Under California law, which of the following must the seller of a single-family residence certify to the buyer in writing when the property is transferred?
Correct Answer
A) That the water heater is braced, anchored, or strapped to resist earthquake movement
Health and Safety Code 19211 requires the seller of real property containing a water heater to certify in writing to the buyer that the heater has been braced, anchored, or strapped to resist falling or horizontal displacement in an earthquake, and that certification is commonly made on the transfer disclosure statement. It is one of only two written certifications California imposes statewide on a residential transfer; the other is the smoke alarm statement of compliance under Health and Safety Code 13113.8. Everything else here travels by disclosure instead: carbon monoxide alarms are required by Health and Safety Code 17926 and reported on the transfer disclosure statement, water-conserving fixture compliance is a disclosure item, and solar equipment falls under the seller's general duty to disclose known material facts.
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Related Topics & Key Terms
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Related Concepts
A quitclaim deed transfers whatever interest the grantor may have in a property without making any warranties or guarantees about the quality of title. It offers the least protection to the grantee.
Recording is the act of placing a document in the public records at the county recorder's office to give constructive notice to the world of an interest in real property. Recording protects the holder's interest against subsequent claims.
A special warranty deed guarantees that the grantor has not caused any title defects during their period of ownership, but does not warrant against defects that existed before the grantor acquired the property.
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