Southampton considers new consumer protection requirement

Your new house in Southampton Town could soon get $200 more expensive. Southampton lawmakers are considering a proposal that would force homebuyers to obtain an updated certificate of occupancy before closing a sale, the East Hampton Star reported. The certificate would protect buyers from having to spend thousands of dollars to bring a house up to code without knowing that it wasn’t before acquiring it. Multiple surrounding villages in the South Fork already have this requirement in place. Getting an updated certificate of occupancy costs $200. The town board will next meet on March 28. [EHS]