I spoke to a Real Estate agent last week that was very upset that she didn’t know there was a new law surrounding Water Conserving Plumbing fixtures. She’s not alone, as many agents have heard about this but they haven’t yet included it in their practice. Is this the Broker’s responsibility? The agent’s? The fact is that you deal in this business and you should understand all the new laws that affect you and your home sellers and buyers.
There’s a formal disclosure for this! See WATER-CONSERVING PLUMBING FIXTURES AND CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR NOTICE.
C.A.R. has circulated these handy questions and answers to help agents and homeowners understand the new changes.
Beginning January 2017, California Civil Code § 1101.4 requires that all homes built on or before January 1, 1994 must be equipped with water conserving plumbing fixtures (toilets not more than 1.6 gallons per flush, showers not more than 2.5 GPM, and interior faucets not more than 2.2 GPM). How does this affect your Sellers? See below.
New Plumbing Fixture Law for Water Conserving in 2017: What You Need to Know
Q: What does the law require?
A: In a nutshell, starting in 2017, the law requires installation of water conserving plumbing fixtures if you own a single-family home, and it is built before 1994 – whether or not it is being sold.
Q: I am selling my house. Are there any special disclosures that I must make?
A: The law requires you to disclose whether there are any non-compliant plumbing fixtures on the property. If you are unsure, then you should consult with someone who has expertise in the matter like a contractor or plumber.
Q: I am selling my house. Are there any installation requirements under this law?
A: No. There is nothing in this law that requires installation of water-conserving plumbing fixtures as a condition of sale. However, if you haven’t already installed water conserving plumbing fixtures on your pre-1994 single-family house, then you are in violation of the basic requirement of the law.
Q: I own a property in a city where there is an existing retrofit law for water-conserving fixtures as a point of sale requirement (such as Los Angeles, San Diego or San Francisco). Are those retrofit laws still in force?
A: Yes. Local laws passed before July of 2009 requiring retrofit of plumbing fixtures remain in effect. The state law also allows a locality to pass more restrictive requirements at any time.
Q: I would like to install water conserving plumbing fixtures. What can I do?
A: Call an expert such as a contractor or plumber. You can also go to your local home improvement store. You may wish to contact your local water service provider to find out if they offer low-cost or even no-cost plumbing fixtures.
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Brittney is an expert Transaction Coordinator and 3rd generation real estate fanatic with over 10 years of transaction experience and a background in file management.
CalBRE 01450176
Email Brittney at brittney@signheretransactions.com
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