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How to stop the city from bullying me into paying previous homeowner’s water bills? Previous owners were also armed robbers.

Asked over 2 years ago - Midland, TX

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I bought the house in June with cash. It was a foreclosure property as is with limited warranty deed, & title insurance. Title search showed no liens, but the city water sneakily waited to impose a lien a month after the title search. I can't claim a homestead against liens because of Jan. 1 rule? Is city wrong to allow a debt of over $500 to accrue just to slap onto the next innocent homebuyer? They didn't ask the bank, just me. No note on the door that there was to be a lien on the house though the house was foreclosed on last year. How to not pay the previous owner's water utility bills and not lose my house? Can I not pay then still be able to declare homestead Jan 2010? http://www.pioneer1realty.com/pdf/addendum.pdf
http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?p...

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Attorney answers (1)

Mark Hankins

Reputation Level 16

Answered over 2 years ago. Corporate / Incorporation Lawyer in Tampa, FL.

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This is a due diligence problem. It's possible it *is* the title company's problem, depending on their duties to you. Might also be a closing agent or attorney's problem ... without knowing all the players in the transaction I can't be sure whether you had contracted with someone who should have been looking out for you on this issue or not. If you did have your own attorney, that's where the buck stops; if not there may be gap in the duties of all the players that may make *you* the one responsible for the failure to check with the city that water payments were up to date.

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