The buyer is in charge: legislation and inspections

​If you're a home owner (or a buyer in the property market) it's easy to get overwhelmed by legislation, home maintenance, compliance and other regulation requirements. There is good news though. With current legislation, the buyer - that's you - is increasingly protected to a certain degree. How?
 
The most obvious way is a law that requires sellers to obtain certain compliance certificates before putting their property on the market. These certificates include inspections to prove electrical, plumbing, electric fence and gas installation compliance as well as an inspection for beetle infestation. All of these are carried out before the buyer even encounters the new home. The best news is that the seller covers all of the costs for these inspections and the work needed to ensure compliance.
 
 
Once you take ownership of your new home there are a few other things you can do for your own peace of mind. These simple maintenance inspections will make the world of difference:

• Check when the geyser was first installed. Often an old geyser may be gravity-fed and the pressure will be low. Geysers do have a "shelf life" in that they won't last if they aren't taken care of.
• Ask a builder to check the integrity of the whole building’s structure. The last thing you want is a compromised foundation. This inspection could also include a roof inspection to assess the condition of the roof, how waterproof it is and if there are any rising damp issues.
• Have a professional inspect the approved plans for the property to ensure that all of the building alterations are compliant and have been recorded with the council.
• Ask an independent plumber to do an inspection. While the plumbing compliance certificate covers most things, it's always good to have someone check the finer details. Checking aged tap seals and sink traps is essential to assess the longevity of your plumbing.

 
All in all, being a property buyer doesn't have to be as daunting as it might seem. The responsibility of making sure that everything is in order lies mainly with the seller. This protects you, your new home and your finances. As the buyer is good to be aware of what your rights are, and ofcourse asking the right questions often saves you from surprises further down the line.The cherry on top is that you can have someone manage this whole process for you by using a property manager - that's us! To find out more contact us on 021 801 3946 or email us at info@hqmproperties.com.