How to answer surveyor's questions?

Windsorcastle

I need to be at my property while the buyer's surveyor comes to do the Homebuyer's Report. I'm a bit worried about him/her asking any tricky questions to try to glean information that may not be apparent otherwise. Eg. there was an insurance claim last year to repair cracks caused by neighbour's tree roots, but all repairs were carried out and there is no sign of it now but there is a plaster crack down one wall which my builder has assured me is minor and cosmetic. But if surveyor asks me whether there have been any problems, what do I say?

Or do surveyors tend not to ask the homeowner questions? I'm just worried about revealing something I don't have to, and then him making a mountain out of a molehill. I have been upfront about the repairs to the buyer and have given all the relevant info to accompany the Property Information Form. I just don't want to give the surveyor reason to frighten the buyer further in his report.

phill99

He is unlikely to ask you any thing. He is inspecting our property and basing his report on what he actually sees. He can't rely on what you tell him as being the truth, so will be unlikely to ask you anything.

Windsorcastle

phill99 wrote: »

He is unlikely to ask you any thing. He is inspecting our property and basing his report on what he actually sees. He can't rely on what you tell him as being the truth, so will be unlikely to ask you anything.

Thanks Phill. I hope not; I will just make myself scarce anyway. I did think that there wouldn't be much point them asking the seller anything because there's no proof of what was said and they don't know what I've written in the PIF.

G_M

How will he know who you are?

Tell him you are the neighbour/cleaner/au pair whatever just there to let him in.

Strapped

G_M wrote: »

How will he know who you are?

Tell him you are the neighbour/cleaner/au pair whatever just there to let him in.

But try not to stand next to your best family photos when you say this ;-)

kingstreet

It will be the surveyor's client - your purchaser, who will put questions to you based on the report's findings.

Windsorcastle

G_M wrote: »

How will he know who you are?

Tell him you are the neighbour/cleaner/au pair whatever just there to let him in.

That's a cunning plan! I like it!

Yorkie1

Windsorcastle wrote: »

That's a cunning plan! I like it!

I seriously hope you're joking! :eek:

eddddy

Windsorcastle wrote: »

... all repairs were carried out and there is no sign of it now ...

Hi Windsorcastle

In my experience, surveyors can generally tell if a house has had structural repairs - it's part of their job to identify that kind of thing.

For example, they will look for areas of non-original brickwork, areas of newer render, lines that aren't quite vertical/horizontal, evidence of tree works etc.

If the surveyor does suspect that repairs have been done, I guess you need to decide whether to volunteer information about it, or let him/her draw their own conclusions. (The surveyor wont take your word for anything, but may add a positive note to the report along the lines of "The vendor informed me that..." - which might make make the report sound less harsh.)

Windsorcastle

Yorkie1 wrote: »

I seriously hope you're joking! :eek:

What's up Yorkie? Why couldn't I pretend to be someone else rather than the owner? What's the harm?!

Windsorcastle

eddddy wrote: »

Hi Windsorcastle

In my experience, surveyors can generally tell if a house has had structural repairs - it's part of their job to identify that kind of thing.

For example, they will look for areas of non-original brickwork, areas of newer render, lines that aren't quite vertical/horizontal, evidence of tree works etc.

If the surveyor does suspect that repairs have been done, I guess you need to decide whether to volunteer information about it, or let him/her draw their own conclusions. (The surveyor wont take your word for anything, but may add a positive note to the report along the lines of "The vendor informed me that..." - which might make make the report sound less harsh.)

Thanks Eddddy. There was no structural work, mostly crack repairs and redecoration. I can't decide whether it's better to say nothing for fear of saying the wrong thing, or pre-empt the surveyor by being upfront. In fact it's not my house I'm worried about - it's the adjoining house with the wooden surrounds on their bay windows. That's what's going to flag up subsidence to the surveyor I think.