Don’t buy until HOME INSPECTION SERVICES inspects!
‘Don’t buy until we inspect!’ is the motto of HOME INSPECTION SERVICES South Africa. Why, you may ask? After several decades in the home inspection industry, we have come across hundreds of properties in the transaction process between buyer, agent, and seller, where several defects and problems with the property were not disclosed.
Homebuyers have been purchasing their property with the ‘voetstoots’ clause, which is no longer legal, and we have seen many of those cases actually make it to court. Nobody starts out with the intent of going to court, and nobody wants to spend significantly more money than originally budgeted for to try and get out of a bad deal!
The Property Practitioners Act
The consumer needs protection, which is why we are very excited about the new Property Practitioners Act 22 of 2019. Under ‘Chapter 10 Consumer Protection’, published in the Government Gazette on 3 October 2019, it states:
67. (1) A property practitioner must—
Property Practitioners Act 22 of 2019
(a) not accept a mandate unless the seller or lessor of the property has provided him or her with a fully completed and signed mandatory disclosure in the prescribed form; and
(b) provide a copy of the completed mandatory disclosure form to a prospective purchaser or lessee who intends to make an offer for the purchase or lease of a property.
(2) The completed mandatory disclosure form signed by all relevant parties must be attached to any agreement for the sale or lease of a property, and forms an integral part of that agreement, but if such a disclosure form was not completed, signed or attached, the agreement must be interpreted as if no defects or deficiencies of the property were disclosed to the purchaser.
(3) A property practitioner who fails to comply with subsection (1) may be held liable by an affected consumer.
(4) Nothing in this section prevents the Authority from taking action against a property practitioner or imposing an appropriate sanction.
(5) Nothing in this section prevents a consumer, for his or her own account, from undertaking a property inspection to confirm the state of the property before finalising the transaction.
The consumer now has the power back in their hands and has the right to know what it is they are buying into for the next 20 years… Which is where HOME INSPECTION SERVICES comes in.
Who is HOME INSPECTION SERVICES?
HOME INSPECTION SERVICES was started in the 1980s by Stephen Kay in Cape Town, South Africa. Jean-Marc Masson bought a home inspection agency in 2011 and was then trained by Stephen Kay. He also trained under the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) and became qualified in 2012. Jean-Marc then went on to study and train as a Certified Master Inspector® with the Certified Master Inspectors Board (CMISA) in 2013.
Jean-Marc Masson is now the sole owner of HOME INSPECTION SERVICES South Africa and provides home inspections in all major centres in South Africa through appointed and InterNACHI qualified agents.
Every one of our agents have successfully completed InterNACHI’s online Inspector Entrance Examination and have successfully completed tests on and abide by InterNACHI’s Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics. Our agents meet stringent annual Continuing Professional Development requirements.
At HOME INSPECTION SERVICES, we continue to educate, train, and support our agents. We also help to educate the public and estate-related industries about property inspections.
HOME INSPECTION SERVICES offers the following:
- Pre-Listing Inspections
- Pre-Purchase Inspections
- Pre-Sale Inspection
- Entry/Exit Rental Inspections
- Annual Maintenance Inspections
- New Build/Snag Lists
- Progress Inspections
- Contractor Vetting
- Project Oversite
Additional inspections:
- Mould, Asbestos and Air Quality Inspections
- Water Quality Testing
- Thermal Imaging
- Sewer Scope Inspections
- Entomology Inspections
- Electrical COC
- Electric Fence COC
- Gas COC
As an InterNACHI member, HOME INSPECTION SERVICES SA is governed by a very strict Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics. You are welcome to review our Standards of Practice here: http://www.nachi.org/sop.htm
To check certification and get more information, you are welcome to visit: www.internachisa.co.za and www.cmisa.org
Since a property transaction is possibly one of the largest investments you will ever make, we believe you should know exactly what to expect – both indoors and out – in terms of needed and future repairs and maintenance.
HOME INSPECTION SERVICES strives to offer you, our client, peace of mind and a feeling of confidence that you know all you need to about a property before making one of the most important investments of your life.
We want to empower you with more vital information about the property and its current condition. The following are some of the things we look for:
HOME INSPECTION SERVICES also covers all major systems, including but not limited to:
- Structural
- Interior/Exterior
- Roofing
- Foundation
- Plumbing
- Insulation
- Ventilation
- Flooring
- Decks/Porches
- Fireplace
- Pool operation
- Walkways
- Staircases
- Fencing and Railings
- Windows and doors
Some examples of issues we would find in a regular inspection:
- Carpets and mats hiding/covering foundation cracks
- Temporary sealing of flat roofs with rubber matting and improper waterproofing material
- Missing or misaligned trusses
- Missing roof tiles, broken and damaged roof tiles, roof sagging
- Incorrect plumbing seals, leaks, toilets, basins, baths, and showers
- High levels of damp and moisture in cupboards or behind showers
- Rising damp covered or hidden by furniture
- Badly damaged perimeter walls
- Drainage incorrect on the property
- Insufficient number of gutters and downpipes
- No-drip tray fitted on under the Geyser, overflow pipes not extending to outside the walls, relief valve pipes missing or not fitted properly
- Evidence of rodents and other pests in the roof space
- Swimming pool pump leaking or pulling air
- Upheaval of driveways, pathways, and walls due to tree roots
- Rot and rust in IRB roofing, roofing not secured due to rusty nails
The list is endless!
Of course, it is important to point out positive aspects of the building as well. At HOME INSPECTION SERVICES we strive to give you as much information as we can as well as a much clearer understanding of what you are dealing with within the property, which will give you the power to make a well-informed decision.
Our clients include: buyers, sellers, investors, developers, contractors, landlords, tenants, property managers and anyone who is involved in any property transaction. We work with sales, leases, building draws or any other property transaction – for private and commercial buildings – and give you a detailed audit of the property or building in question.
HOME INSPECTION SERVICES is an independent and unbiased professional home inspection company, working in conjunction with the current Consumer Protection Act to giving the client a home inspection audit that will set the buyer, seller, landlord, tenant, property manager, investor and anyone involved in the deal at ease in the process and lessen the chances of any litigation of any kind later on.
Finally, it is so important that you choose the right inspector for your property inspection. There are some unscrupulous service providers who prey on unsuspecting clients. You as the client need to do your homework and make sure that there is accountability and high standards of practice with any company you choose. Experience and qualifications are vitally important to you getting the right information!
For a company that has both the experience and qualifications, give HOME INSPECTION SERVICES a call to conduct your next home inspection. Trust the professionals.
Visit our Contact Us page and get in touch with us today!
