Nationwide Free House Survey

salmat

Hi All

I am writing as wondering if anyone else has been in a similar situation or can offer any advice

Last year my mother and i was looking for a property after she had separated from my father. Im knew to all of this and mum was helping me get onto the property market at the time. We both brought the property together.

My mum went into Nationwide to see whether they would give us a mortgage, the mortgage was accepted and we put in an offer on a property. Nationwide gave us a free house survey for taking out a mortgage with them. We found a house that we both liked, we put in an offer and the offer was accepted. Nationwide carried out the "free survey", we signed the documentation for this property. This house sale fell through, so we was back looking again.

We found another property, old ex council property built in built in the 1920's, we put an offer on, offer was accepted, spoke to the local Nationwide over the phone who advised they should be able to give us another free house survey.

We never signed anything from Nationwide, everything went through & we moved in Sept 2012, the house needed some improvements carrying out, which we was aware off and had budgeted for.

We had a wood burner installed in the November to replace the open fire and they guy said that he had to put a air vent into the floor, when he cut into the floor boards he thought that the floor boards were damp/rotten, we was meant to be having wooden flooring the following week, when they saw the floorbard they thought again that they were rotten. They lifted up one of the floorboards and the living room was sitting on 6 inches of water.

I called Nationwide, where the kind lady advised me that some house surveys literally has the surveyor drive past the house to check that the house is standing and not even set there foot through the door!!

I called the house insurance company to advise this, they came out but because it is not "flood damage" they wouldnt cover this.

I contacted Nationwide again as they carried out what I thought a house survey and asked them for the paperwork, this paperwork stated that they carried out a damp test which came back "green" (survey was carried out in August), we have later found out that it is not a survey that is done but just a valuation for the mortgage lender. Ive written an offical complaint to Nationwide as we was never made aware that we needed to take a survey out & what we thought was sufficent. They have come back saying that we have signed the paperwork that we understood the T&C's, we have asked for a copy of this, which is the paperwork for the previous property and not this one.

The house is an end of terrace, the soil is clay so water just tends to sit on top of the soil. The house backs onto farmers fields that tends to flood, our back garden has been really boggy this winter. The house next to us is through a Housing Association and since we have had our problems there house is now getting sorted as they have been complaining about mould and dampness to them for years.

We have since had the floorboards taken up, the water pumped out, the downstairs is now been filled with Hardcore & cement, this then had to dried which meant Xmas was spent on a concrete floor!

We had a french drain built round the front of the house and had a soakaway put into the back garden.

Has anyone else had similar experiences or offer any advise?

Thanks Sally

motherofstudents

Sorry to hear you are having problems. Our mortgage is with the Nationwide and I think they should have given you several documents when you applied. In this paperwork it should tell you what kind of surveys are available and the price. Also I think it is pretty standard for the solicitor doing your conveyancing to advise you to have more than just the valuation survey.

I would check all the documents you received from Nationwide, but I would be very surprised if they didn't make this clear to you at the time.

kingstreet

The basic inspection is a "mortgage report and valuation" and it simply confirms the property is suitable security for a mortgage and is at a reasonable price.

It is not a survey, nor should it be described as one.

The purchaser has the option of a more in-depth inspection/report conducted by a surveyor of his/her choice. These are homebuyer's reports or chartered building surveys. The cost would be by negotiation and commensurate with the work done.

The lender has done what it needed to establish the suitability of the property for the mortgage. The surveyor would put a moisture meter to the walls, but would be unable to lift floor coverings. This also applies to other types of inspection, so you may have paid for a more in-depth report and still not got flooring lifted to reveal the problem.

It is not the lender's responsibility to inform you of survey options. It may do so, by telling you verbally, or providing a leaflet, but it is not responsible for your decision to purchase.

Did your solicitor discuss surveys with you?