Building Inspection-Help needed!!!

W

WebBoard

Guest
From: Glenn M


I am looking at purchasing a property within the next couple of weeks and I am concerned about a $4K special levy that each owner will have to contribute for a leaky (water seeping)underground car park. Now, this is only what the Agent estimates the cost to be. I am worried it may cost even more i.e. $10-15K. Is a building inspector the correct person to see in regards to this?

If so, can someone who has experience with building inspectors please list a reputable company in Melbourne (Richmond area).

Your help will be most appreciated.

GlennM.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Reply: 1
From: Astro Boy



Might also be worth asking to read over the minutes of the body corporate to see if they have had an quotes or estimates.

astrotest1.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Reply: 1.1
From: Glenn M


I am trying to obtain a copy of the minutes as we speak. I always find Real Estate Agents reluctant to hand these out.


GlennM.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Reply: 1.1.1
From: Owen .


Just go to the Strata Managers office and you can read and copy anything you want for about $20. Part of any due diligence for a strata IP.



Owen

"Gambling promises the poor what property performs for the rich – something for nothing"
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Reply: 1.1.1.1
From: Glenn M


Owen,

Do you mean enquire at the Managing Agent's office? When I have done this in the past they usually say that the Real Estate Agent who is working on behalf of the vendor will have to ask for a copy. In the end I feel like I'm running in circles.

Or is there a central office for Body Corporate returns that I can pay a sum to access?

GlennM.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Reply: 1.1.1.1.1
From: Owen .


No, I'm talking about the Body Corporate Strata Manager who manages the building as a whole on behalf of the owners committee. The agent will provide you with the Strata Plan along with the contract and maybe the minutes from the last strata meeting but you need to read all the strata info to get the full picture of the building.

The Strata Manager will have all the correspondence received and sent by them, copies of all quotes and receipts for work done, minutes of all the Strata and Executive meetings, treasurers reports so you can track the history of levies etc. Basically the history of the building and everything that has happened to it. Vital stuff.

The last one I looked at cost $22 and I got photocopies of the levies, the owners name, address and phone number and engineers reports for repairs required to the building. I found the owners were a year behind in their levies, hadn't reported any damage to the specific apartment so the engineers did not have it on their "To Do" list and the owners were way out of the area and did not know the changes happening. I got an inspection done by the engineers with the agent and the Strata Manager present and then contacted the engineers privately afterwards to remove any of my concerns with the repairs needed, got it writing from the Strata Manager that the repairs were to be done immediately, complained loudly in writing about the appalling condition, the lack of care and the levy arrears to the agent and bargained a huge discount in a sellers market. Now, after a cosmetic reno, I have a high value, top class apartment with city views that I never would never had normally bought in a market like this.

All thanks to the information gained from the Strata Records.



Owen

"Gambling promises the poor what property performs for the rich – something for nothing"
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Back
Top