Inspector missed a roof leak and now I'm out $4,700

Bought a house in Phoenix last month and the inspector gave it a clean bill of health, but after the first monsoon hit I found water dripping through the ceiling in the guest room. Had to tear out drywall and replace a whole section of the roof decking - has anyone else had luck getting their inspector to pay for stuff they missed?

2 comments

2 Comments

noahchen1mo ago

Man that's a tough break, especially after just buying the place. Inspectors hide behind their contracts and fine print so good luck getting them to cover anything, they basically write disclaimers like it's an art form. $4,700 is a lot of dough to drop on something they should have caught with a wet finger and a flashlight. I'd still drag them to small claims court just to make them waste a day, even if you don't win it sends a message. Hope the rest of the house is solid and you don't find more surprises later.

rose_hart3129d ago

Take that inspector to small claims court for sure. Even if you lose, it puts them on notice and might save someone else from getting ripped off in the future. A good inspector should catch obvious water damage like that it's literally their whole job. They aren't just looking for loose light switches they're supposed to spot major issues that cost thousands to fix. Plus the paperwork and time you have to deal with after buying a house is already stressful enough without finding hidden rot. Make them own up to missing it even if it's just for principle.