New Condo, Bring An Inspector?

[meand]

Hello all,

I have purchased a as of right now being built condo in Bangkok, and recently got some advice from back home to bring a professional inspector with me the first time I check out the condo space. Is this a good idea as far as you are all concerned? If yes, any recommendations on who may be a good inspector to accompany us.

Thanks.

[Darrel]

You probably wont find one but, if you do, he will probably charge a fortune, be totally incompetent and accept no liability for his errors.

You should just bring a friend with a good pair of eyes and some experience with property. If you have good eyes and some experience yourself then you don't even need a friend.

[aussiebebe]

I agree with the above advice; definitely get someone, if like me you have no prior experience of condo living, but I'm sorry I can't be of help in suggesting how to find one, yellow pages maybe?I enlisted the services of a local law firm to help ensure that everything went smoothly when I bought my condo. The law firm got an inspector to look at the unit and he pointed out all the problems/issues and gave advice like the single pane windows letting in noise, the low quality of the flooring etc.

I would add though, that I was moving from a rented house and you can't expect someone to point out all the benefits of a condo like privacy, no soi dogs, no Mosquitos, nice views and ownership rights. I feel that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks but nowhere is going to be perfect!

[meand]

Thanks all.

I think I will try to do it myself. I am pretty handy, but don't have condo experience. But, I did find this list here in Thaivisa, not perfectly applicable to my situation, but it's a start... i'll try and make sure I check some of this stuff.

Any other suggestions on things specifically in my room I should check? Flooring, windows/noise has been mentioned. I would think looking at the visible plumbing lines would be important of course. Hopefully i'll be able to turn the water on. Door hinges, sliding glass and lighting functionality, hollow spots under flooring/tile were others I could think of. I also notice a lot of wall cracking problems here in Thailand. Man, I'd have no idea how to go about checking that out for potential future problems. Anyway, thanks for any suggestions. If we get a bunch of replies... i'll go through the trouble of making a list and posting it.

"Stolen from greenside's post on 650k Condos - so usefull I have printed it out and will use the relevent bits (I added point 0.). Obviously no minutes from the AGM yet for me.

0. Check you are getting the on-shore rate for your foreign currency transfer.

1. Get the minutes of the AGMs AND the Minutes of the Committee Meetings.

2. Read The Condo Act; read the Condo Regulations which is a legal document deposited with the Land Office

3. The Condo Association will also have records of what percentage of units are foreign owned. DON'T get stuck with a unit owned by a bogus Thai company.

4. Does the Committee meet as specified in the Regulations?

5. Are the Committee Members approachable and helpful?

6. Speak with as many non-committee member residents as possible

7. Meet the Manager. If he/she won't answer questions and says go speak with the Committee then do so.

8. If Committee says go speak with manager then unless you really like the building and would like to fight all this kind of nonsense at the AGM and during the year, go find somewhere else to buy.

9. Ask for the AUDITED financials; ask for monthly financial statements - they are common property and some good condos put up on notice board for all to peruse. Other condos are/may be secretive. If so, why?

10. Ask about major maintenance projects - sewage and drainage, water and filtration, roof, roads, gardens, painting of outside of building and corridors, elevators.

11. Have the projects planned for the previous year been completed OK? How about any work in progress?

12. Check the basement for damp.

13. Is there a Sinking Fund? Is it sufficient?

14. Is Insurance Coverage enough?

15. What are the yearly maintenance fees? What percentage of co-owners do not pay.

16. Are smoke alarms installed in common areas? In individual units? Are they checked and monitored and/or connected to the fire service?

17. Is there a sprinkler system?

18. Walk the emergency stairwells - what kind of lighting? Does it work? Are the stairwells clear and clean?

19. Check that fire fighting equipment is available and periodically maintained (there should be a record of costs associated with this so you don't just have to take someone's word for it)

20. Check that security personnel are smart, courteous and at their stations.

21. Is there 24 hour coverage by English speaking staff?

22. Does the office staff have name badges?

23. Is the building secure or can anyone just walk in and go where they please?

24. Is the perimeter secure?

25. Is there CCTV and does it work?

26. Are there recordings and how long are they kept?

27. If there is a key card system how often is it changed? How many key cards have been issued? How many are unaccounted for?

28. Try to find out how many burglaries in past 2 years.

29. Are the grounds neat and tidy?

30. Is the garbage room clean and tidy? How often is garbage collected?

31. Availability of (IDD) telephone (data) lines and the cost of same (some condos charge a criminal amount to get a IDD line).

32. Availability of cable TV choice and options for putting up own satellite dish(es).

33. Cost of metered services – water and electricity if supplied by building and cost of changing to own meters.

34. What facilities (residents' lounge, exercise room, etc.) are available and are they in use and good repair? Swimming pool? Tennis court? Is there a charge?

35. Are facilities open to non-residents? This can lead to an increased security risk and different atmosphere with strangers coming and going frequently. Is additional wear and tear on the facilities covered by the charges to non-residents or does the management pocket the takings?

36. Are there karaoke bars or other noisy places nearby? How often? How loud? How late?

37. If there is a view is there the possibility it could be blocked in the future?

38. Check basement rooms for trash, evidence of staff (and their friends) staying there.

39. Parking spaces are common property and should not be allocated.

40. How long to wait for an elevator during high season?

41. How many units are currently unoccupied?

42. How many units are currently offered for sale or rent? Check other prices.

43. Make sure most if not all the units in the building are occupied by the owners.

44. If the management offers to rent condo's on the owners' behalf, how much do they charge and exactly what service is on offer?"

Edited January 15, 2012 by meand

[MJo]

The list seems be geared towards analyzing a building before you commit to buy. You have made that decision and are now stuck with the building and location etc.

Although some of the items apply to your situation as well like the fire protection systems etc i'd consider more on the unit itself. The materials used are as per the specs, everything works as it should and quality of workmanship is at acceptable level.

[Darrel]

The law firm got an inspector to look at the unit and he pointed out all the problems/issues and gave advice like the single pane windows letting in noise, the low quality of the flooring etc.

I would add though, that I was moving from a rented house and you can't expect someone to point out all the benefits of a condo like privacy, no soi dogs, no Mosquitos, nice views and ownership rights.

I think that all these are well within the realm of what an informed amateur could spot. Indeed they are exactly the things that I have spotted myself in buildings here.

And I dont think that anyone buying a condo in farang name needs a lawyer either. He just needs some common sense. Sadly many buyers are lacking in this.

I was talking earlier today to a chap who bought a condo in company name 5 years ago. He employed a lawyer who didnt explain the downside of company name, and didnt tell him that he needed to file yearly returns and pay a yearly fee. The first the chap knew about it was when he got a "pay 5 years' taxes and fines now or we dissolve the company" letter, with just a week's notice to pay. He now thinks that having paid the taxes he now owns the whole of his company, and has bought out the 51% Thai part. He also paid 35% of the purchase price in cash on the side that didnt figure in the bill of sale, on the advice of the lawyer and the agent who probably split it between them.

One born every minute.

[beachyman]

I just got my off plan completed and transferred to my name. I used a colleague who is an attorney for the transfer process at the land office and I would recommend having someone competent with you there. As for the inspection...

Definitely go through the apartment, MEASURE it because the contract should stipulate a decrease or increase in price if it is smaller or bigger than contracted. I went through checked all the outlets and such, met the juristic person office, manager speaks english even though it is in Huay Kwang which is good. I had a few scratches and such, asked about installing the water heater, but otherwise very happy.

It is a good idea to meet the people who work for the building management, QPM or whatever company they use. So if you have an issue you know who to go through.

[Thighlander]

the extensive cracks in concrete have been a deal killer for me. Soi dogs, too.