What is a Keystart Loan?
If you are considering a Keystart loan, it’s a great way to buy your own home. However, there is a set of minimum standards that Keystart considers essential for the purchase of any established property.
Keystart will require a satisfactory Structural / Building report from one of the following professionals for all properties older than 25 years for both metro and country properties –
- Registered builder
- Structural engineer
- Building certifier
- Architect
This means your average building inspector won’t be able to complete your inspection unless they are one of the above professionals.
What Needs to be Included in the Keystart Loan Building Report?
The Keystart Loan building report must include the following:
- Photographs of the property.
- Defects to the property.
They must also ensure that the Keystart Loan building report is inclusive of the following:
- Photographic evidence of each issue raised regarding the property.
- Specific commentary of each issue raised regarding the property.
- An estimate of the costs involved to repair or replace each issue highlighted.
Please note: Keystart may request the repair of all highlighted issues prior to formal approval being considered. Once these items have been repaired, Keystart will require an updated building inspection report to confirm all have been fixed along with photographic evidence.
It is highly recommended buyers make it clear to the Real Estate Agent if defects are identified, as the loan approval may be subject to remedial works being completed to these defects.
Keystart reserves the right to decline any property that does not meet the required standards. These minimum standards will be applied to all properties that are to be accepted as security for a Keystart loan.
What Are the Minimum Requirements for a Keystart Loan?
The house/unit must have:
Construction & Presentation
- The property is to be well maintained.
- All ceilings and frames in the house must be painted.
- All internal wall finishes must be painted.
- Wet areas in the house must be tiled.
- All external areas of the house which normally require painting must be painted and be in good repair.
- Must have window treatments, in good repair (i.e. curtaining, venetians) to all clear glass windows.
- Must have floor coverings, in good repair (i.e. carpeting, tiles, polished timber) throughout the entire house.
- The property must be fenced with the fence in a state of good repair.
Car Parking and Access
- A concrete (or acceptable alternative material) driveway from the crossover to a carport adjacent to the house.
- A carport with a concrete (or other suitable material) slab of industry standard or applicable building code requirement.
- In the case of a unit, an allocated car parking bay.
Services
- Water metered to the boundary. In those regional areas where water metered to the boundary is not available, evidence that adequate rainwater tanks are held will be required.
- Sewerage as required by the Water Corporation or a septic tank or leach drain in accordance with the requirement of the relevant local authority.
- Lighting to the front and rear entries.
- Mains powered smoke alarms or battery-powered smoke alarms that are fixed permanently into the ceiling with a 10-year battery life.
- A minimum of two Residual Current Devices (RCD’s) installed.
Accommodation
- A minimum of three bedrooms, one bathroom, one kitchen, one laundry, one toilet and one living area all under the main roof. In the case of a unit purchase, one and two bedrooms are acceptable with a combined laundry and/or toilet. Smaller houses will be considered based on locality and condition.
- In the case of a unit purchase, one and two bedrooms are acceptable with a combined toilet and bathroom, a combined laundry and kitchen or a combined bathroom and laundry are acceptable.
- The laundry must have a trough and space for a washing machine.
- The kitchen must have a sink, oven and/or hotplates and space for a refrigerator.
- The bathroom must have a shower or a bath and a vanity basin.
Other
- The property must be of a reasonable habitable standard and have all the relevant local authority approvals and any other regulatory body approvals held.
- The overall presentation must be of a reasonable standard (including gardens).
Does your Building Inspection company have experience with Keystart Loans?
Home Integrity has completed many reports for clients applying for Keystart loans. We are one of the few building inspection companies in Perth that have a specific service tailored for clients requiring a report to satisfy the requirements of a Keystart loan.
For more information feel free to contact us on 08 6184 5624 or visit our website here.
