Carry out a pre-purchase inspection
If you are buying a house and you are concerned about its condition, arrange a pre-purchase inspection through an independent building inspector.
Inspection standards require inspectors to tell you about weathertightness (leaky building) risk.
You should know if there are any known weathertightness risks with the property you are considering, so that you can make an informed decision about the risk you may be taking on.
What are leaky buildings?
The terms weathertightness or leaky buildings generally relate to properties built from the early 1990s, regardless of the cladding type.
While generally associated with monolithic cladding Various types of cladding that can produce the effect of a smooth or unbroken surface., other factors that contribute to weathertightness risk or failure can be:
- design
- location
- workmanship
- detailing.