RickBlaine

I’m looking for a little advice, hope someone can help, and maybe help anyone else in a similar position.

We (Thai wife and I) thought we had found our first property to buy. It’s a house, freehold, about 4 years old.
The owner is a lady who lives some distance away. She bought the house 6 months ago as an investment. We are dealing with her brother, who apparently deals in houses ‘on the side’. He has a contract with his sister which states that he can sell on her behalf.  He showed my wife the contract, on which it says it’s a bungalow (it’s a 2 storey house), he said, for tax reasons.  
He is trying to push us along asap, too quickly for my liking and too quickly to arrange a lawyer to check his contract. He has also said he wants to put ‘bungalow’ and a reduced price on the new contract (the one we complete at the land registry) when (if) we buy – again for tax reasons.
I’m almost certain we won’t proceed, and I know the advice is always 'consult a lawyer', but I’d like your thoughts, for the next time.
My questions are;
am I worrying about nothing? Is this common practice to use a slightly dodgy contract to try and reduce the tax liability? If his contract with his sister (the true owner) is incorrect, doesn’t that make it void? Then he has no legal right to sell the property?
The Thai law I’ve seen online states that for the tax calculation, the contract price or assessed  price is used - whichever is the greater. So, if a Land Office assessor comes round after 6 months, and sees it’s a house, not a bungalow, worth more than the contract price, is ‘someone’ going to get a nasty surprise?
Thanks for any comments.

Interesting to see the different service people have received at Sakon Nakhon.

  I currently stay here on a retirement extension of an original Non-B visa. I want to change to a marriage extension this year, but have just been told by Sakon Nakhon Immigration that I cannot do that, without first returning to the UK and getting a Non-O visa, which would then be extendable.

  Originally they said I could extend, then yesterday I could not, but when I (politely) argued that was wrong, they again said I could.

  Mostly the staff are helpful and friendly here, including the lady in charge - affectionately known as Ms Whip-Lash by some of us - but this problem does not fill me with confidence and now I wonder what will happen on our return.

  It is complicated slightly by the fact that the current extension expires while we will be on holiday in the UK. But I was told that I can get a 60 day ‘supporting wife’ extension (plus re-entry permit) to cover the holiday and then apply for the one year extension when I return.

  I don’t want to spend our short holiday in the UK – my wife’s first trip outside of Thailand - chasing around a new visa unless we have to.

  

  I am applying for a family visa for my wife, so that we can have a  two week holiday in the UK next year and, of course, not having done this before I have a couple of points;

  My wife, as a Thai teacher, is poorly paid – certainly when viewed by western standards, so I will finance the trip. Even though the form asks for her financial details, I will also send my own. Unfortunately my situation is ‘resting’ – I am too young to have a pension and don't have a regular income - I draw on my investments at irregular intervals. I am hoping that as I can show sufficient funds both here and in the UK to pay for the holiday, that will be sufficient (?).

  I will print off my (online) banking details, but I want to black-out the account numbers. Has any one else done this?

  My sister will be the family member we will stay with, the guidance notes say ‘evidence of family member…’ eg passport, which she doesn’t have.

  Would a scan of a UK driving licence (which also shows the address) suffice?

  As often there is a wealth of info’ on ThaiVisa, and I note others experiences, in particular the reasons given for refusal. I thought having a marriage certificate would be enough, but I think now I will include a covering letter about how we met, when etc etc.

  I would appreciate any thoughts on the above.