Shared Well and Septic Neighbor Trouble

[John C.]

I just purchased a garage with an effeciency apartment upstairs. Good condition. It was purchased at County free and clear tax sale auction.

It is a seperate parcel and deed from the house next door, but does not have its own street address number.

The house next door belongs to the people who "lost" the garage/effeciency I now own. They are not happy about losing the garage/effeciency.

They claim that the garage/effeciency is attached to their well and Septic, and that I may use neither. I don't take them at their word, they have lied about other things.

I know what when I turn a faucet on in the garage/effeciency no water comes out. I know there is no "main shutoff." It has its own electric meter and box and there is no circuit breaker labeled well.

This area does not have public water.

The garage/effeciency has a propane furnace.

The town has no records of wells or skeptics and they have informed me that as long as they don't see sewage they don't care, and further informed me I can use a holding tank or gray water system if I like.

Several feet behind my garage/efficiency I see a 4 foot by four foot or so concrete pad with two pipes sticking up out of it. Pipes not capped. No smell that I can detect. I'm trying to attach a picture.

Possibly this is a seperate septic system for my property? A water cistern?

Any suggestions? I'd like to use this as a rental. I rent offered to buy their house cash, apparently they are going through divorce.

Advice on how to proceed?