He sold the house. Six months later, he receives a letter from a lawyer demanding €20,000 because "there are leaks in the foundations." The buyer alleges a hidden defect. The law (Civil Code) protects the buyer if the defect was not detectable during a normal visit and if it diminishes the value or use of the property.

The Documented Transparency Strategy: The best defense is a (sincere) offense.

Before the sale, we create the "Property Status Dossier." If we know that the basement gets damp in the winter, we write this in the preliminary purchase agreement: "The buyer declares to be aware of the existence of capillary moisture in the basement and accepts the property in this state, the price having been adjusted accordingly." By transforming a "hidden defect" into an "apparent and accepted defect," we exonerate the seller from future liability.