DON’T BLAST the cedar!
WATER-BLASTERS CAN GIVE AMAZING RESULTS ON YOUR DRIVEWAY, BUT KEEP THEM AWAY FROM YOUR NATURAL WOOD CLADDING
You have a cedar exterior cladding on your home and after 20 years it’s become a bit dirty and mouldy. Your neighbour was going to give it a light going over with his water-blaster but someone said that was risky. Is there a better way to clean natural wood cladding?
No, no, no! Don’t go near cedar cladding with your water-blaster. Even light “goings over” can cause serious damage. I once filmed a cedar house on Fair Go that had been water-blasted in error – the operator had gone to the wrong address! Almost the entire cladding had to be replaced. Water-blasters can be vicious and will easily damage soft timbers such as cedar. I’ve seen them cut clean through wooden paling fences. Don’t clean natural wood claddings with a water-blaster. I recently had my cedar house cleaned by a very experienced tradesman using a steam cleaner. That worked. Most of the surface dirt, moss and cobwebs were removed without any damage to the cladding. But this was an expert using considerable caution. Use a water-blaster for cleaning the concrete, but keep it well away from your house’s natural wood cladding.
Is it true that any outstanding rates on a property at the time you buy it become your responsibility to pay? If so, doesn’t that seem unfair? Why isn’t the previous owner held responsible?
I agree. This does seem unfair, but it’s correct. This is one of those situations where the law appears to be wrong. But rates are a charge on a property, not a property owner. That means any outstanding rates on a property at the time of purchase become the responsibility of the new owner. When a property is sold, the vendor’s solicitor will generally tell the purchaser about any outstanding rates and negotiate a sale price which takes that into account. If, having purchased a house, you receive an invoice for overdue rates from a previous owner, the best thing to do is contact your solicitor immediately to resolve the matter with those previous owners. Meanwhile, it is in your interests as the new owner to settle any such account immediately with the council to avoid any further penalties. LIM reports should show if rates are overdue on a property you are buying.