Montgomery County has added another requirement for home sellers…
After January 1, 2009, Home Sellers must supply prospective Buyers with copies of the past 12 months of their electric, gas and heating bills OR they must complete a usage history form for the past 12 months.
Sellers must also supply buyers with additional information on energy efficiency and audits.
So, if you are planning on selling your home in the next year or so, you may want to keep this in mind and start compiling a record of your energy expenditures.
If you would like a blank copy of a usage history form so that you may start keeping track – just contact me and I’ll be glad to send you one. (Just ask for a blank copy of the Utility Cost and Usage History Form)
Here is some additional information on the law:
The bill as passed specifies that before signing a contract the seller must provide the buyer with:
- General educational information on energy-efficiency improvements and energy audits approved by the Department of Environmental Protection.
- Copies of the electric, gas, and heating oil bills OR cost and usage history* for the single-family home for the immediate prior 12 months.
*(Usage History may be completed using a form supplied by your agent [see sample]. If you are planning on selling in the near future and would like a copy – please contact me.)
- Unless the single-family home was unoccupied for the entire prior 12 months. If the seller did not occupy the single-family home for the entire prior 12 months, the seller must provide the buyer with the required information for the period that the seller occupied the single-family home.
- If the home was not owner-occupied, then the seller does not have to provide the buyer with copies of the utility bills
“Immediate prior 12 months” means the 12 months immediately prior to listing the house for sale. However, if the house is on the market for 6 months or more, sellers will be required to update the utility disclosure information every 6 months.
Penalty for Non-compliance:
Class A Civil Violation which carries a $500 fine for the initial offense and a $750 fine for repeat offense. The law also applies directly to the seller and not the individual real estate agent.
Any questions? As always – give me a call and I’ll be glad to help.
