Thread: Pre- purchase Building Inspections - some sort of scam ?

I'd report him to the HIA and any other place I could think of. I'm guessing there's no certification to be an inspector like this though so they may not be able to do anything. I would call the agent and tell them the 'Inspector' is a half wit and that you'll not have them around again.

I eagerly wait the reply from the prospective buyers - please keep us updated.

Interesting timing. There was an article in some rag over here recently.

These housing inspectors do not require a builders licence or even a trade.

Dodgy as all ****!

I've had varying experiences with two inspectors on our stone house built in 1860. The first one was a building inspector that we hired for the pre purchase inspection who gave us a frank description of the condition of the house, 100 year old termite damage and kitchen floor that was completely gone with dry rot having been built with the bearers on the ground in the 1880s. He then caveated it with "It hasnt fallen over in the last 140 years so its not going to tomorrow". He was a tradie and we were very happy with the report.


A couple of banks have valued it since and have used the same valuer with much less satisfactoy results. This guy did a valuation for the bank when we bought the place with the rotten floors etc and then came back about 10 years later when we went to refinance. We had built a new kitchen and inside bathroom and he valued it for less than we had purchased it for because "its condition had deteriorated" despite the new kitchen, bathroom and 10 years of land value appreciation. He was completely incompetent to value anything that he did not have a comparison with four doors down in the same street. The joys of owning a heritage listed home.........


So at least some of them are OK but unfortunately you don't always get to pick who does it if a bank or a prospective purchaser is involved. I would suspect that owner built houses are also tarred with the same brush as heritage ones by valuers because they don't have an immediate comparison in the same street and they actually have to use their skills to understand the condition of the house that they are valuing.

Regards,
Tote

In the ACT the seller has to provide the building certificate so a seller has a bit more control.

If the inspector is not registered or qualified engineer, dont bother letting him in. Especially if your paying the bill. Mind you I had an engineer drawing up some plans for a granny flat , mate, the amount of concrete and reo, I could have put 3 storeys on it.

The last house I sold, which was sound, but 40yrs old and always something to pick on in such a house...well I got an offer which was cash and no building inspection required, I took a bit less than I wanted, for those reasons, and the no building inspection was a deciding factor...no need to worry about some fool coming around, picking the house to bits and scaring off a purchaser.

Maybe that is a tactic now, when putting in an offer! No building inspection....that will lower the price!

You have to remember the inspector is working for the buyer , the more he finds the more chance the buyer has of getting the house for a cheaper price.

I had one of my cars for sale a while back the buyer payed for an inspection , things he came up with doors make click noise when open as the check straps go over the roller , oil leak from rear main , 12 months later there is still no oil at bottom of bell housing, electric aerial is noisy going up & down & head gasket leaking , I have not had to top up the radiator or oil in last year, the leak I think was were the A/C hose had blown & there was a green stain on the block which I pointed out to him . The inspector told me he was very impressed with the 36 year old car , then gave the buyer a report to steer clear of the car. I was in two minds about selling the car & had it listed at a high price & was just testing the water. I decided to keep the car , it is such a nice drive , very original & extremely low K's . These people doing inspections have to cover there ass

Originally Posted by 1950landy

You have to remember the inspector is working for the buyer , the more he finds the more chance the buyer has of getting the house for a cheaper price.

I had one of my cars for sale a while back the buyer payed for an inspection , things he came up with doors make click noise when open as the check straps go over the roller , oil leak from rear main , 12 months later there is still no oil at bottom of bell housing, electric aerial is noisy going up & down & head gasket leaking , I have not had to top up the radiator or oil in last year, the leak I think was were the A/C hose had blown & there was a green stain on the block which I pointed out to him . The inspector told me he was very impressed with the 36 year old car , then gave the buyer a report to steer clear of the car. I was in two minds about selling the car & had it listed at a high price & was just testing the water. I decided to keep the car , it is such a nice drive , very original & extremely low K's . These people doing inspections have to cover there ass

My experience is that these people seize the slightest excuse to find a big problem that seems to only exist in their minds.

Recently had an inspection done on this old (Circa 1900)house for a couple of cracked bricks caused when the tilers smashed 7 bells out of the single leaf bathroom wall ready for re-tiling a few years ago.

First off the line was a general builder who spent 1/2 hour here.

2nd was Building engineer who spent about an hour & took lots of images on his phone for other parts of the house. ?????

3rd was a Plumber with all the all singing all dancing inspection Cameras, instrumentation. Says one thing & tells the INS Co another.


All the above three supplied extensive reports which didn't sound like they were even talking about our gaff but some strangers.

The house has large Sandstone footings with the single red Brick leaf sitting on top & it on a concrete slab obvious that in 120 years some settlement has occurred. They all blamed the type of soil from Drought to Wet Winters & all inspections were paid for by the Insurance Co ( ie. us in our premiums)

If we have to pay for repairs it will be with a friend who specialises in Restoring old Brick & Stone Workshops & Barns to a very high standard, throughout the hills.