EX-SERVICEMEN WARNED

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXV, Issue 14252, 28 December 1946, Page 4

EX-SERVICEMEN WARNED

HOUSE BUILDING AND PROMISES

TRAPS FOR THE UNWARY

Ex-servicemen should beware of plunderers in the building trade. A home at any price might well ,be "a home at too great a price, writes the ■Wellington correspondent of Review, the official 'organ of the Returned Services Association. Such is the present demand for houses, many ex-servicemen tend to .become desperate in their quest, continues the correspondent. Though present legislation might provide certain safeguards against exploitation in the purchase of a home, no legislation can protect the inexperienced against the wiles of some unscrupulous parties offering to make a bargain with the too-trusting buyer. \The correspondent continues, ‘‘Review” has information of several cases in point, all about the same vendors. One case concerns a returned soldier who has waited since June of last year for a house to be built on a section costing £l9O, to plans costing £SO. But for his outlay of £240 eighteen , months ago, this ex-soldier has as yet no house, sees no sign-of a house being built, and can get no satisfaction from the, people with whom he made his deal. The obvious moral in the story is to beware of golden premises even if you supply the gold which should make promises a reality.

Sequel To Advertisement

The-story “Review” has to tell arose from a small “Want ad.” in a Wellington daily paper. iAn advertiser was willing to erect a modern four-roomed house for an outlay, on the buyer’s part, of approximately £I7OO, inclusive of section. To one particular Middle-Easter, just married, it seemed the answer to his prayer, and when the section was completed at a-price approved,by the Land Sales Committee, all appeared ■to be going well. The- vendor, , {Strangely enough, happened to be a ~'firm of architects and generously "tossed to the inexperienced buyer 2sets of plans from which he was able jto make a ■choice. One such set, from the mass-production factory standard designs, was accepted with certain modifications, and for this service the architect-vendors mulched the buyer of a further £SO. The happy 'couple were promised their home by December, 1945, at the latest, or by. January, 1946.

Next came a claim from the archi-tect-vendors for the sum of £ls as the’cost of clearing the section. That seemed reasonable, and the amount iwas duly paid. According to one of the architect partners, the building price, as agreed upon with a reputable firm, was to he £l47o—a. total outlay for the house and section of £l7lO, and an eminently suitable deal for the returned serviceman. Naturally the buyer proceeded with his arrangements. He had the plans and specifications passed and secured a ..rehabilitation ' loan. The permit to build was being handled by the firm • of architect-vendors, and, according to one of the partners in this extraordinarily generous firm, no difficulty had 5 arisen over that particular transaction. The Build- >■ ;. !. ing Controller had granted the necessary permit. 4* this stage, too, the name Of the builder was divulged. All certainly seemed foursquare and above-board.

Situation Changes

But then a strange silence descended on the headquarters of the

plan-producing factory. The princi-

pals retired into the shell of professional pre-occupation. The executive 'partner, in fact, became- extremely distant, so distant that he could not •be seen or interviewed either by Our ex-soldier or by his solicitor. December, 1945, came and went; January, 1946, .likewise. But, eventually, March, was given as a starting date. Then, the silence descended again. . i By this time, however, unusual suspicions .had been aroused,- in Uic anind.qf the ex-soldier, who owned a section and a pet of plans but. who

■did not> as yet, own a house. . He •made his own inquiries about the vsituatipnv from rthe fipm.'-which, ho

bad-been told, were to build the pro-

mised home,. They said that they Xbad never contracted to build, they had merely submitted a price* to!the »:<.^architect-vendors; all they had been •'-asked-to,do; " ■ ' " -■

•If Naturally at that stage—March 24

to be exact—the ex-soldier had had ' "fchOUjglr. He cancelled all- deals with '' this 'extraordinary' professional firm and now searches for other accommodation for liis enlarged family of ■ -three. -Worry made liis wife ill, and •both, with their baby, have' been ■compelled to remain sharing a house •with four relatives. It is little corn-

pensation, to him to be the owner of

a section- and a set of stereotyped plans, even though the receipts for f y .at ■**•'?*

(both total £ 240. t ‘‘Review’' finds the law of libel too inflexible to allow it to pass appropriate comment on the professions;! Ann in question. “Review” does, however, headline a warning to other

ex-servicemen likely to be trapped into a similar situation to that described. Little caii be done to stop a-ihprse ,once the stable door has been, opened.; .'‘Review, s ’ therefore, •can only counsel home-seekers to take every care in buying, to take

every care in checking the boua-fides

: ot .potential vendors, to take every ( care before paying exorbitant figures -for mass-produced standard plans ? end specifications, and to take every care in examining claims regarding contracts and permits. “Caveat . Bmptor” I There are obviously still people in New Zealand ■who usp that doctrine as their business find i professional motto, particularly when the buyer is an inexperienced ex-serviceman.