Home Buyers Should Check Insulation Status
April 6th 2010 05:04
Angus Kell, ACT & NSW State Manager of Archicentre said it was important for all home owners with properties for sale who have had insulation installed to have their homes checked before the sale to limit any legal liability if people were injured or the home was subject to a fire.
"The whole issue of selling a home with illegal building or in a dangerous condition can become an expensive minefield of litigation for vendors, real estate agents and people involved in carrying out sub standard work.
"Court cases in relation to illegally built balconies, where people have been injured, have stretched back to the original builder some thirty years previous."
Mr Kell said the extent of the problem with the Government Insulation Program in reality means that it could be difficult to trace every property which had been insulated by unqualified people and the standard of the work involved. In the meantime tens of thousands of homes are changing hands every month in Australia.
Anyone who is purchasing a property should directly ask these questions:
* If the home had been involved in the Government Insulation Program?
* When the material had been put in?
* Which company was involved and more importantly if the home had been checked?
If there is any doubt, prospective purchasers should have it independently checked by qualified electrical contractors.
"If the home has been checked, the prospective purchaser should request to see the appropriate certification which should be included in the contract of sale for the property."
Mr Kell said it was in the interest of all vendors who know their home has been involved in the Government Insulation Program to have it assessed for compliance and safety by accredited people for both peace of mind and to avoid any future potential legal or insurance issues.
"It is also in the interest of any real estate agent handling the sale of such a property to alert their client to this issue and that having an accredited check on the status of the insulation, especially if the home has downlights, is a positive selling point."
People with concerns about the safety of their insulation are encouraged to call 13 17 92 to arrange a safety inspection. - Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts website Really Long Link
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