The purpose of an inspection of the property with a construction expert, is to determine the condition of the building in question compared to equivalent buildings of the same age.

As a buyer, you must thus be aware that there may be age-related technical conditions in the building, which are to be expected with this type of construction, and which are thus not described in the condition report.

There may for example be dampness in the basement of an older house. Here, the dampness will only be mentioned in the condition report if it is assessed as constituting an imminent risk of damage or health risk.

The construction expert must in his inspection report note any damage or signs of damage, including conditions that constitute an imminent risk of damage or injury, and the construction expert is also obliged to investigate whether other condition reports have been made for the property in the last six years, and to include these reports in his assessment.

It is not required for the construction expert to review trivial matters or general wear and tear normal for the building’s age.

If there are any fractures, cracks, structural deformities or weaknesses, or leaks, then these must be noted in the condition report.

Good advice to you as buyer:

Read the condition report carefully, especially the instructions that explain how you should read and understand the condition report.

As a buyer, you must remember to check whether limitations have been made for the inspection of any parts of the property that are inaccessible. If this is the case, the change of ownership insurance will generally not cover faults in these inaccessible parts.

If part of the property is inaccessible, this will typically appear on page 6 or 7 of the report under “building description” and ”remarks”.

The table regarding the roof’s lifetime expectancy, which is typically found on page 6 or 7 of the report, shows the theoretically expected lifetime of different roofing materials. However, there can be big differences in real lifetime due to actual conditions, such as weather, wind, maintenance, how the roof was laid, and so on.

The condition report generally covers all buildings on the property, unless the construction expert does not see any reason, due to the condition of the building, for inspecting it.

At the back of the report, you can find a seller information sheet that will often contain important information for you, as a buyer, together with a description of the type of house you are considering buying.

The remarks in the condition report can possibly be fixed cheaply but may also prove to be expensive. It can thus be a good idea to enlist an independent building expert to give you an estimate of what it will cost to fix the defects listed in the remarks.

Professional buyer counseling

You should always make use of buyer counselling when purchasing a home. At Minkøbermægler.dk, we look after your interests throughout the entire buying process as your personal adviser. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you get through your real estate purchase safely.

Note, the real estate agent is hired by the seller and represents the seller’s interests throughout the whole process, while the buyer’s agent exclusively represents the interests of the buyer.

If you think this article may be relevant to other people you know, you are most welcome to link to it.

‘Like’ Minkøbermægler.dk’s Facebook page and receive regular news/articles on the housing market.

Published by:

Minkøbermægler.dk