[nanci2539]

Six months ago a friend and neighbor enclosed her lanai with glass. The company took care of pulling the permit, etc. After it was installed, an inspector came out and gave it high marks for installation.

A few months ago, her husband and a friend installed one of those AC splitters. The friend was a retired HVAC person so within a day, AC was installed.

Yesterday, a field appraiser from the Sumter County Appraiser's office came by her home saying that they have record a lanai was enclosed and they needed to check to see if an AC was installed. My first impression was she should not have let him on her property because unless they actaully see it, there's nothing they can do about it because they need permission to enter a your property.

The appraiser went around back, noted the compressor and told her he had to note it. Basically, this would affect her taxes. I told her that it really only amounts to a few hundred more on her tax bill (I hope I'm correct on this)

But, she's convinced that some jealous neighbor turned her in but my husband is saying it's normal for appraisers to come out months after to check on stuff like this. It just seems too suspecious to me and her - why after six months would an appraiser come out if he wasn't tipped off.

My friend is very upset not because she got "caught" but more because she thinks someone was nasty or jealous enough to "turn her in". And where a permit wasn't applied for, can this come back to bite her even though her friend was in HVAC before he retired.

Comments appreciated