[Helgore]

Last week my and my boss went on a quick service call. Our company had plumbed a house 7 years ago. The owner of the house had a sewer back up in his house, we installed a slice gate and a backwater preventer and in addition two sump pits with working pumps in the initial contract
He claims both pumps failed and so did the check valve/backwater preventer. Note this is a 7-year-old job. He wants us to pay for his water damage from the backed up sewer.

Here is the key though. We went in to inspect after the matter and found the flapper on the check valve was floating above the screw on cap inside the pipe under the floor. Now this is very odd. He claims we forgot to put this flapper back in, and that is just almost impossible when I think about it.

I think this fellow took it out and placed it on top of the screw cap so we would be at fault for his sewer backing up.

Any thoughts on how to deal with this?

Our warranty is only for one year, and this was all inspected and passed by the local plumbing inspector, who is to say a drain cleaner or even the owner did not remove this flapper.

 

[Ron]

Yea, walk away, he has nothing on you after 7 years, one year warranty is all you have to give on a new home, let him waste his money trying to take you to court, he can't win.

 

[DUNBAR PLUMBING]

Tell this effing idiot to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt, and then tell him to wave bye-bye to your taillights.


People like this are on this planet to challenge your will, your will to just cough up and save face.

That passage of time is too far away from what is reasonable, and I'm sure your insurance company will agree. He's far enough out of the loop where he'll have to go after you in small claims, which I can see that fudging on his part.


If it were me, I'd start laying out a million possibilities and asking the questions that he'll be later held to for accuracy.

 

[Helgore]

That is what I pretty much had told my boss, but he is stressed over this. I told him if he has to waste money it would be better spent on a lawyer then on this clown

 

[grandpa]

Yea, walk away, he has nothing on you after 7 years, one year warranty is all you have to give on a new home, let him waste his money trying to take you to court, he can't win.

10 years in CA

 

[Ron]

10 years in CA

Sorry to hear that, that is just crazy, good thing product warranty does not apply to that time line, at least I hope it don't. Sounds like a screwed up law down there. :blink:

 

[ToUtahNow]

10 years in CA

Ten years is the legal responsibility for a latent defect in California. However, this is not just in California it is pretty much all over the Country with some higher and some lower. If you aren't aware of your local laws you may want to check them out.

Mark

 

[22rifle]

Can anyone prove this was a defect?

 

[smellslike$tome]

Ten years is the legal responsibility for a latent defect in California. However, this is not just in California it is pretty much all over the Country with some higher and some lower. If you aren't aware of your local laws you may want to check them out.

Mark

Define latent defect please.