Couple warns home buyers to do extensive research ahead of purchase

ABC NEWS (Australia)

A southeast Queensland couple will have to demolish what was their dream home after a series of landslides caused irreparable damage to the property. They discovered after the destruction - that the land had a history of natural hazards.

Transcript

00:00Leon and Olga Reduns should be enjoying their retirement.

00:07Instead, they're living in fear.

00:09What was their forever home in the scenic rim is slowly falling down.

00:14And now we have to move and demolish a house we built with lots of love and care and attention.

00:18In 2022, a massive deluge triggered a series of landslides, severely damaging their Tambourine Mountain home.

00:26The back ends have dropped, the floor has dropped, the driveway's all cracked.

00:30Inside, the floor runs on a slant.

00:33And watch it start moving down to the low point. Just shows how much is tilted.

00:38The couple weren't told prior to purchasing their block that the aerial was prone to landslides.

00:44In Queensland, the onus is on the buyer to do such checks.

00:48We were so heartbroken and it destroys people's lives.

00:54New seller disclosure laws are set to come into effect from the 1st of August

00:59as part of an effort to help buyers spot red flags before purchasing.

01:04But under the new scheme, sellers won't be obliged to reveal a property's natural hazard history

01:10or information about its structural soundness.

01:14It will still be the responsibility of buyers to undertake their own form of due diligence.

01:21The Redunza's home is being held up by steel poles while they look to move.

01:27They're urging buyers to do their research to avoid a similar heartache.

01:32Do all the searches you can.

01:33Whatever you think might go wrong, go and check it out.

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