Ventura private sewer lateral inspection for home sales

The City of Ventura requires a private sewer lateral inspection before close of escrow when a property changes ownership, a rule in force for escrows opened after February 3, 2014. We record the CCTV video, complete the city's signed inspection report, and give you a plain-language summary for the buyer.

What the City of Ventura requires

The requirement comes from Ventura Municipal Code Chapter 22.250, Private Sewer Laterals. The city's fact sheet and FAQ set out these rules:

• When: before close of escrow on any change of ownership. The city recommends filing the report at least two weeks before opening escrow, so it appears in the building records escrow officers request.
• What is inspected: the private lateral from the building to the main connection in the street, including the wye.
• Who can do it: a licensed plumber or qualified contractor holding a California A, C-36 or C-42 license.
• What is filed: the signed Private Sewer Lateral Inspection Report and the video of the inspection, submitted to the city's Building and Safety Division.
• Disclosure: the results must be disclosed to the buyer and all parties to the sale.

Do repairs have to be done before closing?

No. The City of Ventura doesn't require repairs before close of escrow. The report must be disclosed to the buyer, and the buyer and seller agree on who pays for repairs and when. The city's guidance says repairs should be completed within a reasonable time, no later than six months.

Exemptions and alternatives

• Condos and other common-interest units: the sale of a single unit doesn't trigger the inspection. The complex itself must inspect its laterals every 10 years.
• Recent inspection: proof of a licensed plumber's inspection within the last 10 years, showing the lateral is functional or was restored, can meet the requirement.
• Recent repair: completed and signed City building permits from the last 10 years for lateral repair or replacement can meet it too.
• Pipe material: no material is exempt, including newer plastic pipe.

How our sewer lateral inspection works

1. Book a time. Tell us the address, your escrow timeline and whether the property has an exterior cleanout.
2. Camera the full lateral from the house to the city main, with distance shown on the video.
3. Code every observation using the city form's categories: breaks, cracks, fractures, infiltration, offsets, sags, roots (25, 50 or 75 percent), change in pipe material and out-of-round pipe.
4. Complete and sign the City of Ventura report, including notes such as an ejector pump, a lateral crossing a neighbor's lot, or more than one structure on the line.
5. Deliver the package: the signed report, the video file, and a summary written for buyers and agents.

If the inspection finds problems

Common findings in older Ventura laterals are root intrusion at clay pipe joints, offset joints and sags. If you need repairs, we price them from the video so both sides of the sale can negotiate on real numbers. Repairs need a standard City of Ventura plumbing permit; the city's FAQ notes that permit applications for lateral repair include the inspection report and video. See sewer line repair for repair methods, including trenchless options.

How pricing works

Every job is different, so the cost depends on the type of work and what the job requires. We look at the problem first, explain your options, and confirm the price with you before any work starts.

Sewer lateral inspection questions

Sources: City of Ventura Private Sewer Lateral Inspection Program, PSL fact sheet and change-of-ownership FAQ.