Inspecting properties
From inspection to due diligence
Why a physical observation and a legal check are separate — and the specific document or authority record each common observation should trigger.
- Many consequential risks only show up in legal and authority records, not a visual inspection.
- Every material observation should trigger a specific document check, not a general sense that due diligence will cover it.
- A Section 32 vendor statement is a legal disclosure, not a substitute for a physical inspection, and vice versa.
- A property can pass inspection and still carry an unresolved legal issue — and the reverse.
A physical observation should trigger a specific document check
What you observe on a walkthrough and what a building inspector reports are only half the picture. Many of the most consequential risks — an unapproved extension, an easement crossing the block, an owners corporation special levy, a registered Building Order — only show up in legal and authority records, not in a visual inspection. Every material observation should generate a specific document or authority check, not a general sense that "due diligence" will cover it.
Observation to document: a worked table
| What you observed | Record or document to check | Who can help |
|---|---|---|
| Recent extension | Building permit, approved plans, occupancy or final inspection certificate | Conveyancer, council |
| Shared driveway | Title, plan of subdivision, easement | Conveyancer or surveyor |
| Apartment water staining | Owners corporation minutes, defect reports, maintenance records | Conveyancer, building specialist |
| Reconfigured internal walls | Permit records | Conveyancer, building inspector |
| Pool or spa | Council registration and barrier-compliance certificate | Pool inspector, conveyancer |
| Possible heritage character | Planning report and heritage overlay controls | Planner, conveyancer |
| Retaining wall near boundary | Title, survey, engineering assessment | Surveyor, engineer, conveyancer |
| Flood indicators | Authority flood records and insurer enquiry | Council, insurer |
| Renovated electrical work | Certificate of Electrical Safety records | Licensed electrician |
The physical check and the legal check are separate
A Victorian Section 32 vendor statement must be provided before you sign the contract (Consumer Affairs Victoria, verified 30 Jul 2026), but it is a legal disclosure document, not a substitute for a physical inspection or additional authority searches — and the reverse is equally true. A property can pass a building inspection with no visible defects and still be subject to an unresolved legal Building Order; a property can have a real physical defect that never appears in any legal document. You need both checks, not one instead of the other.
Practical checklist
Turning observations into checks
- List every material observation from your inspection and building report
- Match each one against the specific document or authority record that could confirm it
- Request those documents before relying on an inspection report alone
- Read the full property due-diligence guide for the complete legal and title checklist
Relevant Delora tool
Questions for a professional
- Given what I observed at inspection, which specific documents should I request before proceeding?
Official resources
Sources and methodology
- Conveyancing and contracts for sellers — Consumer Affairs Victoria (retrieved 30 Jul 2026)
Figures on this page are drawn from Delora's local knowledge graph, refreshed from these primary sources and checked for changes on a regular schedule. If a figure here looks out of date, the official source above is always the authority — please let us know.