CA seller liability (appliances, broker, house)

[CA2NJguy]

Are sellers still liable for minor repairs after closing of a home? My buyer decided not to do a home inspection, but after closing, complains of some minor issues such as two window screens being slightly bent, a running toilet and a wood window shutter not closing properly. Am I still liable for paying for the repairs?

[streetscenes]

As far as I know, No. Buyers had every opportunity to request reapirs before the close of escrow. They should have gotten a home inspection but these are such minor things I don't think the inspector would have noticed, except maybe the running toilet. Tell the buyer welcome to the wonderful world of home ownerhsip, there's always something that needs to be fixed.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by streetscenes

As far as I know, No. Buyers had every opportunity to request reapirs before the close of escrow. They should have gotten a home inspection but these are such minor things I don't think the inspector would have noticed, except maybe the running toilet. Tell the buyer welcome to the wonderful world of home ownerhsip, there's always something that needs to be fixed.

So true. And those are things that can be fixed with a trip to Home Depot and an hour's work. Tell the new owner to suck it up and fix his house.

[katenik]

Originally Posted by CA2NJguy

Are sellers still liable for minor repairs after closing of a home? My buyer decided not to do a home inspection, but after closing, complains of some minor issues such as two window screens being slightly bent, a running toilet and a wood window shutter not closing properly. Am I still liable for paying for the repairs?

no, not for patent defects that could have been discovered upon inspection. your realtor should have been able to tell you that.

[Lovehound]

Originally Posted by CA2NJguy

... some minor issues such as two window screens being slightly bent, a running toilet and a wood window shutter not closing properly...

All those things could have been spotted by the buyer had they bothered to look over the property before contracting to buy the house. The issues the seller would have been responsible for are major defects that were not disclosed to the buyer.

When I purchased my house my broker placed a clause in the closing agreement that the seller warranted that all appliances and major systems were in proper working condition. It turned out that the gas company refused to light the pilot on one wall heater, stating the heater was unsafe. I contacted the seller and they laughed at me, so I hired an HVAC contractor to fix it, and sent a copy of the bill to the buyer along with a letter demanding payment for the repairs (about $130). They ignored my letter, I sued them in small claims court and won. I would have had no case had the seller not agreed to the terms in the closing instructions.

I don't see why small stuff like window screens and shutters should be covered when the buyer could have plainly seen the defects and the seller did not sign any agreement to repair small stuff.

Since the OP appears to be the seller, I'd advise to just politely tell the seller that the agreement does not cover that and to decline accepting any responsibility or making any payment.