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Question
Ms. Diana Christoforou has instructed you in connection with her proposed purchase of a house in Palmers Green London. She has just come from the Estate Agents and has told you that she wants to buy the terraced house as quickly as possible. She says that because of the downward movement in the property market she considers the house price to be considerably under the true market value. The last person to live in the house died at the end of last year and the deceased’s executors are selling the house. She intends to let the building to students in bed-sits. However, she has mentioned to you some concerns she has, namely: -
- That the house is on a main road which has been widened a few miles further on and therefore the client wants to know about possible future widening plans.
- That the basement seems to be capable of being lived in but at the moment it is all boarded up and she wants to use it for bed-sits.
- That some of the houses nearby have been pulled down by the local authority to enable them to build some new council accommodation.
- That she thinks the house has been occupied by one family for many years.
- That she knows that just around the corner the same kind of houses are very expensive and are similar fine examples of Victorian architecture that the local authority are keen to preserve.
- That she wants to put in some modern aluminium double glazing and remove the old original sash and stained glass windows.
She has asked you to write to her to let her know how you might check on these points. She is particularly concerned because she does not think much information will come from the sellers who are only executors with little or no personal knowledge of the property or the locality. The agents have been unhelpful and will not respond to her enquiries.