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Old 03-26-2018, 02:11 AM
 
7 posts, read 7,453 times
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I purchased my house in 2009 from the original owner. I had an inspection done and the fact sheet stated that the house was municipal and I pay for those taxes each year. However, this past week has been a week from hell. Apparently, I have two septic pumps which pump the sewage about a mile to the municipal sewers. This hadn't been disclosed to me by the realtor, seller, title company nor the inspection report. If I known about the septic system, I would had not purchased my house. We've been out five days without water in my house as they order the new motors and piping to fix the issue. Total cost of the repair 6349.31.

I am in New York and I do not know if I have any recourse here. Not sure what to do. Anyone ever hear of this setup? Any advice?
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Old 03-26-2018, 03:04 AM
 
105,671 posts, read 107,628,943 times
Reputation: 79313
sewage pumps are very normal in areas, especially where sewage has to be pumped up hill . many are expensive grinder pumps .

there is no recourse . it is up to the buyer to make sure they understand about the power ,water, heating ,cooling and sewer systems their home has
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Old 03-26-2018, 06:46 AM
 
Location: Ocala, FL
6,391 posts, read 10,181,986 times
Reputation: 7762
Sadly, after almost 10 years since the purchase of the home, I don't see much recourse for the OP. Technically the home is on municipal sewage with the help of booster pumps on the OP's property and the municipality is not going to take responsibility for the maintenance/repair of them.
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Old 03-26-2018, 07:49 AM
 
12,016 posts, read 12,622,573 times
Reputation: 13420
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lostinmyhouse View Post
I purchased my house in 2009 from the original owner. I had an inspection done and the fact sheet stated that the house was municipal and I pay for those taxes each year. However, this past week has been a week from hell. Apparently, I have two septic pumps which pump the sewage about a mile to the municipal sewers. This hadn't been disclosed to me by the realtor, seller, title company nor the inspection report. If I known about the septic system, I would had not purchased my house. We've been out five days without water in my house as they order the new motors and piping to fix the issue. Total cost of the repair 6349.31.

I am in New York and I do not know if I have any recourse here. Not sure what to do. Anyone ever hear of this setup? Any advice?
You pay for water and sewer thru taxes? Maybe assessments, but water and sewer is paid per use. I have city water and pay for it but I have a septic tank so they can't charge me for sewer.

A mile is a very long distance to pump sewage. You better hope you are not responsible to pay if the line breaks, and you must be in the middle of nowhere.

You say you are without water, what does that have to do with the sewage going out?

Unless you have septic and well no one lied to you.
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Old 03-26-2018, 08:12 AM
 
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,062 posts, read 80,100,596 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LifeIsGood01 View Post
You pay for water and sewer thru taxes? Maybe assessments, but water and sewer is paid per use. I have city water and pay for it but I have a septic tank so they can't charge me for sewer.

A mile is a very long distance to pump sewage. You better hope you are not responsible to pay if the line breaks, and you must be in the middle of nowhere.

You say you are without water, what does that have to do with the sewage going out?

Unless you have septic and well no one lied to you.
If the pumps are out, they won't want to be putting water into the sewage tank and have it back up.

Sewage pumps are common when the home is lower than the nearest municipal sewer main. If it really has to go a mile then those pumps are working very hard. Most disclosure laws require only that facts affecting the value be disclosed, which I would not consider this to be. The fact that the pumps worked for so long after you moved in means they were in good shape then. Even if it was a disclosure issue, most states have a statute of limitations, and many are 4 years.
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Old 03-26-2018, 08:54 AM
 
Location: Rochester, WA
14,305 posts, read 11,772,793 times
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This does sound like a bad week! I am sorry for you. We don't do a lot of work with sewers, as most of our clients are rural on septics... SO for everyone's benefit, can we do a little sewer pump 101? Looking for info from whoever knows....

It should be common knowledge that a homeowner is responsible for the pipe between the house and the sewer main... but is there no customary inspection of the line on purchase or periodically? and if you were never told about the existence of these pumps, I'm wondering how you should have been able to know the pumps were there. Building permits? Sure there wasn't something you missed in all the paperwork when you bought? Anyone?

Are there any access points in the ground for these pumps? Is there any maintenance or periodic inspection that should be done? What is their usual life span, and how do you know when you've reached it? What happens when the power goes out?

And would you really have chosen not to buy the property because of the pumps?

Last edited by Diana Holbrook; 03-26-2018 at 09:03 AM..
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Old 03-26-2018, 08:55 AM
 
Location: Rochester, WA
14,305 posts, read 11,772,793 times
Reputation: 38415
Quote:
Originally Posted by LifeIsGood01 View Post

You say you are without water, what does that have to do with the sewage going out?
Heh... I'm no expert, but I do know what goes in... must come out.
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Old 03-26-2018, 09:00 AM
 
105,671 posts, read 107,628,943 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Diana Holbrook View Post
This does sound like a bad week! I am sorry for you. We don't do a lot of work with sewers, as most of our clients are rural on septics... SO for everyone's benefit, can we do a little sewer pump 101? Looking for info from whoever knows....

It should be common knowledge that a homeowner is responsible for the pipe between the house and the sewer main... but is no customary inspection of the line on purchase or periodically? and if you were never told about the existence of these pumps, I'm wondering how you should have been able to know the pumps were there. Building permits? Sure there wasn't something you missed in all the paperwork when you bought? Anyone?

Are there any access points in the ground for these pumps? Is there any maintenance or periodic inspection that should be done? What is their usual life span, and how do you know when you've reached it? What happens when the power goes out?

And would you really have chosen not to buy the property because of the pumps?
there are no usual inspections of under ground pipes .

there are pits these pumps are in with generally no user maintenance 5-7 years with no repair is typical . like cars some experience issues sooner and some later .

grinder pumps may wear sooner .
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Old 03-26-2018, 09:02 AM
 
Location: Rochester, WA
14,305 posts, read 11,772,793 times
Reputation: 38415
So.... is there an access point in these pits? Manhole cover or something to tell you where the pumps are? Or do you have to find it and dig it up?
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Old 03-26-2018, 09:02 AM
 
8,071 posts, read 9,985,879 times
Reputation: 22604
Hard to understand how you can live in a house for ten years and not know you have sewage pumps.


Did you ever look in the breaker box and wonder what those breakers marked sewage pump were for? Likely a 220 circuit.


Did you have a home inspection and that person didn't mention in their report that you had sewage pumps?


Lots of things got missed here, and no, ten years later, the responsibility is yours.


$6,000 plus sounds high to open the tanks and replace the pumps. Was there an issue finding the tanks, or digging down a LONG way to reach them, or some other issue involved in replacing the pumps? Are they replacing the entire pump, or just the motor?
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