Was the seller up-front with problems regarding the house? I don't know anything about the real estate but if the seller isn't honest, aren't they liable?
I don't know about that. It would be next to impossible to prove that the seller knew about any particular problem, not to mention proving that they intentionally tried to hide said problem from potential buyers. Besides, any buyer has the option to get a 3rd party inspection before committing to a purchase.
You buy a house, you also buy all of the problems that come with it. I know this better than I ever wanted to, being the owner of a 60 year old house.