Home buyer stuck with $38,000 water bill from previous owner

CTV News ^ | July 9, 2020 | Pat Foran

[Stosh]

Noticed the same thing - almost two grand for water for one month? The utility should have been suspicious when that appeared the first time, let alone twice before the final 30k+ month.

I don’t pay two thousand dollars for water for a full year - just can’t see why red flags weren’t evident earlier.

[Trailerpark Badass]

Canuckistan dollars. A typical middle class home costs 800,000 plus.

[Perseverando]

Wong needs a new lawyer. And make sure the new lawyer’s name is not Wong, also. Two Wongs don’t make a right.

[coaster123]

City water or well.. crazy. Rain harvesting is what makes sense. This chart shows quantity from a 2,000 square foot catchment (roof, eg) collecting the US average annual rainfall.

[PGR88]

$1800/month for water? Did he buy a water park?

Also, at that monthly rate, it means the bill hasn’t been paid in almost 2 years. Why is the water supply still on?

[fireman15]

We had a problem last year... the water company read the meter and it showed water use 100 times our normal usage. Because of the discrepancy they didn't send the bill out until someone could come out and see what the problem was. Two months later a couple guys came to my door and wanted us to turn off everything that might be using water. The meter was still spinning like a top because the line to our house was broken. They assured me that an adjustment would be made. I fixed it the next day, they told me I had to pay the bill which was a couple hundred dollars more than normal. The next month my bill was several hundred dollars more than normal because the leak had gone on through a couple of billing cycles.

They said they could only adjust the first billing cycle which they did, but they would not adjust for the two months after they knew about the leak but did not tell me. I eventually got it straightened out, but it took months of arguing and throwing fits.

So the situation on this thread could easily be from water company negligence.

[PGR88]

But Canada is NOT a normal country.

If you think government bureaucracy, inefficiency and employee stupidity is bad in the USA, you should see Canada. They have more socialism, less accountability, even stronger government unions, an over-bearing state-run media, and the cultural notion that everyone should be “nice.” It all means - the low-level government bureacrats don’t give a flying fig about actually serving the public and there is zero accountability for it.

[Sequoyah101]

To which they reply by turning off his water and locking the meter.

How do you like them due process apples?

[xp38]

It’s like living in the matrix up here. Agent Smith is due to drop by any minute now. :)

[I want the USA back]

The attorney is on the hook, or be sued for malpractice. For 39 thousand dollars plus attorney’s fees.

[Sequoyah101]

That’s nice, all you need is 10,000 gallons of storage to cope with the times like the last 45 days when we have had NO measurable precipitation.

[alancarp]

Better than the alternative... which means I’d still be checking the integrity of the foundation.

[tired&retired]

The new owner would only be liable if there was a lien filed and missed by the buyer’s attorney during the search.

[VTenigma]

Of course it does. The lawyer did the “title search” and missed the water bill arrears. His title insurance company and his errors and omissions liability insurance company are on the hook for the negligence of lack of due diligence.

[pikachu]

The lawyers should have Errors and Omissions insurance to cover that cost.

[coaster123]

More than nice. Do the math. 3,000 gal. cistern will keep a family well. Add more catchment and irrigate a field. Unlimited. Cheaper than well, more reliable than well or city water.

Do the math.

Do not love your knee jerk contrarian attitude.

[woodbutcher1963]

I read the whole story and all I could think of “Caddyshack”

Al Czervik quotes:

[To his Chinese friend who is taking pictures] Hey, Wang! What’s with the pictures? This is a parking lot!

This is my friend Mr. Wang . . . no offense!

I think this place is restricted Wang, so don’t tell ‘em you’re Jewish! OK, fine.

[Sequoyah101]

I have done the math and I have lived like that and don’t like it. Try it and I don’t even care to know how it works out for you.

Do what ever the hell you want to do and have whatever opinion you want and I’ll do the same.

I don’t give a flying fluck what you love so mind your own damn business and I’ll mind mine.

[coaster123]

Lol.

[dirtymac]

Needs to sue the Attorney and the escrow company for malpractice. Proration of all taxes, liens, and utilities should have been disclosed.