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Two days ago we learned (neighbor looking up permits) that the people we sold our house to two years ago have been pulling permits in our name. We went online and did a permit search of the address on the county website and sure enough… not just 4 building permits but also a waiver/variance to have the leach field size increased to accommodate two more bedrooms they are putting in.
Today, I sent certified letters to the county, all of the contractors and the current owners to correct the records as well as not allowing it to continue moving forward. I also provided the Instrument # of the deed transfer in the county records and each permit number, complete with contractor identification that needs to be addressed/corrected. The sale closed and was recorded in 2018, these permits are all recent 2019 and early 2020. We cannot figure out how the people working in the building department are even letting this happen. Maybe just pure incompetence on their part?
Has anyone else ever dealt with something like this? Honest mistake I want to assume...
Just curious, did you see the actual paper permits that were scanned, or just an online database from the county? I know in some counties, they don't update some of the owner information in their permit department database. The data is reported from the last info on file in the permit department, which doesn't always match what is in the tax collector or recorders deed office.
Just curious, did you see the actual paper permits that were scanned, or just an online database from the county? I know in some counties, they don't update some of the owner information in their permit department database. The data is reported from the last info on file in the permit department, which doesn't always match what is in the tax collector or recorders deed office.
That is an excellent point. We can only see the database, no actual paper documents. And not so sure that Jefferson County (CO) even does scans. Even if they did, I am not sure that changes the issue though...
What concerns us most is when the house is sold to someone else in the future and if there is a problem with something that a contractor used with his materials or inferior workmanship, they would go back to that database for the record. We don't want any part of what someone else does to a house that we no longer have any responsibility for.
Hopefully the changes will be made in the database which to us is where the only actual record seems to exist. If not, then we will have to force the issue. We should know fairly soon what will be done (fingers crossed). When the place was under contract two years ago and we were in the process of transferring the ISDS permit, the county had no record of the design of our leachfield, only the electronic document of the permits. We built that place and still had the layout and testing documents from the engineering firm that designed the system so it went pretty easily. Thinking back on it, the place we bought before that current house (back in 1987) the county had no records at all of that ISDS system and we had no idea of what we were getting into. Bad for the sellers because we lowballed the offer for that very reason and they accepted it. The field was old, but was fine for two people and fortunately for us, we never had any problems with it.
It's fraud!
I'd be contacting the local PD and filing charges. You certainly have plenty of evidence!
We are inclined to believe that also because it looks that way on the surface. However, there is no shortage of people who are are observationally-challenged. The county should be paying closer attention. The current owners should also have paid attention and corrected their contractors. But, for what it's worth, we put them all on notice, in writing. Time will tell to see what happens next.
I guess this sort of thing isn't all that common then?
I guess this sort of thing isn't all that common then?
Honestly, I've sold 4 houses now and have never, not once, gone back to look at anything to do with them. Be that driving by, putting tax/transfer records or looking into permits. Maybe that's just ignorance on my part, maybe it's an over-reliance/faith on the legal system to make a common sense deduction (especially knowing there's absolutely nothing common about sense these days).
Do you know of a situation where this has been a problem in the past that makes you concerned about it? Just curious as to the motivation to take an interest... usually it's due to prior negative exposure.
Do you know of a situation where this has been a problem in the past that makes you concerned about it? Just curious as to the motivation to take an interest... usually it's due to prior negative exposure.
This was a bit of a problem back during the "great" re-depression-shady flippers were buying foreclosures- and to keep their name off any legal documents they would pull permits in the name of the last person owning (deed name). Do the shady work, close the permit, put the house back on the market. If any dirty s#!T came up on an inspection, well...
Play dumb- wink, wink, nod, nod, and hopefully walk away with a profit.
You notified all parties. That's all you need to do. If a lien gets filed, be sure to challenge it right away. That would be on record as a lien against you.
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