Survey or not to Survey...?

dorset_nurse

I would like to know what your thoughts are on the issue below-

Someone I know is buying a 100 year old house in the South West of England, with a 40% deposit.
There is obvious damp in the property (the extent and location I do not know- I think its only the living room), and there is a chimney which has been blocked up by the current occupants.
The buyers tell me that the damp is due to the chimney not being vented properly- the vendors told them that they didn't close the chimney properly and as the damp didn't get worse they didn't rectify it.
One of the buyers is a plumber and thinks it will be relatively cheap and easy to rectify the problem.

They are about to have the valuation survey carried out, but they are not going to have a full survey.

Would you have a full survey carried out?

I'm not in a position to advise so I thought I would point them to the general consensus on this thread.
Thanks in advance for your comments

G_M

Just because plumber work with pipes which carry water does not mean they know squat about ventillation, damp, property construction.....!

If the buyers are knowledgable about property, and are confidant they know what is causing the damp and how to rectify, then they may well decide not to have a survey.

But on a 100 year old property there may be many aspects which require maintenance/repair, plus of course the construction will have grossly pre-dated any Building Regulations, so improvements might be wise. A surveyor will advise.

It all comes down to their knowledge and confidence, and their attitiude to risk.

dorset_nurse

Thanks G_M that was my thought.
They are a young couple buying and living away from their parents homes for the first time so no experience of living in or maintaining buildings other than the ones they grew up in.
I am trying to gently persuade them to have one. I'm running out of ideas!

anselld

I certainly would not try to persuade them.
It is a personal thing about your attitude to risk. Some people would prefer to save the money and if necessary spend it on rectifying defects or making improvements.
In any case it will probably have all the usual caveats - get a damp and timber survey, get the electrics and boiler checked by experts, I cany see the roof without a ladder, I cant test the drains, blah, blah. They can be a dissapointing waste of money which tells you nothing you dont already know.
Their solicitor will in any case advise them strongly in favour of a survey and explain the risks of not having one. I would think you should keep out of it and let them make their own decision ( unless they have specifically asked for advice)

Davesnave

If he's a plumber, he'll likely know some builders, who are often capable of looking over a property for the more obvious and typical defects common to its type. Are you sure he isn't going down that route?

I've bought 3 properties without a structural survey, just the 'builder's nod' assessment. This has thrown up a few issues of a relatively minor nature. I suppose if anything more worrying had been revealed, I'd have negotiated on the strength of that, or if necessary, brought a surveyor in for back-up.

dorset_nurse

Thanks for the responses.
anselld- I have not given advice other than say that I would get a survey; hence the line "gently persuade", and when they said they wouldn't get one I suggested taking a builder in to have a look.
I also suggested that if the survey came up with repairs they could use that in negotiating the price, but they want the house asap and do not want to stall it at all. (They spotted the damp after offer being accepted and didn't renegotiate).
They have asked me for overall advice but I am trying not to get involved as they are family!
Davesnave- they are not asking builders to look at it, which is exactly what I suggested to them actually when they said they were not getting a survey.
They are going with a HSBC mortgage so having to use Countrywide, and with such a large deposit I don't think the bank will worry about lending- I also doubt they will ask for certain extra surveys to be carried out.
I agree surveys are a personal thing, I haven't had a survey on my current home. It was 10 years old and when I viewed it with a family member in the building trade I decided to take the risk.