How to Detect Hidden Defects During a Visit ?

When buying old-fashioned real estate, a trained eye is more than necessary: you’re buying it “as is,” and there are very few flaws that will allow you to submit a claim for damages. They’re known as hidden flaws, and they have to fulfill a number of criteria to be classified as such. The most significant reason is that you would not have purchased the property if you had known about it. It is therefore preferable to discover these flaws prior to signing a compromise, and below are some helpful hints.

What are hidden defects?

Hidden flaws do not include a scratch on the wall paint or a chip in the tile. As we will see, the fault must cause you genuine injury in order to get a price reduction.

Learn to recognize them

Let us return to a few examples of hidden faults that may be used to guide the study that will be conducted. This is definitely not a comprehensive list of flaws that might make you regret buying it. So, attempt to find:

• a porous roof,

• a leak in the taps flooding the walls,

• the flooding nature of the accommodation,

• a lack of flowing water supply,

• a lack of stability of the frame,

• termite damage,

• a lack of homogeneity or fractures in the tiles

Legal provisions

To be deemed a concealed fault, the flaw must be severe enough to prohibit you from enjoying your stay in peace. This is stated in article 1641 of the Civil Code, which states that “the seller is bound by the guarantee due to hidden defects in the item sold that render it unfit for the use for which it is intended, or that reduce this use to the extent that the buyer would not have acquired it, or would have given a lower price, if he had known them.”

More particular, the fault must be concealed: if you bought aware, you will have no remedy. It also has to make the item unsuitable for the purpose for which it was created. At this regard, a wet house or a house in danger of collapse are classic examples of occupational danger. Finally, the fault must have existed at the time the sales agreement was signed.

Normal wear and tear of the property’s constituent pieces (the roof becoming porous with age, for example) cannot be considered concealed faults. It is also critical to understand how to identify the task to be planned before purchasing in order to avoid feeling offended or collapsing under unanticipated expenditures. When it comes to concealed flaws, you should take certain measures throughout your visits.

Knowing how to surround yourself

Hidden flaws are difficult to notice, especially since they aren’t likely to be your major worry during a visit. Put your faith in a third party!

Never visit alone

You may tend to focus on volumes, brightness, and practical features while imagining your life in a property. But there you have it; you’ve purchased a structure that must demonstrate its functionality and safety. The greatest thing you can do is invite one or more trustworthy individuals to accompany you to the hotel.

Your friend or family member will be able to acquire the required perspective for an objective evaluation of the property’s condition because they will not be making a buying decision. The benign eye of your loved one who can warn you to an aged window, a floor that has to be repaired, or suspected cracks will not go unnoticed.

Call a professional

If something appears strange to you but you lack the expertise to investigate further, do not hesitate to contact a building specialist or an architect to clear up any doubts. The expense of the remedy will be modest in comparison to the financial and psychological costs you will incur if you ignore a concealed fault.

Look for possible faults

A flaw might be undetected unless you have the sense to learn about a few key details. You should follow two steps.

Review mandatory diagnostics

Many of the technical diagnostics that are now required might give useful information; if you tend to scan over them quickly, make it a practice to inspect them thoroughly. They make it more difficult for concealed flaws to show up. Termite infestations, for example, can no longer be concealed.

Be extra cautious, because a fault identified in one of these tests does not imply that it is a concealed defect: You have been informed, even if the details eluded you due to a hasty reading of these tiresome materials.

Have the reflex to ask the right questions

If you’re dealing with a seller or a real estate agent, don’t be afraid to investigate. Run the power in each room and look at the electrical panel to see how old it is; run the water and check the color, then look at the state of the plumbing; in each room, look up to see if there are any cracks in the tops of the walls and ceilings. The condition of the facade and roof should be thoroughly checked from the outside.

Given the stakes, every inquiry is a good one to ask. The vendor should be able to tell you how old the various pieces are and what they are made of. Inquire whether there has been any water infiltration, if the ground is totally stable, and if the masonry and frame are in good shape. Check for the presence of the main sewer as well as an adequate ventilation system to prevent mold, which is hazardous to both home and health.

Finally, inspect the quality of the woodwork, the heating system, and any other aspect that might result in substantial future costs outside of the specific framework of concealed problems.

If, after taking all of these steps, you discover a concealed fault after acquiring the home, attempt to reach an amicable agreement with the seller. If you don’t succeed, you have two years to file a warranty action, which might result in the transaction being canceled or the selling price being reduced.