Examinator

I'm with Bugsy, Foxy & CJ - it is good practice to engage a building inspector when interested in a property.

The faults with eAnt's neighbour's property sound like they are very obvious, therefore quietly advising the potential buyer to seek a professional opinion (who doubtless will find more than eAnt is aware of) is friendly without sounding like an interfering gossip.

What CJ said. Perfick!

It is the best way around it. Much as I would do ANYTHING to get my a-wipe to move. If the house was rapc, I would find a way of letting prospective buyers know. It's selfish really. Boot on other foot thing.

Actually......come to think of it! I did tip of the purchaser of the cottage next door (other side), about the fact that the so-called redevelopment by the odious property investor was not Council approved. The buyer withdrew within the specified 'pulling out' time.
The investor had to part demolish and redo;-then he sold at silent auction!

Septic;-'nasty/hypocritical'? Calm down kiddo. We are simply giving our views on this tricky problem in the way we see best. Just stating your view would have done fine.

The problem I have found is that building inspections check 140 items regarding the house not the pool, the trees etc. A pest inspection should cover the white ants (no relation :-) ).

I agree with CJ when I bought a house I spoke to neighbours etc and that gave me amunition to $ cover unseen flaws.

The women accross the road got all the reports but after a BIG downpour the plumbing flaws/ tiles leaking and blowing off came to light including a broken pipe. and collapsed drainage pipes to drain the back yard!
So far it has cost this pair of aging sisters better than $12000 they hadn't budgeted for to fix the problems that didn't show up on the reports. They are fighting with their insurance co. The building inspectors claim their small print covers them. Eeek.
How do we know all this we helped them mop up and they told us...no busybodyness involved just neighbourly help to new arrivals.
eAnt used to help the old man who previously owned the property the new owners were told that if in trouble the two brothers across the road would help. 10 Pm in horrible wet weather Gee thanks old fella
:-)

Dear examinator,

Thanks for the additional information about eAnt's
situation. The neighbour sounds dreadful. We're
lucky - all of ours are nice people.

Anyway, I wish eAnt every success with whatever
he decides to do, and I hope that his next neighbour
will be a more responsible and a more caring person.

Take care.

Ginx:"Just stating your view would have done fine"

That IS my view, Ginx. If someone came to me in that position and asked, i'd tell them all i know. I wouldn't say "get an inspector" and then look surprised when the neighbour told me they pulled out of the sale. if the neighbour got upset, I'd tell her to pull his head in and be honest up front.

There are too many people looking for other people to hide behind. When the motive for doing so is to produce a negative outcome for someone while eschewing responsibility for their reaction we call it passive-aggression.

So, your act in "tipping off" a prospective buyer, presumably without the knowledge of the owner of the property, if done in good faith would be good citizenship, but if done because the existing owner is "odious", may well be passive-aggressive.

My point remains: as an ethical person, if asked, I would tell and I may well advise the other party that I have done so. Far better for them to know that they must fix the problems or drop the price than to wonder why it hasn't sold. If they got upset at me, that would be fine - their own house is the one not in order.

Do you also give quotes with your advice Anti?