Property Buyers Should Look at House Plans

Buying a property can be a very exiting experience, especially when the buyers are just entering the market for the first time. All the excitement unfortunately often leads to the would-be buyers not doing their homework thoroughly enough, which in turn could lead to serious disappointment, frustration and a bitter feeling towards property in general.
All would-be buyers should have a check list to use when investigating properties to buy. One of the many items on the check list involves the building plans of the property.
It is the potential buyer’s right to ask their real estate agent to provide them with a copy of the approved building plans of the property they are interested in purchasing. Once a copy of the plans is obtained, the buyer can visit the property and compare the actual structure to the approved plans. If there are any differences, further research is required.
In South Africa, all proposed new buildings are required to have building plans approved by the local municipal council. The council evaluates each set of plans according to building regulations and the general town planning scheme. Only once the council approves the plans, can building commence. Regular inspections are conducted by the council in order to ensure that all buildings comply with the building regulations. Should it be found that a structure has been erected without approved plans, the council has the right by law, to instruct the owner of the property to have the building demolished.
Even though it very seldom occurs, there have been cases where an uninformed buyer purchased a property, only to find out later that the building (or part there-of) has been erected illegally. The new owner of this property then has a couple of options, all of which will have a financial impact. The options are:
 Having plans drawn up and approved, if possible, for the “illegal” part of the building
 Demolishing the “illegal” part of the building

An excellent example of such a case occurred in 2005 in a small town in the Western Cape, South Africa. A lady bought, what she thought was, her dream house. It consisted of two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a fitted kitchen, single garage, large open-plan lounge and dining area and glass enclosed patio. Shortly after the property transferred to her name and she moved in, she received a letter from the local municipal council to inform her that the enclosed patio is illegal. Since the patio was built on the border of her property, it did not comply with the building regulations. The previous owner had built the patio without approved plans.
After a long legal battle, the lady had to employ a group of workers to demolish the patio. It goes without saying that this devalued her property tremendously and also cost her quite a bit of money in demolishing and rubble removal costs.
It is in the best interest of any potential buyer, to ensure that the building he/she is interested in purchasing complies with the building regulations and has approved plans.