CoC issues with electrical installation and electric fence
Dear John, I recently bought a house with a non compliant electrical CoC. I am a qualified electrician myself, but do not have a wireman’s license. I can see all the areas where there is no compliance. I have informed the transfer attorney of this as well as the estate agent, but all that I […]
The consumer is king
The South Gauteng High Court has dismissed an urgent application with costs by Cell C against a banner critical of service at one of its retail outlets. This judgement followed the putting up of a huge banner on a busy road by an irate customer criticizing Cell C after attempting to have his phone repaired […]
Home inspection: SA estate agents are laggards
Home inspection is really taking off in South Africa but estate agents are still lagging far behind international trends in consumer protection. The majority of South African estate agents are still not recommending that buyers make a home inspection a condition of their offer if the property is being sold voetstoots. HouseCheck, South Africa’s leading home […]
What makes HouseCheck different?
At HouseCheck, we believe home inspections should provide home buyers and sellers and their estate agents with clarity and confidence, not anxiety. We believe a strong brand and consistent inspection and reporting standards inspires confidence from real estate agents and gives clarity to home buyers and sellers. The HouseCheck professional brand difference is the first […]
High litigation costs a threat to incautious home buyers
The Oscar Pistorius and Shrien Dewani trials have highlighted the huge cost of litigation in South Africa. This often means that justice is reserved for the rich. John Graham CEO of HouseCheck says the same situation mostly applies in the real estate world where buyers of second hand homes enjoy no effective government sponsored consumer protection […]
SA must get its home building act together
South Africa needs a massive wake-up call as regards policing of its building standards for residential housing, says John Graham CEO of HouseCheck in the wake of the collapse of a double storey house in Alberton which killed seven people yesterday. Our building regulations are among the finest in the world, but enforcement of these […]
Chas Everitt: Home inspections FAQ
Barry Davies, a director of the Chas Everitt International Property has published a valuable guide to home inspections in the form of Frequently Asked Questions on the Chas Everitt website – see http://www.chaseveritt.co.za/home-inspection-faqs What is a home inspection?This is a thorough check of all accessible areas of a house by a trained and observant home inspector. […]
British home sellers and agents face jail for non-disclosure
British home sellers and agents face jail for non-disclosure John Graham CEO of South African home inspection company HouseCheck has called on the government to bring consumer protection for buyers of second hand houses in line with overseas best practice and with the South African Consumer Protection Act (CPA). At present the majority of South […]
Home buyers need protection
Home buyers need protection Did you know that buyers of secondhand homes in South Africa effectively lose their consumer rights when signing an offer containing a voetstoots clause? Voetstoots says you accept the property “as is”. Without a home inspection to properly inform the buyer – voetstoots is dangerous! Both the buyer and seller need […]
Negotiating the repairs
Negotiating the repairs Many home sellers in South Africa are discovering that the days of unloading undisclosed problems onto unsuspecting buyers are past, says John Graham CEO of house inspection company, HouseCheck. Graham says savvy South African buyers are becoming much more aware of the potential risks which the standard voetstoots clause poses to buyers. […]