Seller's Liability for Construction Defects

Questioner

Hello, we bought a house on January 15. Now we are renovating the entire house. We also took down the ceilings. Now it turns out that the roof is leaking, and also the roof of the extension. Can we hold the sellers liable for this?

Lawyer

In principle this is possible. If the seller has not informed you about the condition of the roof, while he should have known this, then he is liable for the damage. The fact that it is in the way of normal use of the house is also often a reason for liability of the seller. This is the case with the roof and concerns a serious defect. Your duty to investigate, for example by means of a structural survey, can usually be blamed on you by the seller, but that does not release him from the fact that he must comply with his duty to inform. In short, I advise you to hold the seller liable in writing. If he persists in his position, please contact me directly for further assistance.