Hey everyone! I could really use some insight on a situation I'm dealing with at my home. We've been living in a Brooklyn townhouse for a while now, and I've recently noticed some concerning signs in our bedroom wall, which is shared with our neighbor. Both our unit and our downstairs neighbors have seen discoloration and an odd smell coming from that wall. We got a mold test and it came back clear, but things got serious when a contractor opened up the wall and raised some red flags. He said the wall was improperly constructed, leading to water getting in and trapping moisture, potentially fostering mold growth. He's made me feel like the sponsor who flipped this building neglected their responsibilities—so I'm wondering if there's any grounds to hold them accountable. Have any of you dealt with something similar? Do you think I have a case for suing, or can someone point me in the right direction to get a more informed opinion? Thanks a lot!
3 Answers
Definitely check on how the water is getting in—if it's due to issues with the exterior, it might help your situation. But proving that the wall's shoddy craft is on the flipper rather than someone who owned long before could be tricky. Make sure you have all the documents from the renovations on hand; that could help.
Pursuing code violations could be your best bet. If you find that an inspector missed something, you could have grounds for action. But keep in mind, if your seller is still in the area, that might actually work in your favor when it comes to accountability.
It sounds like you're in a tough spot. Unfortunately, with flips, it can be hard to claim recourse after the fact unless there are clear documents showing negligence. Also, once you sign, a lot of issues become your problem. You might want to consider looking into building codes and see if any violations apply here; that could give you a stronger case against the seller.