What is a U&O inspection and do I need one to sell my house?
U&O stands for Use and Occupancy. Some but not all boroughs and townships in our area will require one when a property is being sold. For those boroughs and townships that do require this inspection, the items they look for can and will vary dramatically.
Many boroughs and townships look for safety and code violations. Typical items may include:
> GFCI protected outlets in the kitchen and bathrooms
> Handrails when there are three or more steps
> Working smoke detectors on each level of the house (sometimes they will have to operate in conjunction with each other or be in each bedroom)
> Ensuring storm water does not discharge into the public sewer system
> Ensuring household waste water does not discharge into the yard or storm sewer
> Steel doors for fire protection between an attached garage and the house
More stringent U&O inspectors may require:
> Egress from finished basements
> Sidewalks and curbs to be repaired or replaced
> Chimney certifications
> Sewer vent lines to be installed
> Audible alarms when household doors open directly to a pool area
> Locking bedroom doors
> Anything the inspector feels like flagging that day...
Most boroughs and townships that require U&O inspections are fairly consistent with the types of issues they look for. However, there are a few authorities that have been tremendously inconsistent with their inspection process.
The problem we see with the inconsistent ones is that the rules keep changing and what one seller had to do one year, another seller doesn't have to do another year. Some authorities have gotten carried away with their requirements and it can (and have) cost some sellers in our area thousands of dollars to make the changes required by the U&O inspection.
If you are considering a move, we can tell you the "historical" track record of the borough or township you live in and what you can likely expect. If you know you are in a borough or township with a terribly inconsistent U&O process, we urge you to contact your local board of supervisors. What will they require when it is your time to sell?
~Lisa
Contact Scott Loper, Associate Broker, Realtor®, RE/MAX Realty Group at 215-513-1333 for help buying or selling a home in Lansdale, Harleysville, Hatfield, Souderton, Skippack, Collegeville, North Wales and the surrounding areas of Montgomery County Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.
Oh No, Not a U&O! - Copyright © 2011, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.
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The Scott Loper Team
Scott Loper - Associate Broker
Lisa Loper - Sales Associate
Gina Wherry - Sales Associate
RE/MAX Realty Group
439 Main Street
Harleysville, PA 19438
Ph: 215-256-1200 x-213
In our area a U+O is used primarily with homes that have been completely rehabbed to make sure it is ok to occupy after all the renovations.
Hi Laura,
I wish that was the case in our area. The U&O can be a very painful process for some of our sellers (and us).
Lisa
This sounds like a mini-final inspection for new construction. Of course many of these items would be picked up by the normal proeprty inspection.