Home buyers report - will they test the services

FloFlo

We are part exchanging with Taylor wimpey and they are having a homebuyers survey conducted on our house.

I am just wondering how detailed the survey is. I will be there when they conduct the survey, do they physically test all the electrics, taps, showers, etc?

G_M

They might visually examine the electrics, boiler, plumbing but the surveyor will not be an electrician, gas engineer, or plumber, so will not do further investigation.

If he has concerns, he will recommend a specialist examination.

phill99

A Chartered Surveyor (who will be the person most liely to be doing your survey) is not qualified to get services (gas and electricity) and will confirm on the report that It is appropriate to get them tested by appropriately qualified tradesmen.

robatwork

If you're lucky they will confirm there is electricity. Very lucky, they will confirm there is evidence gas is supplied to the property. Probably won't flush toilets or turn taps on either. They may comment on the pipework.

They should comment on the age of the fuse box and the model of the boiler, but that's it.

Inspect it yourself as much as you can - turn on all taps, lights, and the cooker and oven. He won't.

greenjellybean

robatwork wrote: »

If you're lucky they will confirm there is electricity. Very lucky, they will confirm there is evidence gas is supplied to the property. Probably won't flush toilets or turn taps on either. They may comment on the pipework.

They should comment on the age of the fuse box and the model of the boiler, but that's it.

Inspect it yourself as much as you can - turn on all taps, lights, and the cooker and oven. He won't.

It takes a lot of nerve to do that Rob! We put in our offer after just one viewing so couldnt remember anything about the house once we left, let alone trying out the toilet etc. It turned out I distantly knew the vendors so when we visited again, it would have felt really odd having a go at opening the patio doors, flicking the light switches. We should, I agree as it is the most money I will ever spend on anything! Any tips for making it less awkward?

FloFlo

It's my house that is being surveyed for Taylor Wimpey, hubby is getting himself overly excited about little faults in our home and by the time he has finished spending money correcting, cleaning, DIY ing I won't want to move.

If they don't pick up faults on the homebuyers survey can they still come after us after completion for faults?

robatwork

greenjellybean wrote: »

It takes a lot of nerve to do that Rob! We put in our offer after just one viewing so couldnt remember anything about the house once we left, let alone trying out the toilet etc. It turned out I distantly knew the vendors so when we visited again, it would have felt really odd having a go at opening the patio doors, flicking the light switches. We should, I agree as it is the most money I will ever spend on anything! Any tips for making it less awkward?

Yes - grow a thicker skin!

More seriously - I only did this on my third viewing when it was obvious I was a serious buyer. I opened all the windows, opened all the fitted cupboards etc.

You wouldn't buy a car without checking the basics - I consider these things like an MOT on a house. And from experience you just don't know what the surveyor will actually do. My opinion is that you get the buildings survey to tell you that it's structurally sound, foundations, tree roots, woodworm, damp etc. Not that the things you can check yourself are working
Rob

robatwork

FloFlo wrote: »

It's my house that is being surveyed for Taylor Wimpey, hubby is getting himself overly excited about little faults in our home and by the time he has finished spending money correcting, cleaning, DIY ing I won't want to move.

If they don't pick up faults on the homebuyers survey can they still come after us after completion for faults?

I wouldn't worry - a house builder can fix any small issues for peanuts. I imagine they just want to make sure it isn't on a flood plain or shows serious subsidence. Once you exchange they can't come after you.

Am tempted to make sarcastic comment about house builders and finishing quality.

[Deleted User]

FloFlo wrote: »

It's my house that is being surveyed for Taylor Wimpey, hubby is getting himself overly excited about little faults in our home and by the time he has finished spending money correcting, cleaning, DIY ing I won't want to move.

If they don't pick up faults on the homebuyers survey can they still come after us after completion for faults?

I don't think that they'll be looking for 'little' faults. Presumably your new house that you are part exchanging against is a lot more expensive that your exissting property (otherwise it wouldn't be worth Taylor Wimpey Part Exchanging). They want to sell you a house and know that they have to buy yours to do so.

Re: coming after you later - no, once the deal's done it's done. Unless of course something was deliberately concealed perhaps? They're the professionals and they should know what they're doing after all.

FloFlo

Our little faults are:
cooker hood not working - we have tried changing fuse but its not that;

light pull in downstairs toilet needs replacing - hubby reckons he could replace this but I trust him, lol;

over bath shower not working - never has since we bought the property a few years ago, another job that we never got around to fixing;

Garage door keeps coming off the runner at the one side, so is diffcult to open;

We are getting an ok deal with Taylor Wimpey but with the costs of moving and the fact that we will be leaving built in appliances that we need to replace with freestanding at the new property we would rather not have to spend the money on these repairs unless its necessary.

So I guess what I am asking is, will these be picked up on the survey, if they are will Taylor Wimpey be likely to change the price they have offered us?

If they aren't picked up on the survey but are then picked up by Estate agents or new buyers after we have exchanged with Taylor Wimpey can they come after us?

[Deleted User]

The faults don't seem that major to me ... hopefully not to the surveyor either! I have doubts that they would affect the price.

Sounds like you may worry over this, so probably worth you mentioning them to the surveyor (make a list, so that there is a record) for your own peace of mind.