selling a home

Hi wiki''s,

Please could someone tell me if I have aproperty whereby the garage roof leaks substantially and also at times a conservatory roof leaks, do I have to declare this to the estate agents? (I realsie from an ethical point of view I should) but legally do I have to get them fixed first? I am just about to sign the Property misdescriptions act, so don''t want to get it wrong.

Please help

Survive

So long as you don''t say that they are sound you haven''t mis-described them. Buyer beware!
Thats why people pay to have surveys etc done.

thanks - yes i realise buyer beware and knowing me I will say something when a buyer is looking. The problem is, to get them fixed will cost more time and money. Morally I know I should get them fixed......

survive

Buyers love to be able to knock something off the asking price though so what seems negative can become a selling point.

I would only say something if the buyer asks. That way your not lying.

If your worried make the estate agent aware of the issue and ask for their opinion.

Buyers do love to knock the price down for just this kid of issue. As to the technicality of not lying, they could ask all sorts of vague questions such as "is everything in working order" and you would have to confess to the leaks. Lets say your asking price is £100k, you have 2 options:

1) Do not tell them. Maybe you get away with it and sell for £100k. But if they have a survey or ask about it then they might say "I''ll give you £95k because it''ll cost £5k to fix the leaks".

2) Make it known from the start, then if they say "I''ll give you £95k because it''ll cost £5k to fix the leaks", then you can say "I made the leaks known from the start, the £100k price already takes that into account".

Up to you really... do you feel lucky? I would tell the estate agent and let them handle it.