Is this a reasonable post-survey request?

mufi

My daughter's just had a phone call from her surveyor subsequent to a building survey. He's identified a couple of problems - one is that there is a leak in the upstairs shower room causing damp in the kitchen ceiling below and the ceiling is in danger of collapse. The other is that the sitting room gas fire is incorrectly vented. There are a few other minor things, but these are obviously the urgent ones...

As the remedial work obviously needs to be completed and certified before exchange (and before the ceiling collapses/someone is gassed...), is it reasonable to expect the vendor to cover the full cost of about £800?

societys_child

There's no simple answer to that. Depends on the asking price against the value of the property.

As an example, I bought my current house knowing I would have to spend 5 to 10k to put every thing right.

As usual, It all comes down to what you are prepared to pay.

olias

mufi wrote: »

My daughter's just had a phone call from her surveyor subsequent to a building survey. He's identified a couple of problems - one is that there is a leak in the upstairs shower room causing damp in the kitchen ceiling below and the ceiling is in danger of collapse. The other is that the sitting room gas fire is incorrectly vented. There are a few other minor things, but these are obviously the urgent ones...

As the remedial work obviously needs to be completed and certified before exchange (and before the ceiling collapses/someone is gassed...), is it reasonable to expect the vendor to cover the full cost of about £800?

Why does the work need to be completed and certified prior to exchange? This would only be the case if it was a condition of the mortgage lender. I'm guessing your daughter has already had an offer accepted at more than £800 below the asking price. Does that not cover the cost of the very minor problems you have indicated?

As for the ceiling collapsing - highly unlikely unless the leak was gushing out, worst case would probably be a bit of plaster falling down. As for the gas fire - don't turn it on until you get a suitable vent sorted.

As SC states, I have yet to buy a house where I haven't had to spend money on it, you just reflect that in the price offered.

Olias

JQ.

Personally, I'd want to get the work done myself to make sure it gets done correctly. Lets face it the vendor has no vested interest in the repairs lasting more than a month. Try and negotiate a discount.

mufi

olias wrote: »

Why does the work need to be completed and certified prior to exchange?I'm guessing your daughter has already had an offer accepted at more than £800 below the asking price. Does that not cover the cost of the very minor problems you have indicated?

As for the ceiling collapsing - highly unlikely unless the leak was gushing out, worst case would probably be a bit of plaster falling down. As for the gas fire - don't turn it on until you get a suitable vent sorted.

As SC states, I have yet to buy a house where I haven't had to spend money on it, you just reflect that in the price offered.
Olias

Many thanks for the useful replies - this is alien territory to us as things seemed to have changed somewhat since we were first time buyers a million years ago.

She paid a fair price for the house based on previous recent sales in the road. As usual, the surveyor highlighted billions of things, the rest of which she will sort out; however, he has strongly advised her to sort out these two things before exchanging - as he pointed out, the last thing one wants is for a ceiling to become a floor between exchange and completion:eek:.

She is just trying to do the right thing... that's why I asked.

poppysarah

mufi wrote: »

is it reasonable to expect the vendor to cover the full cost of about £800?

It is reasonable to have a builder inspect and quote for sorting leak out. Sorting out bathroom after (which might involve retiling etc) and then sorting floor joists out if they've rotted...
New ceiling in kitchen below etc.

Bill could be £1000s.

SWLondon_2

Depends if you took this work into account when you made the offer, if you did you can't have a second bite of the cherry, otherwise you are able to make a new offer in light of the survey. I suspect the condition is that of the building society, a classic case of chicken and egg.

olias

mufi wrote: »

Many thanks for the useful replies - this is alien territory to us as things seemed to have changed somewhat since we were first time buyers a million years ago.

She paid a fair price for the house based on previous recent sales in the road. As usual, the surveyor highlighted billions of things, the rest of which she will sort out; however, he has strongly advised her to sort out these two things before exchanging - as he pointed out, the last thing one wants is for a ceiling to become a floor between exchange and completion:eek:.

She is just trying to do the right thing... that's why I asked.

If that occurred then the legal obligation would be on the vendors to fix it prior to completion.

Olias