Structural party wall is in 'process of collapsing'

vertex

Hi. Im really concerned and this has been consuming my thoughts for months now so I hope someone out there can help or offer some sort of guidance:

Im looking to buy a terraced house. I was due to exchange and at the last minute the solicitor came across some correspondence in regards to an existing party wall dispute. The neighbour had a survey done. Their surveyor said that the party wall was in the 'process of collapsing'. This of course rang massive alarm bells. The neighbour is saying that the wall needs to be taken down and rebuilding. Of course, the neighbour and the vendor have completely fallen out and there is no communication between them.

The vendor has said that no party wall notice has been issued and their side is fine - there is no sign of cracking and it all looks neat to me (in my wholly ignorant opinion!).

The neighbours property has just come up for auction and Ive managed to get a couple of builders access to the neighbours property (during a block viewing) so they can see exactly what the issue is because there is no skirting board on the neighbours side allowing us to see inside the wall.

Both builders have said that theres not much to worry about, the bottom of the upright beams in the wall have rotted. They said theyld probably just saw off the bottoms and put in new wooden ones with some damp coursing in. The builders say that surveyors are overly cautious becasue they dont want to be sued, so its easier for them to say "it all needs rebuilding" rather than using common sense (those are the words the builders used).

I suppose Im wanting to know that if I did go ahead and buy the property, if whoever buys the next door property chooses to rebuild the wall, could they make me pay for half of it? Has anyone had a similar experience before? What are your experiences of surveyors - can 2 surveyors have completely different opinions? (eg: one says a wall is falling down and needs rebuilding whereas another says that just some minor work is needed).

The vendor is adamant that they will not reduce the price and is already in the process of talking to the agents to put it back on the market. I really want this place as its in a nice area. Im currently waiting to hear back from the builders in regards to quotes.

Also, I just thought - does my building insurance company need to know about this? I presume they do. This in itself may put the kibosh on the whole process (no buildings insurance - no mortgage!).

Many thanks

G_M

I'd be very wary. If the only part of the wall visible is the base where the skirting board is removed how can you (they) be sure the rot does not extend further than "the bottom of the upright beams ".

At best, you'll be sharing the cost of some minor remedial work.

At middling you'll be sharing the cost of rebuilding the wall.

At worst you'll spend the next 2 years in dispute with your new neighbours.

poppysarah

vertex wrote: »

Hi. Im really concerned and this has been consuming my thoughts for months now so I hope someone out there can help or offer some sort of guidance:

Im looking to buy a terraced house. I was due to exchange and at the last minute the solicitor came across some correspondence in regards to an existing party wall dispute. The neighbour had a survey done. Their surveyor said that the party wall was in the 'process of collapsing'. This of course rang massive alarm bells.

Ah go find another house that won't have a neighbour dispute.

Anything you lose in fees is better than not being able to resell the house...

themull1

I wouldn't touch it.

Mankysteve

To quote Monty python. RUN AWAY RUN AWAY.

Ankatden

IF worth it then worth getting another full survey done on both properties as Auction house may not be aware of issue.

Is next door subject to a repo order ?

CFC

Don't bother unless you have deep pockets. There are other houses out there that won't have the same problems

bloss0m

Walk away...

vertex

humph, sounds like everyone is of a similar opinion.

Part of the problem is not being able to get easy access to next door. If I did, then I could get a surveyor in to have a proper look. Ill hopefully be going along to the auction to see if I can have a quiet word with whoever buys it and gauge what their thoughts are. Because of the condition of the property, a builder is likely to buy it.

The reason why I have my heart set on it is becasue I can only afford places in not very nice areas. This place is tiny (small 1 bedroom house) but is in a nice area.

Can surveyor's opinions differ so much from each other? Surely a wall is either collapsing or its not. Would the neighbour's surveyor have an axe to grind if he's acting in her interests?

lindos90

If you are at the point where you are about to exchange you should already have had your survey done, what did that say, or did you jsut have a basic valuation?

Also if you are at this stage, the vendor should have completed a property information questionnaire, which askes if they have ad disputes with the neighbours, which they have obviously not admitted to.

If they have not beeb upfront about the wall, or the issues with the neighbours, then what else have they not told you?

I would be tempted, as a last resort, to call at the neighbours in a friendly way, and ask generally what the area is like etc and that you understand there is a problem with the wall, if they could give you any advice from their point of view, it may give you a different perspective, and start you off on a friendly footing, if they do become your new neighbours.

Get all the paperwork you can relating to this wall, call the council who may beable to confirm if there is indeed a party wall dispute and what the details are.

I know you dont want to hear it, as you have set your heart on the house, but there will be others, some time, maybe not right now, but there will. Wasting how ever many hundreds you have already spent on fees for this house, will potentially save you nightmares, heartache, KKKs of money and stress if you do go a head.

Alternatively you dont want to loose this on the potential basis of a misunderstanding or assumption. ould it be possible to get a surveyor in specifically to look in detail at the wall and do a report of this? Then if you did buy it and there was indeed problems he didnt spot, you would have some cover.

I would delve into it a little more, to satisfy yourself, but then if it still looks bad, I would walk. Maybe then its not ment to be.

Surveyors can have different opinions yes. Depends how much detail they have seen, which bit they have looked at, what level of survey they are doing. Some recommend a more specialist survey is carried out, some just do a sweeping statement to cover themselves.

lindos90

...just thought, when is the other property going to auction? Could you wait and see how much this goes for? Maybe this could give you some leverage to renegotiate, and you could offset that against any work that needs doing?

At least if any work needs doing you have got the option of negotiating and splitting the bill with the neighbour, someone in a detatched would have the whole bill;)