they sold the house?
Asked on February 23, 2012 under Real Estate Law, Tennessee
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Under the laws of all state sin this country, property owners who are trying to sell their home are required to disclose all matters that are material to a prospective buyer's desirability of a unit or amount willing to pay. Known neighborhood conditions such as ornery neighbors and aggressive dogs if known by the sellers of a home are required to be dislcosed in writing to a buyer.
From what you have written, if the prior owners knew that a neighbor had an aggressive dog, that item should have been disclosed to you before close of escrow.
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