Buying house with work required

hwalkerh

Been round in circles with the house we are buying. Waited a month to find out about a problem with the floor and have it confirmed. Floor needs £10k of work doing to it. We put forward 3 offers.
1) they have floor done between completion and exchange and they then bare the risk of further work required etc
2) we reduce offer by £20k and have the work done we are out of a property for 3 weeks and take the risk that problems arise and further work is required.
3) we walk away.

Yesterday estate agent called and said the seller will go for option 1. Thought it was all back going but today I get a call and the estate agent is pretty much bullying me. Said it wasn't normal for work to be done between completion and exchange (which they originally told me was usual). They normally just drop the price. I was told the seller is vulnerable like I had been bullying her. Also seemed to have a go at me for putting my solicitor on hold when i pointed out that i wasn't paying for searches when we didn't know what was happening with the property. Also got told what does it matter how the property is inside as it needs gutting. I pointed out that it does but we aren't doing it straight away.

Is it normal when there is a problem with the property to get work done between exchange and completion? I can't see why not.

So stresssed

vegasbaby100

I would want the work done before exchange personally.

What is the problem with the floor? can it be claimed through insurance? if so cant the current owner if vunerable start the claim and then transfer the claim to you.? or have the work done now#/?

andy.m_2

It will need to be done prior to completion or they will be able to walk away leaving you to pick up the pieces.
I also would never have let them done it, but insisted that they reduce by the price I needed, how else do you know that they aren't going to go on the cheap and you are left to pick up the pieces.

Very strange that your solicitor didn't advise you on these points.

hwalkerh

I was told it was usual to have it done between completion and exchange. We are going to have it written in the contract and state the company to do it so we don't end up with a cheap job.

We offered to have the price reduced and we sort the work but at a slightly higher costs then just the work as we would take on the risk to anything additional arising.

The floor has sulphate attack