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Can I sue the previous owner?

Hi.

I bought a house, just over a year ago that has a large garden. I’ve been doing some maintenance in the garden and have discovered that the previous owner has buried a large number of items in the land. So far I’ve found a fridge/freezer, about 12 used tyres, rubber bases that you put heras fencing into and some car parts!………I hate to think what else is in there….Anyway do I have any comeback against the previous owner of the property? The land was not surveyed 🥺

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Comments

  • user1977
    user1977 Posts: 19,977
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    Had you asked them whether they had buried anything? If not, then no. Up to you to check (not that a normal survey would involve anybody getting a shovel out anyway!).

  • Brie
    Brie Posts: 17,824
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
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    I'd be calling the police if I had any real concerns, i.e. something leaking out of the fridge, rumours of their really nasty divorce and the spouse disappearing etc.

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  • gwynlas
    gwynlas Posts: 2,644
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    You have absolutely no evidence that they buried anything or anyone so no grounds to sue them.

    It might well be that they were aware of problems and had loads of topsoil delivered to cover these up.

  • Woodstok2000
    Woodstok2000 Posts: 2,192
    1,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
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    Can you sue them: Yes

    Will you win: Probably not.

  • Will you be able to prove the ‘burier’ was the owner you purchased from and not the owner from 1982?

  • flaneurs_lobster
    flaneurs_lobster Posts: 12,558
    10,000 Posts Seventh Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
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    Fridge-freezer? Car parts?

    Yep, sure sounds like an Old Native American Burial Ground..

    Full Moon on Tuesday….

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