On Jun 15, 11:26*am, "Bob Mannix" wrote:
"NT" wrote in message

...
On Jun 15, 10:04 am, Cicero wrote:



On Mon, 15 Jun 2009 09:13:22 +0100, SeniorCitizen wrote:

Also posted to uk.legal.

I'd be grateful for comments on the following situation.

After 40 years in the same house, it's getting time to move on. Bringing
up a family, which have now flown the nest, has taken its toll on the
house, which is in need of a fair amount of redecoration. The
back-boiler
is 30 years old and won't last forever, and there are problems with the
wiring: it suffers the 'green exudation' problem, and also when the
kitchen was replaced two years ago the extra sockets and wiring that
were
put in might not meet Building Regulations and weren't certified.

Rather than live in a building site for several months - as doing all
the
work at one time is the obvious solution - just to remain in an area
we'd
much rather move away from, the tentative plan is to sell the house,
hopefully to a keen DIY-er, who can take on the problems, adjusting the
price accordingly.

What is the legal position regarding the wiring? I'm happy to be open
about the problem, but I'd like to avoid the possibility of legal action
being taken.

Thanks for your comments.

=========================================

It's up to the buyer's surveyor and solicitor to ask questions which you
must answer truthfully. You're not obliged to prepare a list of defects
for prospective buyers. Make your own private list of of any potential
problems such as those you've mentioned and get estimates for remedying by
professionals AND get prices for major items such as a boiler, etc. This
will give you some idea of the cost of DIY remedies. Potential DIY buyers
will try to reduce your asking price by large amounts dictated by
professional tradesmen when DIY will be much less costly to them. Don't
give in to exaggerated estimates of remedial work even if your buyer is an
MP.

Cic.

-What reason says one has to answer all the buyer's questions? Surely
-its for the buyer to do their own survey, reach their own conclusions,
-and accept full responsibility for their own actions based thereon.
-I've seen various pieces of paperwork that effectively say sold as
-seen, we cant even guarantee exactly where the plot ends, good luck
-mate.

You don't have to answer them but you do have to tell the truth if you do..
Choosing to remain silent is not the same as saying "I don't know" (if it
can be shown you did know). They will draw their own conclusions from a
failure to answer of course but that's fair.


"The house and land are sold as seen, as is normally the case with
property sales. The responsibility lies fully with you and your
surveyor to determine whether you think there are any issues with the
property that might affect the price you are willing to pay. I do not
intend to take on any of this responsibility or create a situation in
which lawyers can get rich deciding who might or might not be
responsible for what, and I presume your surveyor is suitably insured
against such eventualities. I presume also that you will fully insure
the property if you purchase it."


NT