My clients were buying a particularly expensive property. I always ask clients to send me their contract for review before signing, and in this case when I reviewed the documentation, I recommended several amendments to the standard Real Estate Institute Queensland contract to better protect their interests.
One condition required the seller to warrant that it had all building approvals and final certification for the house and other improvements.
As much as my clients wanted the house, searches indicated that final building approvals had not been obtained. The seller was forced to remedy the non-compliance; bear the cost of engaging engineers, licenced plumbers and building certifiers; and alter railing heights and stair treads to meet the current building code.
Without amending the contract, the buyers would not have had the same rights. It pays to engage an expert from the start.
