Hi
We have just discovered our IP, which we have owned for about 4 years, don't have a septic tank! We engaged a service of a plumber who apparently went to HIA about it, and now we our IP has been classified as "undesirable". We have received a long list of 48 items from HIA to attend to, includes things such as lock for external laundry.
Has anyone ever experienced this issue before? Any advice on how to best deal with this?
Many thanks!!!
Nani
Email MeThe road to success is always under construction
How old is the house? Did you have a building inspection conducted when you purchased it?
is there is a certificate of occupancy issued?
Hi Samson,
This doesn't sound right – if you don't have a septic the obvious question is where has all the toilet waste gone for 4 years?
Is the issue you don't have a second septic tank or leach drain or………………………………
Phone the HIA contact and get their advise – they will be able to provide you with some assistance.
Based on what you have said here it would appear as if your builder didn't comply with the planning and building requirements. If this is correct the HIA should also be pursuing them.
If the builder is still in business you should be able to track them down and get them onto the case too.
PS I cannot understand how the building was passed fit for habitation without a septic.
Hi guys
thanks for the response.
We had a building inspection done before we purchased which told us none of these issues. The guy is nowhere to be found now. We didn’t know about the septic issue. Over these last 4 years we weren’t aware of the problem. We are told the waste had gone to somewhere somehow but not anymore.
It’s an old house in a country side. Safe to say the builder is long dead!
HIA is our problem. They got involved without our knowledge. They have now gone through whole house for every little thing and told us we have one month to fix everything or it will be listed a substandard house with rent control regardless of the fact we weren’t aware of the problem and that we are willing to fix the septic tank issue immediately.We shall never again buy an old house in a country!!!
Nani
Email MeThe road to success is always under construction
Hmm – so old property with dodgy workmanship?
Suspect the plumber you had out is just 'doing his job' reporting the lack of septic tank.
Shame the first plumber wasn't so professional.
Still recommend you phone HIA and speak with them. In my experience departments are happy to help people if the lines of communication are open. So engage in dialogue with the listed contact and get the process happening.
You may find some work is deemed critical (as in get it done straight away) whereas some of the other work may be deferred for sometime. But certainly start the dialogue and see what you can work out.
It sounds as if you may just have to bite the bullet and pay to get the work done.
Try and find the inspector. Was he qualified? Does he carry professional indemnity? Or was just a local bloke doing the job of an inspector? If the property is in the country side it's possible the guy may be a 'jack of all trades' and master of none.
Thanks, Derek.
We have started communicating with HIA. There are few options we are thinking of to resolve our issue. It’s just the repair cost could well be half the cost of purchase price.
Certainly has been a real good lesson for us. Thank god it is the one and only lemon we had so far!Nani
Email MeThe road to success is always under construction
Ouch!
I would be getting the work done and also trying to track the 'inspector' down.
If he was licensed he should have professional indemnity insurance (is that something inspectors carry?)
Yes, ouch it is!
Which inspector are you referring to? The original building and pest inspector?
Don’t know. Just ordinary building and pest inspection guy.Nani
Email MeThe road to success is always under construction
HI Samson,
The guy who did your pre-settlement inspection. That's the guy that needs to be chased up as well.
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