should i smell a rat?

benood

I don't agree with Ashcarrot I'm afraid. In my opinion better to have the confrontation now than later after having spent money on the survey. Why else do it before moving in?

Richard_Webster

If you do go back and seek to renegotiate the seller can either

a) through his rattle out of the pram on principle because you have gone back on a (non-legally binding "agreement"); or (more likely)
b) coolly calculate whether he can sell the house for any more to anyone else, allowing for the hassle caused by delay in starting again and the state of the market, etc.

If he makes the cool calculation and concludes he will be better off putting it back on the market then he might do so or threaten it, if you don't stick to the original price. You can do those sums as well as he can and you will have to decide his likely reaction at the time.

As a conveyancing solicitor I believe the information given in the post to be useful but I accept no liability except to fee-paying clients.