It is increasingly common on the Gold Coast for a seller or agent to hand buyers a ready-made building and pest report. It looks convenient — the inspection is "already done". Before you rely on it, it is worth understanding what a vendor-supplied report is and is not.
Who the inspector was working for
An inspection report is prepared under a pre-inspection agreement between the inspector and their client. With a vendor report, that client is the seller. The report may be entirely accurate — but the agreement, and the inspector’s professional duty, sit with the person selling the property, not the person buying it.
Questions worth asking
- When was the inspection done? Conditions change quickly, especially termite activity
- Was it carried out to AS 4349.1 and AS 4349.3 by a licensed inspector?
- Can you speak to the inspector and ask questions about the findings?
- Does the agreement extend any responsibility to you as a relying party?
The independent alternative
An inspection commissioned by you, under a pre-inspection agreement in your name, gives you an inspector who answers your questions, walks you through the findings, and prepared the report for your decision — not the sale. With same-day reports, independence costs little against the price of the property it protects.
For more on choosing your own independent inspector, see our guide to choosing a building and pest inspector and our pre-purchase inspection guide. The FAQs cover more on process and independence.
To arrange your own independent building and pest inspection, call 0431 114 815. The fixed price is confirmed before you book.