One inspection that is commonly a part of real estate transactions is a sewer lateral inspection. If the sewer line is deemed defective, it can be a costly repair and can put strain on a transaction for obvious reasons.
These inspections are usually performed by local plumbers with the appropriate equipment and experience.
To complicate things, the city of Santa Barbara has a Sewer Lateral Inspection Program (SLIP) where, when the city thinks there is an issue with a line, it is requiring homeowners to perform a video inspection of their sewer lateral by a qualified plumber who meets the National Association of Sewer Services Companies standards.
After the inspection, the video of the sewer line is reviewed by the city SLIP. If the city determines the lateral to be non-compliant, the private-property owner is deemed responsible for the repairs and costs. The private-property owner will have about 90 days to have the repairs completed.
Aside from the possibility of having to deal with an ill-timed and costly repair, one issue that can arise is the fact that the standard sewer lateral inspection a plumber performs may not meet the standards the city of Santa Barbara requires
For example, a buyer may correctly assume the sewer line in their new home functions faultlessly based on the inspection report they received, only to later have it fall short of the city of Santa Barbara standards and be required to have it repaired or replaced.
This is not to suggest that plumbers are not advising their clients appropriately. To prevent potential misunderstanding, be sure to clarify with your plumber about what type of inspection you would like.
The Santa Barbara Association of Realtors urges residents to “Call your Realtor” to learn more about sewer lateral inspections, the SLIP Program and what can be done to prevent unexpected and/or costly repairs.
— Thomas Schultheis is with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, and can be reached at 805.729.2802 or SbRealtorTom@gmail.com.