Buyer Beware?

sooz

Confused by the account, more than builders having differing opinions!
Perhaps the wording is not what should be conveyed to new owner or their solicitor..

Rainmaker_uk

We are in the position of being the people whos new house leaked. We did get a full survey but it's just one of those things - we will just get it mended. It did not even cross my mind to try and blame someone else!

Tell them to get lost. In fact I would not tell them anything - let them spend their money on solicitors letters if they want to - I think you are fairly safe.

dorsoduro

sooz wrote: »

So the buyers raised no questions to you or your solicitor about the roof until after completion?

Nope - we've now trawled our collective rather ancient memories after the initial panic of this morning's letter, and put the dates of what happened when into what we think is chronological order (rather difficult, as the offer was accepted in March and, due to various problems, completion was not until November).

So many thanks to you all; hugely appreciated.

olly300

dorsoduro wrote: »

Sorry for any confusion, but this is new territory for both of us and the whole thing went on for so long that we've needed to dig out documentary evidence of what happened when..

If they are stupid enough to try and take it to court then come back to this board. (They may decide to do this thinking that they will save money on builders costs.)

However having your documents already prepared in order will help you save on solicitor's fees in getting the case chucked out.

BitterAndTwisted

It's only a matter of time before these buyers try to sue their builders. I'd stake a tenner on it.

Hazel2705

If they walked into the house the day they completed and got the keys and the roof was leaking then yes, I would say they had a case but months after completion is stupid.

Anyway, who's to say the builders didn't damage the roof while they were doing the other work on the house all the time the house was empty?!

Yorkie1

BitterAndTwisted wrote:

It's only a matter of time before these buyers try to sue their builders. I'd stake a tenner on it.

Particularly when this fact is taken into account ...

dorsoduro wrote: »

It did - all was well when we completed in November 2010; the purchasers were converting part of the house into business premises, so the property was empty apart from builders working there (and still is). The first we heard about a problem was a couple of weeks after we moved, when a friend (also a neighbour) rang to tell us that builders were swarming all over the flat roof.

dorsoduro

This worrying situation is still dragging on - we now have written proof from our builder that his contracted roofer inspected the flat roof a couple of months before exchange and said there was no work required; this has been sent to our purchaser's solicitors.

However, still the purchaser refuses to withdraw his threat of court action, despite the fact that he now has not a single shred of evidence that we misrepresented anything (although, in fact, the subject of the roof was never discussed prior to completion) and is now in receipt of written proof that we are telling the truth. In addition, we have a special condition in the contract, signed by the purchaser, basically saying that the buyer has not relied on any representation made by us apart from representations in writing from our solicitors.

Any suggestions gratefully received as to how we can get this person to withdraw his false allegations and allow us to sleep at night...

Accountant_Kerry

Let him take you to court, don't worry about it you are in the right and he won't win.

I very much doubt he will bother, please don;t let it worry you.

evoke

Jeez. They did not carry out a proper structural survey that provided a professional opinion on the condition of the roof. Even if you think the roof is okay, you're not a qualified roofer so only someone is hard-of-intellect could consider your opinion on the state of the roof to be valid.

Your buyers are trying to extort money from you. Ignore them.

I am buying a property and am expecting NOTHING to work properly, regardless of what I was told by the EA or the vendors.