How does a sanitation diagnosis work?

It is now necessary to make a sanitation diagnosis when selling a house. This practice is among the mandatory certificates during the sale of a house that has its own wastewater treatment system, namely septic tank and all water. This diagnosis is useful because it allows to control the different water installations in the house. Therefore, to better understand this important system in real estate, it is essential to know some information.

Sanitation diagnosis: what does it consist of?

So, how does a sanitation diagnosis work? By definition, a sanitation diagnosis is a diagnosis used in real estate during the sale of a home that is not connected to the sewer system. This mandatory practice consists in checking the proper functioning and the constant maintenance of the system connected to the sewage system. Among other things, it allows us to judge the conformity or not of the installation according to the various essential parameters to be taken into consideration. Because of its usefulness, it must be given to the future owners of the property before the contract is signed. To put it simply, the houses concerned by this compulsory diagnosis are all those that do not have a sewage system. Therefore, this essential measure basically concerns the owners of individual dwellings equipped with an all-water tank, septic tank or an underground sewage system. Thus, before signing the lease or putting the house up for sale, the owner must transmit the result of the diagnosis to the future buyers. However, if the diagnosis is not compliant, the future owners are required to carry out compliance work within one year.

How does this essential diagnosis take place?

The sanitation diagnosis becomes mandatory as soon as you put your property for sale that is not connected to the sewerage system. However, this only includes houses or individual dwellings with an alternative filter or septic tank system. The procedure for this practice is similar to the home inspection. To begin, the diagnostician will examine the proper operation and regular maintenance of the water treatment system. In this sense, upon arrival, the owner must show him all the documents that are at his disposal, namely the notices, the titles of ownership and the previous certificates ensuring compliance. It should be noted that the diagnosis must meet very precise specifications. Therefore, there are several elements to take into account. First, the devices that make up the system must be identified and described. Then, it is necessary to measure the height of the sludge. Then, it is essential to check the flow at the outlet of the system and to identify any existing defects such as wear. Finally, it is necessary to evaluate the possible sanitary risks or nuisances. Finally, the diagnostician must produce a report on his visit. After having rigorously checked each important element, he must give his report to the owner.

How long is it valid?

In general, to make a real estate sale faster, it is always advisable to carry out a diagnosis beforehand. As its duration is several years, there are many advantages to carry it out earlier. The first one is to be able to expose to the potential buyers a complete DDT. In this way, the house will be able to sell more quickly. Regarding the validity of the sanitation diagnosis, it is necessary to refer to its date of realization. From the latter, the process is valid for 3 years. Indeed, it seems that this is more than enough to cover the period of sale. Moreover, the diagnosis of the property must be valid at the time of signing the lease at the notary. However, in order to avoid lawsuits from the owner, the property diagnosis must be registered in his name. Therefore, it is totally forbidden to use an old certificate. All the various charges related to the issuance of this diagnosis must be paid by the seller or the current owner.

How to carry out this real estate diagnosis?

To carry out a sanitation diagnosis in a legal way, it is necessary to annex it to the technical diagnosis file or DDT. This entity normally gathers all the mandatory certificates such as electricity, DPE and gas. Thus, all these essential certificates must be presented to the future owner of the house. If these certificates are not in conformity or totally absent, the seller could be sued for hidden defects. To carry out this real estate diagnosis correctly, it is necessary to contact an expert. However, unlike the other certificates, this one does not have to be carried out by an independent professional. As a general rule, the SPANC is responsible for carrying out the mission. It is a local public body that checks the sanitation systems. Thus, each municipality is connected to a SPANC. In this context, to carry out a diagnosis, it is imperative to contact the nearest SPANC.