A court has been told trading standards officers made “fundamental” errors as they investigated claims a property firm mis-sold new homes.
Dandara Limited allegedly gave false information to Ronald and Sally Buxton and Mandy and Peter McLeod before they bought apartments in the developers’ Stoneywood Estate in Aberdeen.
It is also alleged the McLeods were misled by a brochure, which it is claimed did not show a pillar which would obscure their view from a window.
The couples were sold their properties at The Walled Garden in May and April 2013.
The company is also accused of falsely advertising room sizes at the development between May 1 and 31, 2013 and denies all the allegations.
A former member of Aberdeen City Council’s Trading Standards Service gave evidence yesterday.
Graham Wallace, who worked as an operational officer, told fiscal depute Sophie Hanlon that he had accompanied a senior colleague to the McLeods’ home on October 2, 2014.
Mr Wallace said they were responding to a complaint from Mrs McLeod about a discrepancy in size between Dandara’s sales brochure and their apartment.
He told Miss Hanlon they measured the floors in the apartment and his superior drew a rough sketch of each room.
Under cross-examination from defence counsel Murdo MacLeod QC, Mr Wallace was asked to compare the sketch to a plan produced by a charted surveyor.
Mr MacLeod said there were “fundamental” errors with the trading standards’ sketch as the fitted wardrobes were on the wrong side in one of the rooms.
He made a motion to dismiss the case but this was rejected by Sheriff Morag McLaughlin.
The trial will resume next month.