Homeowner Dilemma: Unpermitted Generator Sparks Questions

[Nomad]

I found an interesting discussion on Reddit that I want to share with you. A person in South Florida recently bought a house with a Generac whole home generator. However, he got a notice from the city that stated that the generator installation wasn't allowed. Now, he is wondering if he is also responsible for fixing it, even though he didn't install it. This might be a common problem for many people, dealing with the rules of property ownership and local regulations. How do you handle this kind of situation, especially when it involves something the previous homeowners did?

 

[Jake]

In such a situation, it's usually up to the new homeowner to take on. I know that isn't a fun bit of news, but it's the truth. These Generac whole home generators need a permit to set up, and it falls on the current homeowner to rectify the situation by bringing everything up to code. Usually in cases like this, you will want to apply for an "after the fact" permit. In order to do this, you will need to hire a licensed electrician to come over and make sure the generator is in good working condition and up to code. They will sign off on a permit on your behalf. You will then have to go through an inspection by your local Code Enforcement team.

There will be fees, so be prepared. And there is the possibility that the generator may not be up to code and may need repairs, which increases the fees, but also could result in having to outright remove the system.

Can't imagine that homeowner is having a good time. I hope he was able to receive a permit for it eventually.

 

[Korner6]

If a professional electrician did the install, I think that he needs to be contacted and do the right thing in getting the proper permit. In most cases, it's up to the contractor to obtain permits. When we got our Generac installed, our electrician handled all of that.

If the owner was the one who installed it., then small claims court could easily handle this. If the fee isn't too much, it would be better to just settle out of court, if possible.