Incorrect measurements of property

scope

Where do you stand if the measurements in the details of the property you have bought are all incorrect? Say the estate agent has added to each and every room to make them appear bigger? Is this something you can do anything about after buying the property?

shelly

Personally I take measurements on house details with a pinch of salt. I'd have thought that when you viewed the property you would have seen the size of the rooms in the flesh and knew whether the rooms looked big enough or not, I don't mean in terms of feet and inches, I mean to fit your furniture. Also you could have measured the rooms yourself so I think the EA would say the onus is on you to check these things. Don't EA's put a disclaimer on house adverts? Something like "All measurements taken are approximate"

Sorry I can't be more positive but we have looked at a lot of houses in the last few months and these kinds of things are the buyers responsibility to check IMO.

guppy

Firstly, I'm not a solicitor and I'm not any sort of expert in this area.

Depending on how wrong the measurements are this could be construed as falling foul of the Property Misdescriptions Act 1991.

See http://www.lawpack.co.uk/property_misdescriptions_act.asp

On the other hand, assuming you saw the property in person before buying I think it would be hard to argue you were misled over the property's size.

Also, has the estate agent taken measurements at different points in the room to you?

If you think its worth it you could seek legal advice but I'd try and get it for free in the first instance to see if you have any sort of case.

silvercar

I'm sure all estate agents cover themselves by saying measurements are approx. for large differences, you would be expected to notice. Had you had a full structural survey, the surveyor would have measured each room.

Probably a case of buyer beware.

If there is a case against the estate agent, he could well be fined by trading standards, I doubt any of the fine would see its way back to you.

Eyesparky

I would recommend anyone house hunting to invest in a sonic laser measure as it makes it very easy to quickly check measurements as you view a house. Well worth the investment. While you are at it get yourself a simple compass. Estate agents details always carry a disclaimer and ultimately it is buyer beware when it comes to a house purchase.

kingkano

Agent details I checked said 'within 3" each direction' - could be a huge discrepancy!

steveandel

kingkano wrote: »

Agent details I checked said 'within 3" each direction' - could be a huge discrepancy!

I wouldn't call 3 inches huge! :rolleyes:

Toomuchdebt

steveandel wrote: »

I wouldn't call 3 inches huge! :rolleyes:

But add 3" to each wall and that's a foot altogether.

Mutton_Geoff

I've seen plenty of agents measure up to the glass in the windows, opening wardrobe doors and measuring into the back of the wardrobe then adding some to know to take whatever they say with a pinch of salt.

Treat everything they say or do as a deliberate lie to maximise their commission and you won't go far wrong.

lynzpower

Mutton_Geoff wrote: »

I've seen plenty of agents measure up to the glass in the windows, opening wardrobe doors and measuring into the back of the wardrobe then adding some to know to take whatever they say with a pinch of salt.

Treat everything they say or do as a deliberate lie to maximise their commission and you won't go far wrong.

Its my understanding that measurements should be of the "useable space" window sills dont count!

YES, this is property misdescriptions if the approx isnt used.

Personally, Id run it by NAEA and see what they reckon. It sounds like misdiscriptions to me

You wont get anything but the EA can be fined, prosecuted and even imprisoned.

Ticklemouse

My EA told me that they have to be very careful about the room measurements as there could be comeback - can't remember exactly what he said and what comeback there would be on them but maybe it is something you could investigate further.

However, although he has bought 2 expensive sonic/laser measuring devices, he's thinking of investing in a good old fashioned tape measure as they can be so inaccurate. Eg my living and dining rooms are the same width but the LR came out as 10 inches narrower ?? Also, be careful when they put the main measurement in metric and the imperial measurement in brackets. They are done automatically ie feed in the metric and the program converts it for you. I lost 3 FEET off the width of one room - the metric measurement was correct but the conversion had gone wrong. In the end. my EA came back and used my 5m metal tape measure to take accurate measurements.