Bought house from Local Authority

[Smila]

Please help!! I bought a house from the local Police Authority on 02.02.2007

As the property had been empty for a while I had a plumber come in to service the central heating system, which he condemned. I was given an assurance from the police authority that the Central heating system was "In full working order", but they did give me the opportunity to send in my own plumber to service the system before I completed, but my plumber was unwilling to do this as I was not the lawfull owner of the property.

 

I have since replaced the system at the cost of £2000.00. My solicitor has contacted the Local authority twice with regard to this matter, not they have not responded to any communications.

 

Can anyone help with this matter of point me in the correct direction. Would a claim to the small claim court be appropriate? Or if not any suggestions as to what I can do now. Bearing in mind I'm now skint and unable to pay a solicitor(who doesn't know what to do next either).

[buzby]

As I understand it, you have a short period of time (4 weeks) for material issues like these to be discovered and dealt with as part of the buying process. Rather than start a fresh action via Small Claims, I would think it wholly appropriate for your solicitor to contract the vendor and explain that the CH had to be condemmed, and therefore you are looking to them for their misdescription. However, the issue can be complicated, as thewy could decide thet did not guarantee the CH, or if they did, they would need the opportunity to repair it. Since this now cannot be done, a small claims action for a NEW CH system would be unlikley to succeed. They could simply work out the value of the property with and without the CH system, and offer to pay the difference. See the solicitor you used for the purchase, as this still is his remit.