License inspectors and realtors and landlords have always lamented that truth in Housing boards and procedures duplicate existing services, but housing sales, until truth in housing mechanisms came into being, had been a crap shoot at best with regard to disclosure of health and safety (not housing code) issues.
The very idea behind truth in housing sprang from the need for at least a cursory assessment of health and safety concerns which could be tallied and presented to buyers and preventing sellers from hiding defects - serious and otherwise - in their buildings. It's a matter of disclosure. Buyers are allowed to waive their right to insist on the repairs TIH inspectors recommend, but at least they're on the record in every transaction and buyers can make the choice or sign away their right to sue later. Housing inspections are rarely if ever made in the larger inspections system, and nothing requires a a seller to disclose anything - whether or not they're aware of defect f one sort or another. The long-term ramifications of this penny-wise, pound-foolish move could spell disaster for buyers of Minneapolis houses, especially older ones requiring diligent maintenance and discovery of often unseen defects. I would urge all of you to notify RT's office about this. They may not realize what they're doing because insiders are calling it superfluous. It ain't. Andy -------- "The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who, in times of moral crisis, remain neutral" --Dante > From: "Rachel N Lewis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: Fri, 15 Feb 2002 10:51:07 -0600 > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [Mpls] Re: Truth in Housing > > Speaking as a recent first-time home buyer, shopping in several neighborhoods > where one needed to be careful about what one might be taking on repair-wise, > I > used the Truth in Housing reports extensively and was glad they were there. > The > banking inspections did not take place until after I had made a bid, and did > not > give me nearly as much detailed information about the condition of the house > so > I could make a realistic bid: they were for the bank not for ME. I do not see > Truth in Housing as duplication of effort at all. > > Rachel Lewis > > > _______________________________________ > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: > http://e-democracy.org/mpls > _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
