REPORT TERMS, CONDITIONS, SCOPE and LIMITATIONS
The following information is very important and forms an integral part of the report.
Any person who relies upon the contents of the report does so acknowledging the following clauses. These define the Scope and Limitations of the inspection and form an integral part of the report. Before you decide to act upon the report you should read and understand all of the information contained herein. It will help explain what is involved in a Diamond Property Inspections report, the difficulties faced by an inspector and why it is not possible to guarantee that a property is free of issues that may relate to the report, latent or otherwise. If there is anything contained within the report that is not clear or you have difficulty understanding, please contact Diamond Property Inspections prior to acting on the report.
Purpose of the Inspection and Report: The purpose of a Pre-Purchase report (the Inspection) is to identify issues in a property and to provide recommendations to the Report Purchaser regarding the relevant issues and condition of the property on the date of inspection.
Scope of the Inspection: THE REPORT IS NOT AN ALL ENCOMPASSING REPORT dealing with the building from every aspect. The recommendations are limited to issues where there are reasonably identifiable issues that could result in repairs, replacement or maintenance required. The Report is prepared on the basis that the use of the building will continue as a residential property. The inspector IS NOT an expert in areas other than those he is contracted to prepare a report on. Ie a pest inspector is NOT a building and construction expert.
Liability: The Report is to be utilised for the purposes outlined above only. The findings are specifically and confidentially for the Report Purchaser named on the face page of the Report to evaluate the risk level and need for action and not for determination of the property sale value, mortgage or security valuation or lease rate. To the extent permitted by law, we are not responsible for any liability, loss or damage (whether direct, indirect, special or consequential) whatsoever and however arising from or in connection with your use of the Report, whether that liability, loss or damage was caused by delay, error or omission, negligence, negligent misstatement or otherwise. We will not be liable for any loss, damage, cost or expense, whatsoever, suffered or incurred by any person other than the Report Purchaser in connection with the use of the Report.
Disclosure to Managing Agent: When a report has been ordered by a landlord or an agency , the managing agent will be advised of any issues identified as Major on the report. The landlord also has the option to advise the managing agent to action any or all remaining issues or observations contained in the report.
Safe & Reasonable Access: Only areas to which safe and reasonable access is available are inspected. Safe access means areas where safe, unobstructed access is provided and the minimum heights or clearances specified below are available, or where these clearances are not available, areas within the inspector’s unobstructed line of sight and within arm’s length. The inspector has sole discretion in determining safe access to any area of the property.
- Ceiling height must be above 1.6m.
- Smoke alarms must be accessible from a 1.8m ladder on the floor.
Reasonable access does not include removing screws and bolts to access covers, the use of destructive or invasive inspection methods nor does it include moving heavy furniture, floor coverings or stored goods.
Areas, Items and Conditions Inspected
The Report DOES include inspecting and reporting on the following:
Area/s inspected: The interior and exterior of the home and outbuildings within 20 metres of the main dwelling. If the property inspected is part of a Strata or Community Title, inspection is limited to the interior of the unit, the main public entry door and foyer and subsequent pathway to the unit door, including the main stairwell up to 3 levels, as well as the immediately adjacent external area (within 2 metres) of the main entry door of the building. When the unit is 4 levels or higher or accessed by an elevator no inspection is made of any stairwells although the inspection does include the pathways from the main entry to the elevator and the elevator to the unit door. Any obvious issues noticed during entry to the building may also be noted in Inspector Observations.
The Report DOES NOT include inspecting and reporting on the following:
Area/s NOT inspected: Roof surface and void, attics, sub-floor, crawl spaces, walk-in-robes or cupboard extensions, wall cavities, below carpets, behind furniture and storage, retaining walls, dams and waterways, any structure further than 20 metres from the main dwelling, any area not clearly visible from ground level.
Condition/s NOT inspected for: Presence of asbestos, lead paint, soil contamination or toxic conditions including chemical storage, subfloor ventilation, health of trees, home occupier activity, lighting adequacy or night time visibility with regard to safety or security, the presence of power points within the splash zone of flexible hand held shower units. We do not inspect, test or operate any appliance or fitting other than those explicitly stated as part of the Inspection. Some of these items may be noted in Inspectors Observations if they are considered noteworthy.
Limitations of the Inspection and the Report
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- The Report is a VISUAL REPORT ONLY limited to those areas and sections of the property fully accessible and visible to the inspector on the date of inspection. No destructive measures are taken in the process of the Inspection. The Inspection does not include breaking apart, dismantling, removing or moving objects including, but not limited to, foliage, mouldings, floor or wall coverings, sidings, ceilings, floors, furnishings, appliances or personal possessions. The Inspector CANNOT see inside walls, between floors, inside roofing or eaves, behind stored goods in cupboards, or other areas that are concealed or obstructed. The inspector does not dig, gouge, force or perform any invasive procedures. In an occupied property it must be understood that furnishings or household items may conceal defects which may only be revealed when the items are removed. No inspection is inferred for any object, structure or fitting that cannot be clearly observed from ground level.
- Nothing contained in the Report implies that any inaccessible, partly inaccessible or obscured area of the property is free from defects. No responsibility can be accepted for defects which are latent or otherwise not reasonably detected on a visual inspection without interference with or removal of any of the structure including fixtures or fittings within the building. You agree that we cannot accept any liability for our failure to report a defect concealed, blocked or covered by furniture, fittings and/or occupant possessions at the time of inspection and you agree to indemnify us for any failure to find such concealed defects.
- The Report cannot make informed comment upon hazards or defects that may be subject to the prevailing weather and light conditions including but not limited to the adequacy of lighting, the potential for slipping on wet exterior surfaces or sources of leakage and moisture.
- ASBESTOS: The property is not inspected for asbestos (including Magnesite). If asbestos or materials containing asbestos happens to be noticed then this may be noted in the Inspectors Notes.
- LEAD PAINTS: No attempt is made to ascertain whether lead paints are present. Investigation requires the paint to be disturbed whereby special precautions are needed. Advice should be sought from an Asbestos expert if an assessment is required.
- If the Report recommends another type of inspection or investigation then you should do this within a reasonable time period based on the severity of the item raised. If you fail to follow our recommendations then you agree and accept that you may face penalties or suffer a financial loss and indemnify us against all losses that you incur resulting from your failure to act on our advice.
- Any quoting information, measurements and images provided in the Report are provided as an aid only to determine the possible costs of rectification and are not purported to be the sole information source required to determine costs. We accept no liability for any estimates based on information provided in the Report.
- Any recommendations for specific trades, skills or qualifications in the Report are provided as an aid only to enable further investigation or repair arrangements to be made and are not purported to be the sole or necessary trades, skills or qualifications required to effect repairs. We accept no liability for any services provided by third parties based on information provided in the Report.
- Consumer Complaint Procedure: email direct to [email protected].
- Reports denoted as Sample or Promotional on the cover page or within the document body are for illustration purposes only. These reports may not be fully representative of the standard Inspection or Report process and are provided without warranty. Such reports must not be relied upon for any particular purpose and we accept no liability for their content or accuracy.
Pre-Engagement Agreements
Purchasers of reports through Diamond Property Inspections also agree to the following and relevant Pre-Engagement Agreements: