Buying a home feels like a fresh start. You get the keys and begin a new chapter, assuming you’re responsible only for your own actions. But in many cities, that’s a dangerously naive assumption. A host of local ordinances can attach a previous owner’s debts and fines directly to the property itself. This means that when you buy the house, you also inherit its problems. The discovery often comes as a shockingly high bill or a notice of violation. Suddenly, new homeowners liable for old fines is a costly reality they never saw coming.
Here are 10 local rules that can stick you with the previous owner’s bill.
