Seller claims had permits for work done...

[Ceril S.]

I know that there are mixed feelings here about the necessity of permits on work done, but here's our story. 

We are less than two weeks from closing on our first rental - an owner occupied 2-family. We know that she had a main support beam in the basement replaced and we asked for copies of permits from the get go. In attorney review, she stated all work done with permits, they will give us copies.  

We had our inspection and the work looked fine, some spots of the sill plate were rotten and we asked for them to be replaced and the seller agreed to have the sill work done. 

We continue to ask for copies of permits every week or so for a few weeks and finally get off our butts and go to the town - guess what? No permits! No permits applied for, no permits open, none completed!

Our lawyer says he would "discuss" it with her lawyer. We got a letter yesterday saying that the sill plate work doesn't require a permit (and other work, like upgrading wiring and a fuse in the fuse box) and that the work done to replace the main support beam - they will give us paperwork "at closing".  

At this point I'm debating my options. I feel that replacing a sill plate is too major to not require a permit? We will call the town to confirm. Do I get a structural engineer in there to inspect? Do I prepare to walk if there isn't a permit? Am I making too big a deal out of it? I guess I'm most peeved that they kept saying they had permits for the work and all the while they didn't.

Anyhow - I'm open to hear your take on the situation. Feeling very newbie here. 

[Karen Margrave]

If the City has no record of permits, then it was unpermitted. Structural beams are nothing to mess with, if the work is not done properly it could mean expensive and major problems. Definitely have a structural engineer look at it. Same with electrical, done wrong your house can burn down. Sounds like sellers are trying to pull fast one, be careful. It better be a GREAT deal to mess with all of that.