Reviewing a Victorian Section 32 vendor statement
Section 32 vendor statements are required under the Sale of Land Act 1962 (VIC). They must disclose specified information about the property — title, planning, encumbrances, outgoings, owners corporation. This workflow walks through the standard purchaser-side review.
This is an 8-step workflow for reviewing a Section 32 vendor statement for a Victorian residential property purchase. It assumes you are acting for the purchaser and needs to advise on the disclosure before signing the contract.
Before you start
- The Section 32 vendor statement (PDF or scanned)
- The proposed contract of sale
- Knowledge of the proposed purchaser and the purchase circumstances
The workflow
Confirm the statutory framework
Confirm Section 32 of the Sale of Land Act 1962 (VIC) applies. Note any recent amendments to the disclosure requirements.
Check the title and ownership particulars
Verify the title reference matches the property. Check the registered proprietor matches the vendor on the contract.
Review encumbrances and easements
Identify all encumbrances (mortgages, caveats, easements, restrictive covenants). Flag any that may affect the purchaser's use of the property.
Check planning information
Review the planning scheme zoning, overlays (heritage, flood, bushfire), and any planning permits or conditions affecting the property.
Review outgoings and rates
Check council rates, water rates, land tax, and any other outgoings. Verify the amounts disclosed are current and reasonable.
Check owners corporation information (if applicable)
For strata or owners corporation properties: review the OC certificate, levies, sinking fund, dispute history, and any planned major works.
Identify any non-standard or missing disclosures
Flag anything that appears missing, incomplete, or substantively problematic. Section 32 disclosure errors can give the purchaser a right to rescind.
Draft the purchaser advice memo
Produce a structured advice memo grouped by risk category. Each finding sourced to the relevant section of the Section 32. Send to the purchaser before signing.
What you will have at the end
A structured purchaser advice memo flagging any disclosure issues, planning concerns, owners corporation matters, and recommended actions before signing. The purchaser has clear advice on whether to proceed, negotiate, or walk away.
Common issues
- Owners corporation disclosures sometimes incomplete — flag for vendor follow-up
- Planning overlays missed — particularly heritage and bushfire
- Land tax adjustment errors — verify the amount disclosed against current Revenue Victoria rates
- Old Section 32 statements with legacy formatting — re-format if relying on them
- Not checking the OC certificate for special levies or planned major works
Run this workflow on a real matter
Quillio reviews Victorian Section 32 vendor statements in seconds, flags missing disclosures, and produces purchaser advice memos. See /practice-areas/property-lawyers or start a free trial.
This workflow covers standard Victorian residential Section 32 reviews. Off-the-plan, commercial, and rural properties may require additional review steps.
Try this workflow with Quillio.
Quillio can run this workflow on a real matter, with citations to current AU authority on every step. The free trial requires no credit card.
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