Finding out that we dont have mains drainage - 3 years after purchase

[Mike1958]

This is one of those daft questions where I guess I know the answer but thought I would ask anyway.

When we purchased our house the house details stated that we were connected to mains drainage and as we are in the centre of a town we never thought about it further. Though we have not had any problems we met the original owner recently who stated that the house was in fact connected to two septic tanks which are buried in the garden.

My question is that even though the sale took place 3 years ago, would we have any standing if we tried to claim against the agent for misselling. We do have the original sales sheet with the house details that states clearly that the house is connected to mains drainage.

Regards,

Mike

 

[Nick Trollope]

I doubt if you would have any claim against the agent, more likely the previous owner. The fact that he signed the acte de vente stating that the property had mains drains, when he knew that it didn't would make it a "vice caché". The fact that he subsequently told you this (why? I would wonder), would substantiate this.

I'm not sure that there is a time limit on such things. Ask a Notaire and enquire with your mairie as to whether you do have mains drainage. Are you paying for it?