Attitudes of Sub-Sale Home Buyers and Vendors in the 21st Century: Legal implications

Abstract

This article analyses the legal implications of sub-sale house buyers and sellers' attitudes as illustrated in judicial cases from Malaysia, Australia and the United States. The cases demonstrate that purchasers still sleep on their legal duty to conduct a pre-purchase inspection. On the other hand, vendors often conceal the defects in the property and refuse to rectify the defects. This article recommends that consumer education is vital to protect the rights of purchasers and to uplift the vendors' ethical values of in a sale and purchase of the sub-sale house. It is also suggested that the jurisdiction of the Tribunal for Consumer Claims or the Tribunal for Homebuyer Claims be considered to be expanded to hear disputes arising from the purchase of houses from the sub-sale market.