Got Had from Texas

[pjCAG]

Wanted a place to fish for years....we finally decided we were never going to be able to afford to live on the water so decided to get a trailer and put it on a waterfront lot around Lake Fork. Long story short, the cheapest way was to just get a lot in one of those RV parks around the lake. Even those are hard to come by. People get them and stay forever we discovered. We found a 2009 Frontier HYPERLITE on the water..has a nice deck and pier, fish cleaning station, carport...Never having had one, I paid an inspector $650. He said it was in good shape..slide needed repair, skylight, a few things like that. Seller agreed to repair. I smelled mold. It had been shut up they said. Inspector said it was in the cargo hold and if we left the lid up and let it dry it would be ok. Well we closed last week and I started taking down the valances etc. We dried out the cargo area. Still smelled. We live 20 minutes away so worked on it then went home..several days before we used the restroom. The toilet is totally missing the bolt on one side. It almost falls over. The shower doesn't work. We had a service guy out to get a bid on things I wanted done and he asked if the inspector showed us the bubbling and what that meant..NO. So it has had extensive water damage in one area. Also the "hold" goes all the way under the trailer...it isn't just a small hull like we were told. Yes, there is mold all under it. I'm asthmatic and allergic to mold. So, now we have to have that treated..probably wood replaced in that area (tearing out bed). Plumber for toilet (we don't do those things, we aren't project people..totally inept). Peel and stick flooring was put down evidently the week he put it up for sale and he lives 2 hours away so the heat from being shut up with no air has caused the flooring to pop up..Not whining...just introducing myself as "been had from Texas". We didn't get it for a steal either, lest you think that...we paid over blue book because of the waterfront, decking, and pier...the pier alone would cost $10,000 if we had to have it built..or so pier guy says. Anyway, I'm going to need a lot of advice as I go through this "renovation"...first question...can a regular plumber fix an rv toilet?

 

[darsben]

This is the reason I always am against inspectors. The inspector screwed up and now the customer pays.
To the OP. look at your contract and see if you can at least get the inspection fee back. That is their usual limit of liability if you have a signed contract.

 

[pjCAG]

Good idea I did sign a contract

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Sorry to hear this. You got "had" twice, once by the seller and once again by the so-called inspector.  And you can bet the contracts protect them, not you. If he is a member of the professional RV inspectors group, NRVIA, they might bring some pressure on him to at least refund the fee.

All those extras, like the pier, probably belong to the RV park. You get to use them as long as you keep up the site rent/fees, but you can't take them with you or sell them to somebody else. Both in a practical sense and a legal one as well.  Permanent site improvements become the property of the park.

Hope you get everything squared away so you can begin to enjoy the house and the lake!

 

[Isaac-1]

If I read this right, you have no intention of ever towing this trailer anywhere, it will be used in a fixed location at the lake?

If so evaluate the cost of repair vs the cost of selling it to be moved, and replacing it with something more appropriate for stationary use.  I suspect you will be ahead in the long run selling the trailer or having it hauled off to a junk yard.  As a general rule camping trailers with "lite" in their name are built very flimsy so that they can be towed by smaller SUV's and pickup trucks, as a result even when new the frame will flex when you walk around, insulation will be minimal to non-existent, and roof support will be inadequate, add to this the rot, and maintenance issues and you have a combination for on going expense and disappointment in a stationary RV.

I suspect you can find a better built similar age non "lite" 5th wheel that would be more spacious and likely less ongoing maintenance for around $10,000 if you shop around a bit.

Ike

p.s. was the rv inspector you used certified, or just some guy offering inspection service? 

 

[aguablanco]

I would tend to agree with the above post. You finally got the lot you wanted, there should be joy in that. Now just find a good trailer, swap them out and you have a great setup.

 

[247Towing]

ok

 

[Rene T]

ok

OK what?????

 

[LarsMac]

so, is the lot yours, or are you leasing it with the "Trailer" on the lot?

That seems unclear.

Sorry you got taken on the trailer, but it still sounds like a nice place to fish.

 

[Oldgator73]

I?ve always wanted to live on the water. Finally got it. But we have to wait till it rains. ;D

 

[Joezeppy]

OK what? ??? ?

The initial post was related to commercial towing services - looks like it was edited to meet forum rules.

 

[maddog348]

Joe ~~ I don't see an edit on initial post ~ help me out

 

[Joezeppy]

I can see it.

 

[John From Detroit]

I do not know. Does the Inspector have liability for a bad inspection (At the minimum his fee)

 

[maddog348]

Joe ~~ never mind.

 

[Bill and Debbie]

Regardless of the actual condition the trailer is in, the fact you paid $650 for an inspector, whom I assume wasn't an FDA inspector or any other type of irrelevant inspector, would have me looking for the guy in no uncertain terms. At a minimum your fee should be refunded considering the incompetence the actual condition has confirmed.  If he won't refund your fee, I would take him to small claims court for the maximum possible.

Its doubtful you would have bought the unit if the actual condition had been know or, at the very least, used the condition to negotiate the price lower. Whether it makes sense to do all the repairs or have the unit hauled away and replaced is up to you. I would be extremely concerned with the mold issue as it may be something that will never be totally resolved without a boat load of money. Sorry you got "had". Seems you didn't do anything wrong.

Hope it works out....