In Ireland the buyer will always pay for a pre purchase survey.
The main reason for this is that it is the BUYER'S responsibility to do their own due diligence, because once you sign contracts on a second-hand house or apartment, it is yours and in the exact condition it stands.
The seller, or "vendor" is not responsible for any repairs for issues which they did not disclose. In fact. Even if the vendor is entirely aware of a serious issue with the property, they do not have to disclose it to any potential buyers.
Because of this, the concept of a "Seller's Survey" does not really exist in Ireland.
Caveat Emptor "Buyer Beware"
Second hand homes are not covered under the same consumer protection as say, buying a new microwave. The house does not have to be in a particular condition, it does not have to be fit for purpose and it does not even have to have planning permission.
Once you sign contracts, unless there is a specific clause (e.g. subject to finance/mortgage) there is no comeback if you identify issues after the fact.
How do I do my due diligence as a buyer of a second hand house or apartment?
1: Hire a Good solicitor
Your solicitor will complete the conveyancing process for you and will ensure that the property and it's title are legally sound. This involves quite a bit of behind the scenes work to make sure everything related to the property is certified and in order.
If your solicitor flags any issues, they will explain your various option and risks. In some cases, depending on the issue, they will not be able to qualify the title for the bank and so you will not be able to drawdown until the matter is resolved.
A bad solicitor who is slow at comms can be the difference between a horrible process that drags on for months, or a smooth transaction. So check reviews and ask for recommendations form people you know who have recently been through the process.
Our recommendation is Parker Law who cover the whole country, have a exception level of service and are just pleasant to deal with! https://parkerlaw.ie/
2: Hire a Good Surveyor
Your surveyor/engineer is going to inspect the property and produce a report outlining a list of defects they have discovered. Every second-hand home will have some defects, so it is important your surveyor categorises these so you know how serious/urgent they are.
Then if there are any serious or urgent defects noted, you'll need to make a decision on how you want to proceed.
You can ask the vendor to fix the issues or to reduce the agreed price to cover the cost of you fixing the issue, however the vendor does not have to agree and can simply say no.
Then your only other two options are to continue with the sale, knowing the issues you'll be taking on, or to pull out and get your book ing deposit back.
At GetHouseSurvey.ie we offer high quality surveys and an unbeatable service.
3: Research the property and area
You might hear a lot of positive things about the property from the estate agent, but you won't hear any of the negative things. So it's up to you to do your own research and find out as much information as you can about the house and area.
If you are not sure where to start HomeHunterReport.ie is a great service that will help you to research any property in Ireland.
If you have any questions we can help with, just get in touch!
Phone: 015392688
WhatsApp: 0870322230
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