My 1st Appt (as A Buyer) Experience

[bepgof 20]

Thanks for your advice. Just need to know where to start from and not along the way i get surprises. This electrical thingy is getting on my nerves as i've old folks and kids at home.

I'm not re-doing the kitchen, thus getting the facts to whether the electrical wirings is done is important. Cos if not done and i need to re-wire, the kitchen and some areas needs to be torn down to access the cables. Which means the reno cost is going to increase further....

自个保重。

Edited November 22, 2010 by bepgof

[therat 18]

Finally completion done. But if after completion the house has many other issues, how can i get the seller to sort the issues?

1. All doors bo keys or keys jammed into the door locks

2. Window grills bo keys. Contractors need to open grills to work on the air-con

3. Illegal wirings that trips the house (tap wirings from air-con plug). Not sure how many more such things around the house. Fire hazard!!

4. When OTP state that the whole house was re-wired, but now (based on the circuit breaker) cannot have been done cos the breaker is very old type. (this one is our fault, didn't check)

I know bo pian i've to fix all this issues, since i've taken over the flat. But i want to make life difficult for the seller now, cos she totally claim don't know right now.

**** Pissed!! Even lawyers also si bei pissed off with her attitude.

Any advice appreciated! Kum sia!

The process already give you so much problem.

Personally don't think the seller will care.

1. All doors bo keys or keys jammed into the door locks ==> room door lock or main door lock. Just change a new one. Get a simple room door lock.

2. Window grills bo keys. Contractors need to open grills to work on the air-con ==> Some window grills lock can change one. My seller also never told us that the window grills lock is spoil. They only told us after 2nd appointment. Ask my contractor to change a new window lock. Material + service.. I think $7 per lock.

3. Illegal wirings that trips the house (tap wirings from air-con plug). Not sure how many more such things around the house. Fire hazard!!

==> For this, you need to find out urself. My seller also do funny wiring for the instant heater. I ask my electrician to correct it. Even he say.. where got ppl do like that one. Wrong wiring.

Until now, I had a switch which don't know control what. It has wired connect on the switch but don't know go where. hahaha

4. When OTP state that the whole house was re-wired, but now (based on the circuit breaker) cannot have been done cos the breaker is very old type. (this one is our fault, didn't check)

==> Check when is the last wired. If too long, my suggestion is do a proper wired. Better than later, after you move in.

This trips , that trips.

even more headache

[manutd1972 1]

Finally completion done. But if after completion the house has many other issues, how can i get the seller to sort the issues?

1. All doors bo keys or keys jammed into the door locks

2. Window grills bo keys. Contractors need to open grills to work on the air-con

3. Illegal wirings that trips the house (tap wirings from air-con plug). Not sure how many more such things around the house. Fire hazard!!

4. When OTP state that the whole house was re-wired, but now (based on the circuit breaker) cannot have been done cos the breaker is very old type. (this one is our fault, didn't check)

I know bo pian i've to fix all this issues, since i've taken over the flat. But i want to make life difficult for the seller now, cos she totally claim don't know right now.

**** Pissed!! Even lawyers also si bei pissed off with her attitude.

Any advice appreciated! Kum sia!

there's nothing u can do now already. before completion, u shld hv done an inspection in the presence of the seller and both your agents (if your agents are the type who give very good service), and pointed out these issues to the seller.

but once completion is done, seller don't have any obligation to do any rectification works.

since u're renovating, i suggest u address those issues properly. especially the electrical part. whole house re-wiring shld be done every 10yrs anyway, to be on the safe side.

[mel77 1]

The process already give you so much problem.

Personally don't think the seller will care.

1. All doors bo keys or keys jammed into the door locks ==> room door lock or main door lock. Just change a new one. Get a simple room door lock.

(Yup! Changed the room doors liao! Main door will do also....bo pian, handle also dropping. )

2. Window grills bo keys. Contractors need to open grills to work on the air-con ==> Some window grills lock can change one. My seller also never told us that the window grills lock is spoil. They only told us after 2nd appointment. Ask my contractor to change a new window lock. Material + service.. I think $7 per lock.

(Got a window contractor to come and survey. Temp open the grills for now so that reno, can proceed. Will proceed to replace all. )

3. Illegal wirings that trips the house (tap wirings from air-con plug). Not sure how many more such things around the house. Fire hazard!!

==> For this, you need to find out urself. My seller also do funny wiring for the instant heater. I ask my electrician to correct it. Even he say.. where got ppl do like that one. Wrong wiring.

Until now, I had a switch which don't know control what. It has wired connect on the switch but don't know go where. hahaha

(Similiar....have sockets that don't know link to where that causes the trip. )

4. When OTP state that the whole house was re-wired, but now (based on the circuit breaker) cannot have been done cos the breaker is very old type. (this one is our fault, didn't check)

==> Check when is the last wired. If too long, my suggestion is do a proper wired. Better than later, after you move in.

This trips , that trips. even more headache

( Wrote to HDB to check on the flat's record on last reno. Seller didn't want to answer to my questions. So shoot the email to HDB. Agree with you....when electrical starts to trip, it is very headache + safety concerns for old folks and kids. )

[mel77 1]

there's nothing u can do now already. before completion, u shld hv done an inspection in the presence of the seller and both your agents (if your agents are the type who give very good service), and pointed out these issues to the seller.

but once completion is done, seller don't have any obligation to do any rectification works.

since u're renovating, i suggest u address those issues properly. especially the electrical part. whole house re-wiring shld be done every 10yrs anyway, to be on the safe side.

Frankly, even agents also won't know the issues cos when we did the inspections, the plugs were pulled out. Which you wouldn't know. So when we took the keys, decided to test the lights, fans, aircon....then the tripping starts.

But i must say that HDB has responded pretty fast. Arrow straight shot to area Technical officer.

Ended the email to HDB: " ....as it is a potential Fire and Electrical Hazard, prepared for stop work to allow HDB to inspect flat so that renovation contractors can work Safely"

[manutd1972 1]

Frankly, even agents also won't know the issues cos when we did the inspections, the plugs were pulled out. Which you wouldn't know. So when we took the keys, decided to test the lights, fans, aircon....then the tripping starts.

But i must say that HDB has responded pretty fast. Arrow straight shot to area Technical officer.

Ended the email to HDB: " ....as it is a potential Fire and Electrical Hazard, prepared for stop work to allow HDB to inspect flat so that renovation contractors can work Safely"

may be so, but at least if both agents are present, there are witnesses to those items such as the door locks, window grilles etc, and even the electrical tripping if it happens. So u can "force" the seller to pay u the equivalent charges tt it'll cost u to take care of these items, with both agents acting as witnesses. and make the seller's agent partially responsible too by making him agree to pay if seller dun pay.

[mel77 1]

may be so, but at least if both agents are present, there are witnesses to those items such as the door locks, window grilles etc, and even the electrical tripping if it happens. So u can "force" the seller to pay u the equivalent charges tt it'll cost u to take care of these items, with both agents acting as witnesses. and make the seller's agent partially responsible too by making him agree to pay if seller dun pay.

That both agents are aware. Even the ex-husband is aware of our complains on the keys, house was dirty and some left behind stuff. Agent did all the cleaning up prior to handing over the keys to me.

Anyway, HDB has responded and they are coming to inspect the house. Even my contractors also say the electrical tapping very stupid one. If it is a licensed person, the electrician will not tap from a point where the loading cannot be shared. (aircon socket)