What can I do if I found out a house for which I made an offer, had tons of unpermitted work but after the 10 day inspection period had ended?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
What can I do if I found out a house for which I made an offer, had tons of unpermitted work but after the 10 day inspection period had ended?
I do not want to buy but have been told I will be sued if I don’t.
Asked on July 3, 2015 under Real Estate Law, Wisconsin
Answers:
S.L,. Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 8 years ago | Contributor
Fraud is the intentional misrepresentation of a material fact made with knowledge of its falsity and with the intent to induce your reliance upon which you justifiably relied to your detriment.
In other words, you would not have made an offer on the house had you known about the illegal work that had been done without a permit.
Fraud also applies in cases of nondisclosure.
The seller has no case against you because of the seller's fraud. The seller cannot force you to buy the house. If the seller files a lawsuit against you, assert the defense of fraud.
You can also file a cross-complaint (countersuit) against the seller for fraud. Tell the seller that you cannot be forced to buy the house because fraud invalidates the contract and that you will sue the seller for fraud.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.