New rules will reduce conflicts when buying a house – NRK Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
When selling a home, many have guarded against any errors or omissions by writing that it will be sold «as it is». But this and other general restraints no longer have any value. The adopted by the Storting in May, and debt from 1 January 2022.
This means that you as a seller should to a greater extent than before protect yourself against unknown errors that the buyer may discover after the sale.
But the change in the law also requires you as a buyer to read the condition report thoroughly, because you can not claim compensation for defects that you should be aware of if you had read.
Safer housing trade
This is largely the new change in the Disposal Act, also referred to as safer housing trade.
And there is a reason why there is a new regulation that to a large extent places the responsibility for errors and omissions in the sale of housing on sale, says Daniel Ø. Helgesen, CEO of the industry organization Norsk takst.
– This is short and sweet because in the past there has been too high a level of conflict in housing sales. We have had the rule that says that one can sell the home «As it is» and has therefore not had strong reasons to disclose everything about the home and obtain thorough condition reports, says Helgesen.
Must read the report carefully
– What do you think the buyer should be aware of after 1 January?
– The buyer must first read the report thoroughly, because he is counted as someone who knows everything that has been presented.
This is also one of the legislative changes that has come; that it is assumed that the buyer knows about everything that has been presented in the documentation.
– So read carefully! says Helgesen.
When we meet appraiser Lasse Jensen at work in Oslo, he walks through a detached house over 50 years old. He looks especially closely at wet rooms and other places where it can be humid.
– This is an original home from 1977, says Jensen and shows us around.
– Not dilapidated, men …
Comprehensive condition report
He looks around and registers a lot is as it was in the 70’s.
– I always start with a conversation with the seller to get as much information as possible.
And that information, and appraiser Lasse Jensen’s thorough review, ends up as a far more comprehensive condition report than what is usual until now.
– The bathroom is from the year of construction, completely original. What is typical, as I see here, and we are aware of when everything is original, is that there are active leaks. We’re a little worried about 50 year old pipes.
Moisture and rot must be revealed, preferably by drilling into bathrooms and other wet rooms.
– Not everyone wants a hole right here, so it must be clarified with the seller first. And he can oppose it, but it will be clear in the report that the seller has opposed it, so it is not certain that it is an advantage.
Notes errors and omissions
Lasse Jensen notes errors and omissions on the iPad along the way. He had to drill a hole in the roof, because here the downpipe with rainwater enters from a flat roof and through the house.
– I write that I have made a hole at the exposed area up to the roof hatch, and that there is visually no symptom of damage. And then I will set up a probe that measures moisture.
He sees that new laws and regulations lead him to more work, but he is only happy about that.
– Yes, I appreciated being allowed to examine the home properly. Former owners, there was a big difference between appraisers; one could be thorough, and the other could be more superficial, while it now becomes completely similar. We compare apple with apple and pears with pears. So it becomes easier to compare.
– Is the new law a profit for home buyers?
– Definitely, appraiser Lasse Jensen beats fast.