Pre-Purchase Fire Safety Survey

VonLuck

Is there such a thing as a pre-purchase fire safety survey or inspection? I have concerns over buying an apartment built in the boom times because of all the horror stories you hear (Priory Hall et al.).

Any way to get some certainty that the apartment has a clean bill of health without an invasive survey? It's a big risk to take if you've no idea whether the home you're buying has major fire safety issues or not.

Gumbo

VonLuck wrote: »

Is there such a thing as a pre-purchase fire safety survey or inspection? I have concerns over buying an apartment built in the boom times because of all the horror stories you hear (Priory Hall et al.).

Any way to get some certainty that the apartment has a clean bill of health without an invasive survey? It's a big risk to take if you've no idea whether the home you're buying has major fire safety issues or not.

Not without opening up and invasive works, which the MC wont allow.
You'd have to check the tops of all compartment walls, penetrations, service risers, smoke shafts, fire alarm, Cavity Barriers plus more

Most of this material is hidden within the fabric of the structure so not exactly something you can check on a visual inspection.

Xterminator

+1 on that.

you are talking about pre purchase permission to drill holes etc, as required to determine is building is up to code.

not feasible.

Bluefoam

VonLuck wrote: »

Is there such a thing as a pre-purchase fire safety survey or inspection? I have concerns over buying an apartment built in the boom times because of all the horror stories you hear (Priory Hall et al.).

Any way to get some certainty that the apartment has a clean bill of health without an invasive survey? It's a big risk to take if you've no idea whether the home you're buying has major fire safety issues or not.

If you have concerns about the quality of a building you are potentially going to spend hundreds of thousands of euros on... then walk away, not worth any potential problems in the future.

buzz11

VonLuck wrote: »

Is there such a thing as a pre-purchase fire safety survey or inspection? I have concerns over buying an apartment built in the boom times because of all the horror stories you hear (Priory Hall et al.).

Any way to get some certainty that the apartment has a clean bill of health without an invasive survey? It's a big risk to take if you've no idea whether the home you're buying has major fire safety issues or not.

Because you are buying a unit in a shared development, it would be the responsibility of the Owners Management Company to deal with fire safety and compliance but whether they face up to matters such as this varies from one development to another.

Your should research the OMC to check how its running and what issues the see arising.. lots of threads on here about OMC's

The seller of the apartment might provide you with details on the OMC but then again they may not be obliged to do so or even be that involved.

The question you raise is a major disadvantage in buying into multi unit developments because its such a blind process.

Del2005

Bluefoam wrote: »

If you have concerns about the quality of a building you are potentially going to spend hundreds of thousands of euros on... then walk away, not worth any potential problems in the future.

Then there's about 10-20 years of buildings that you can't buy. There were so many corners cut by builders/engineers/councils that any building from the mid 90s is a fire safety risk.

Bluefoam

Del2005 wrote: »

Bluefoam wrote: »

If you have concerns about the quality of a building you are potentially going to spend hundreds of thousands of euros on... then walk away, not worth any potential problems in the future.

Then there's about 10-20 years of buildings that you can't buy. There were so many corners cut by builders/engineers/councils that any building from the mid 90s is a fire safety risk.

Exactly, don't buy them.