So mad! Who is responsible?

[lulu71]

I have a house for sale that we moved out of right before the new year. It is mostly vacant with the exception of some stuff in the garage. We have a lockbox so agents can take people on tours, as long as they call our agency beforehand to get the code.

As of about 3 weeks ago, everything was fine in the house. On Super Bowl Sunday, my agent gets a call from another agent representing some potential buyers saying they are interested, would like to put in an offer, but what about the water damage to the hardwood floors? My agent is confused, runs over and sure enough there is water damage to the hardwood floors from someone messing with the water line to the refrigerator. Apparently, they stripped the screw cap that holds it shut and water leaked out. It wasn't like that since the last time we had been in there. Our agent and my parents both have been to the house and they both agree that it wasn't like that before.

Now we are stuck having to repair floors. We can't make an insurance claim because insurance is so precarious around here. We know that our current carrier is not renewing any policies at the end of the year so we will be shopping insurance and can't take the chance of a claim hurting our future rates any worse than they will already be.

Should I have my agent go on a witchhunt to find out who was in the house during the last 3 weeks and if they messed with the water line? I seriously doubt anyone will admit to it. I am just so pissed!!!!!

 

[Maleficent13]

Who messes with the water line to a refrigerator when looking at a house? That is weird.

 

[4greatboys]

Sadly it sounds like you will be responsible for it since you know who did it.

 

[Jennasis]

Shouldn't be too hard to find out who was in their last. Is it possible they tried to move the fridge and damaged the line that way? I know lots of people who will inspect under behind the fridge for rodent/bug infestation, mold, check the motor etc.

You may not be able to make them pay, but they may fess up and even offer something?

 

[ilovejack02]

Who messes with the water line to a refrigerator when looking at a house? That is weird.

Not that weird, esp for someone looking to get a price down on a house in N.O.
How much do you think its gonna cost to fix, just go down on the price on the house a tad, 500.00 -1000.00.
Im sorry this has happened, I def would have agent at least look who has been in the house lately.

 

[robinb]

Who messes with the water line to a refrigerator when looking at a house?

A potential buyer who wanted the seller strip and re-do the floors for them? Were the floors in need of a stripping? Or, maybe a kid fiddling with the fridge?

 

[ButchJohnson]

Don't feel too bad, I have a house for sale too, that is brand new that I built just to sell, atleast your getting offers, mines been for sale going on 8 months now, and its an extremely nice house.

When we just about had it close to being finished, the electrician had a bunch of copper wiring off the side of the house that was going to go to the breaker box, some crack head cut off and stole all of the copper wire making it a nightmare to finish wiring up the house. All for about probably 300 dollars in wire.

 

[AKL_Megs]

Who messes with the water line to a refrigerator when looking at a house? That is weird.

From what I know now from my FMIL's house that is going to be put on the market soon is to ALWAYS look under/behind the fridge. She's selling her place "as is", but there are hardwood floors throughout the kitchen in her house - except for under the fridge. I'll know now to check that out in any house I plan on buying.

As for the OP, even if someone was simply checking things out, they should have called and told someone about the water leaking, so damage could have been prevented. How sad. It's always something, isn't it? Unfortunately for you, it looks like it's going to be your responsibility to fix the damage.

 

[lulu71]

Shouldn't be too hard to find out who was in their last. Is it possible they tried to move the fridge and damaged the line that way? I know lots of people who will inspect under behind the fridge for rodent/bug infestation, mold, check the motor etc.

You may not be able to make them pay, but they may fess up and even offer something?

The thing is it could have been anyone who had seen the house in the last three weeks, not necessarily the last person to see it.

There was no fridge there, so they didn't have to move anything to get to it.

 

[Mom2Ashli]

I am not sure you will get anyone to fess up about it. But I would make sure that my Agent did look into who has been in the house during that timeframe.

How many times did the people that put an offer in look at the house? I hate to say it, but it is possible that someone would do somthing like that to bring the price of the house down.

 

[lulu71]

A potential buyer who wanted the seller strip and re-do the floors for them? Were the floors in need of a stripping? Or, maybe a kid fiddling with the fridge?

The floors were in excellent condition, so maybe a kid.

When we just about had it close to being finished, the electrician had a bunch of copper wiring off the side of the house that was going to go to the breaker box, some crack head cut off and stole all of the copper wire making it a nightmare to finish wiring up the house. All for about probably 300 dollars in wire.

People are such jerks. Copper wiring theft was running rampant around here after Katrina. Poeple were stealing the copper out of flooded houses. Good thing was that some were caught.

 

[missj1975]

I would say you are responsibile since you can't prove who did it. But I would definetly talk to all the agents because surely one of them showing the house saw what happened.

 

[Maleficent13]

Who messes with the water line to a refrigerator when looking at a house? That is weird.

Not that weird, esp for someone looking to get a price down on a house in N.O.

A potential buyer who wanted the seller strip and re-do the floors for them?

Ah - so the answer to my question is EVIL people. Got it. Especially since the OP says later that there was no fridge there, just the line.

 

[C.Ann]

If it's going to interfere with a solid offer, I would just offer the potential buyers a credit and be done with it.. You'll never know for sure who did it and therefore you can't hold anyone liable..