[quesera]

The mains breaker controls both legs, but they are separately protected. So if a protection sensor fails, it might only interrupt one leg. The switch controls both legs though.

I've done a lot of electrical work in old houses, but only in big cities where a failing inspection is just not tolerated. I've seen old country homes where regulation is ... less strict. This might not be an urban/rural divide, but that's my experience having lived in both.

I'm amazed that you were able to buy or sell a house that did not pass inspection. If the buyer was financing, the mortgage would require insurance, which would require inspection. In a cash sale, the buyer should be sophisticated enough to take responsibility for the repairs.

I think (in my high-regulation states) it's actually not legal to sell a house that does not pass a safety inspection. At least not without surrendering the certificate of occupancy until repairs are completed and inspected.

[galangalalgol]

These houses have all been in the DFW metroplex, so low regulation TX. The people that bought the terrifying breakerbox had a first time homeowner loan and the lender complained about some of the vegetation being too close to the house, but somehow the box was ok. I turned the main breaker on and back off, and half the lights were still in. Weird one. All the outlets that had a ground hole were actually grounded, most of my friends have houses with fake grounds, knob and tube or worse, aluminum wiring. Regulations are sometimes a good thing. Its probably why our houses are cheaper though.