Informa?

[pilgrim]

Has anyone any info on how this works and are there alternatives?
Was advised by solicitor to get an informa done on the property that we had purchased, got an architect ( solicitors cousin) to do the informa took it to said solicitor, who then appeared to be shocked and said he had to hand it over to a friend as he knew the family very well - but he knew this at the onset, which property it was, and he did advise us to go down this road, we are now a bit confused, expect to hear from the new solicitor early next week, Spanish friend has told us to use her solitcitor.

[Beachcomber]

Do you mean and informe? If so, presumably you mean a structural survey which you would have been better advised to have done prior to the purchase not subsequent to it!

Perhaps you could be a little more specific.

[pilgrim]

Yes informe, 2nd hand info and my spelling! Its a friend who has bought a small house on a large plot to extend and reform. When architect was doing plans for the reform they told of a drainage problem they thought they had, when we had the awful rain in March/April? they knew they had a major problem, sewage was comming up through the floors and where it was not sewage there was a great deal of water, as he came across more and more problems the roof(new?) leaked, rain water was comming into contact with the electricity supply.He said they must get some money back they had paid too much. They must go and see the solicitor .He said they must do an Informe.The first paper they signed at the solicitors with the sellers (not sure what this was as it seems like alifetime ago we bought!)stated in writing that it was in good repair mentioned various things such as the new roof, the electricity the apliances etc. Sorry to ramble but trrying to remember what they have told me. In the conclusion it said the house is a health hazzard and too dangerous to live in. They have got carried away by other people telling them what they should or should not do. The sellers did muck them around a great deal even expecting to stay in the house for a holiday after my friends had signed at the notary and paid for it!!!They just want to get on with the reform, it was the plot they they liked not the house.

[Beachcomber]

An informe is simply a report. It could be a report about anything but in this case it would an architect's report on the state of the property.

There is certainly now a procedure in place by which a purchaser who has been deliberately misled by a seller can pursue him through the legal system. I have no first hand experience of problems of this kind but some questions spring to mind.

Is this an old stone 'campo' house which has been badly renovated or is it a newish one which has been badly built?

If the problem with water leaking in from below and from above was so bad did your friend not notice the associated musty smells and tell-tale signs of damp when looking at the property initially.

Are they being told that they paid too much because it has transpired that the house is badly built or just that they paid too much anyway.

If they are going to reform the house is this such a problem?

I think Hillybilly may be able to give you more information on this subject.

One last point, have they got, or have they been told that they will be able to obtain, permission to reform the house? If this is in Andalucía it is unlikely that they will get such permission.

[hillybilly]

I can't really add much! If the condition of the house was never of importance then I can see why they wouldn't have bothered with a survey or informe. However they can't then complain retrospectively because they have been "misled". Buyer beware and all that. Just because the vendor assured them that the roof was "new" doesn't mean it was. It could have meant that a few tiles were replaced! They should have verified this for themselves, if it was important to them.
If they are carrying out extensive renovation works then an informe can be a useful tool to establish the "starting point" for the works. It's not compulsory though.
I would suggest they're on a lost cause if they're hoping for a refund!

[pilgrim]

thanks for the replies. yes they have the licence to reform, it is not a campo property just a badly built newish village house,(20yrs old?) they are happy with the price they paid, just that lots of 'helpful professionals' telling them what they should and should not be doing, they just want to get the project underway. for my 'two penny worth' I thought may be the solicitor and architect thought they could make a little extra fighting a worthless cause ........