Homebuyer Surveyor had no loft access. Do we still go ahead?

waltzy · 23 November 2011 at 10:41PM

We got the homebuyers survey back and the results were pretty minimal for a terraced house built in 1900.

A few spots that need repointing, need up to date gas and electricity inspections... Nothing that would cause us to renegotiate or pull out

Except... the seller didn't move her mountain of boxes out of the cupboard with loft access, so the surveyor couldn't look into the loft.

He was able to check the access to the small loft in the downstairs bathroom, and it was fine. No issues besides 60mm insulation which could be thicker.

I see from googling that often the surveyor can't get access to the loft, but is it normal to go ahead with buying a house when nobody has looked at the loft?

ruggedtoast · 23 November 2011 at 11:07PM

I would ask to have a look myself. The surveyor has presumably made a visual inspection of the outside of the roof but for an old house you need to check it all out, what if there is rampaging woodworm in there?

waltzy · 24 November 2011 at 8:59AM

Thanks Ruggedtoast. We are due to complete on weds! Anyone else buy a house without having anyone see the loft?

ruggedtoast · 24 November 2011 at 10:30AM

I would be questioning why the owner didnt make it possible for the surveyor to see up there.

waltzy · 24 November 2011 at 12:11PM

She doesn't live at the house (but still has some furniture and boxes). She had rented it to a friend for a few months and so put most of her things stacked high in this cupboard.
She is also often away travelling apparently so I presume that is why she didn't move it.

Or.... the loft is filled with rotten beams, woodworm, wasps nests and dead bodies.

casper_g · 24 November 2011 at 1:41PM

Personally, I would be uncomfortable buying a house without seeing inside the roof space. I'd have wanted my surveyor to get in there ideally (as otherwise you're paying them to do half a job) but as an absolute minimum I'd want to have a good look for myself. If necessary, I'd go round there and move the boxes out of the way myself to gain access.

BTW, you see you complete on Weds. Have you already exchanged? If so, it's a bit late to find out there are problems with the roof: you've committed to buy the house, problems and all.

Gromitt · 24 November 2011 at 2:28PM

Viewed a house about a year ago which seemed perfect until I managed to look in the loft. The first twice we visited they stated they had no ladders to the left and the vendor had never been up there (didn't like heights apparently), but it would be 'fine'. We placed an offer and it was accepted, but the surveyor couldn't get access either.

We withdrew the offer and then the vendor agreed to let us bring our own ladders to view. We could see several parts of daylight on view and the purlins were water damaged.

Vendor refused to renegotiate (I've had no problems, its fine) and the property was still on sale a year later, at the same price.

So yes, I'd be very uncomfortable without seeing up there, from experience.

Slinky · 24 November 2011 at 3:12PM

I'm sure I've seen at least one property programme where in the loft there were the remains of the chimney stack but it has no support as the chimneys in the rooms below have been removed and the remaining part had not been braced. You don't want an ex-chimney crashing through your bedroom ceiling.

I'd be wanting somebody (not me!) to take a look to reassure me everything was OK up there.

Homebuyer Surveyor had no loft access. Do we still go ahead?

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