Who pays for "further investigation"?

bethsdad

Hi,

We have just had a survey done on our house as we are selling it. The surveyor highlighted something that needed "further investigation" (won't necessarily be a problem, but the buyer wants a report on it, understandably).

Who should pay for this? Is it the buyer or the seller? I would have thought that if the buyer wants the investigation done, is it not their responsibility to pay for it? Our estate agent seems to think that we should pay for it though.

Any thoughts?

poppysarah

The buyer. But beware as the more they dig the more evidence they have for reducing the price.

What is it?
Most initial surveys say "electrics need to be checked by a specialist, timber by a damp specialist and Gas by a gas man" etc.
if there's asbestos or roof works or dry rot then this is all reason to reduce the price perhaps.

pawpurrs

The buyer, its up to them to make sure they are happy with the property, as Poppy says they nearly allways say the above.

bethsdad

It says that the Wall ties need to be checked out. This is apparently a common issue with houses of this type / age / area. The inner and outer walls are apparently held together with metal ties, which over time can sometimes degrade. A specialist with an endoscope needs to check them out apparently. There is no exterior evidence that there is an issue though.

poppysarah

Oh yeah I'd forgotten wall ties too. And pointing and chimneys, lintels etc etc
They're just covering their backs and pointing out typical potential problems.

Let them have more surveys done if they want. You could tell them you're not dropping the price whatever the survey turns up, or get prepared to negotiate.

If they come back and say "X needs doing and we want £XX off" then you can either say no, or negotiate. You could get your own quote for the work and see if the reduction is fair (and if the builder thinks it needs doing - you might need a trustworthy one there)

slummymummyof3

Usually a company will provide a quote for free. If it transpires that these works need doing then it will provide the buyer with a possible scope for re-negotiating the price. If you don't allow these 'specialists' access then it will look as if you are tryng to hide something. It is standard surveyor speak to cover their backside.

tbs624

slummymummyof3 wrote: »

Usually a company will provide a quote for free.

... generally because like those who make their money from DPCs and so offer free damp"surveys", they have a vested interest in flogging you their wall tie replacement services.

Bethsdad - if the buyers use one of these "free survey" companies & come back to you saying that the ties need replacing, & they then want a subsequent reduction, you may find it worthwhile to get your own independent building surveyor in - see q2 here (Jeff Howell has a construction industry back grounds and writes books/newspaper columns on property matters)

As the others have said, when the surveyor suggests further reports for things like this it comes under the heading of him/her effectively covering his own back.