There's a huge risk in relying on a seller to disclose that a property has structural problems, as many consumers have discovered after moving in. If the roof is found to be riddled with borers (insects that damage wood), or the patio floods whenever it rains, you can't rely on the Consumer Protection Act for help, says property attorney Nick Kassier of KwaZulu-Natal-based firm Shepstone & Wylie. "For the CPA to apply to an immovable property transaction, the seller must regularly sell property or market themselves as sellers of property, and that's not the case with a homeowner selling their primary residence." One way to avoid that risk is to make it a condition of sale that the property be professionally inspected. This service is offered by several companies, and although it can cost between R3000 and R4000, if defects are revealed, it gives the buyer the ammunition to negotiate a lower price or walk away from the deal. Sadly, Allison Tomlinson didn't have an inspection done bef...
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