2Q's for a friend

goggle

I thought I'd pass the following Q's from a friend over to the MSE oracle!


1) Property has main public sewer passing along the boundary (bottom of garden) but may also have "local" pipes from neighbouring properties passing down the drive (couple of manholes)
a) is this likely to be a problem
b) is the bit in the HIP which identifies the sewer map & then says something like "the map indicates that there are water mains or discharge pipes within or close to the boundary of the property ...... the waterboard have right of access to their assets. This may result in employees of the company or its contractors needing to access the property to carry out work" a problem, or just a formality?


2) House originally on market for £168K, dropped to £159K. Considering making an offer of £155K - what do you think are chances of it being accepted?
(Friend says its stupid to play games with offers & wants to make one offer. Orig thought £154K but has settled on £155 - suspects vendor may want £157 ish but friend thinks this is too high. Friend is in pretty good position. Property on market since Jan. No offers though dropped price has awoken interest. Property is currently empty as vendor has moved in with new partner, friend has no chain & only needs small mortgage which is agreed in principle)

Cannon_Fodder

1) Mostly a formality, afaik, as long as no-one has built out from the orginal structure too close to the manholes/pipes.

2) Most people do not expect the first offer to be the last. If he wants to keep a "really final" option up his sleeve, then try £152/3k to then go to £155k if needed.

Otherwise the EA/seller will think £155k is going to be added to, to the £157k that your friend thinks is too much.

goggle

I know most people don't expect a first offer to be accepted but friend is adament that making offers with a plan to increase is stupid & wastes everyones time - I can kind of understand where he's coming from ...

Sammy85_2

We have a 6m mainline sewer running down the public footpath by the side of the house and garden and a few feeder pipes from neighbours that go through the garden to it.

The only major concern i have is that i cant build within 3m of it, unless it is a temporary structure that can be removed (such as a conservatory) and any planning applications for the house near the sewer have to go via united utilities as well as the planning bods. Can make the process longer and more costlier if you want to extend in the future.