Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, – Having recently purchased a home report (£920), I am shocked by the quality therein.
The ethos of the recently introduced home report is to negate the need for prospective property purchasers to obtain their own property survey. The system does not work.
The home report, presumably standardised and formatted via the Institute of Chartered Surveyors, is so full of limitations/restrictions that it portrays nothing and lacks integrity. Health and safety and a distinct line of caution would appear to be pre-requisites of these reports.
Any ”lay person” could walk around a building and state: ”Seems consistent with the age of the building/further investiagation may be required/unable to assess attic due to insulation products/unable to assess internal walls and cupboards due to household items /ongoing maintenance likely/ no visual defects within the limits of the inspection/visual inspection does not assess any services…” etc.
At great cost the home report is a complete waste of time and finances. Any intended buyer would be entirely unable to interpret valid/accurate information and therefore have to obtain their own independent property survey.
It is to be hoped that this will be investigated and the current proforma altered to provide a more in-depth, value-for-money survey.
Rae Fisher.Monksholm House,by Strathkinness.
No such invite was issued
Sir, – Murray Duncan (May 30) manages to combine a cheap jibe with a gross misrepresentation of the facts. He claims to have ”accepted Mr Linacre’s open invitation to his recent poorly attended public meeting”.
No, he did not, for I issued no such invitation. On the contrary, it was I who accepted the kind invitation from the Save Perth City Hall campaigners to address their very well attended meeting, which was marred only by Mr Duncan’s sour comments from the floor.
He also claims to have his ”own preferred solution”, but gives not the slightest clue as to what that might be. Why does he not call a public meeting to announce it, with details of his funding arrangements, business plan, etc? Who knows, maybe somebody might turn up?
Vivian Linacre.21 Marshall Place,Perth.
Thanks for proving point
Sir, – In reply to Jim Robertson, (Letters, June 1), my previous letter was making the point that paranoid and deluded nationalists thinking the world is against them are not doing their cause any good by living up to stereotypical images of them.
His scouring of the papers to find one anti-SNP story simply reinforces the image many of us have of them. I thank him for supplying me with both barn door and banjo to hit it with.
Victor Clements.Mamies’ Cottage,Aberfeldy.
Like North Korean propaganda
Sir, – The coverage of the Queen’s diamond jubilee was like watching propaganda from North Korea. The uniformity of the stupidity and sycophancy within the coverage was nauseating.
Presenters were falling over themselves to proclaim the country’s admiration for the monarch.
This discounted the substantial minority who think it would be better to elect a head of state rather then have a relic of feudal times imposed upon us.
Alan Hinnrichs.2 Gillespie Terrace,Dundee.
We really are not the same
Sir, – I must respond to George Aimer’s claim that Scots and English are the same in habits, culture and other things (Similar, but…, Letters, May 28).
I have been married to an English lass, from Sussex, for 35 years. Most spent in neutral countries USA and Brazil and I can state we are not similar.
My wife loves the monarchy while I am ambivalent. My wife uses words from Sussex that I do not understand and she had no clue what was said when she came to Lochee.
She was taught at school that Wallace was a terrorist and Bruce was a phoney. She does not understand the verdict of ”Not Proven”. She does not understand why there is a Church of Scotland.
She is a qualified teacher yet does not understand the Scots education system. Why do the Scots have different bank notes?
I’m sorry Mr Aimer but 35 years of living with a Sussex lass has shown me that we are different.
Eric Swinney.101 Creekwood Drive,Lafayette,Louisiana, USA.
Such bias does not bode well
Sir, – Recent letters from SNP supporters admit to ”delusion and paranoia” and appropriately display both psychopathologies by alleging prejudice and bias in those who would oppose the SNP.
Such prejudice and bias is also known as democracy.
This political sensitivity on the part of SNP supporters does not bode well for freedom of speech if they should gain power in their Utopian ”independent” Scotland.
Andrew Lawson.9 MacLaren Gardens,Dundee.