Lead Paint

[Daniel H.]

I am looking at purchasing a building built in 1920. I am assuming there is lead paint there. A visual inspection looks okay but there are no lead certs. There are children under 6 living in the building. Building was bought as part of a lot of foreclosed buildings. No leases.

Worried about the potential problems that could arise with lead paint in the building.

Has anyone bought a building with kids living there and you were not sure if there was lead paint or not? What did you do? My other building had lead certs when I bought it.

[Jon Holdman]

The tenants should have been given copies of "Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home" when they moved in and the current owner should have copies of the form both have to sign.

Are "lead certs" a local requirement? HUD doesn't require testing, but does require disclosing whether or not testing has been done. And there are now "safe work practices" that require certian steps when renovations involve lead paint.