Offer - Subject to survey

kelvinwebb

Hi

Can I put in the terms of an offer that it is subject to a satisfactory survey and that any work identified as being needed from the survey should then be reduced from the offer amount.

I have seen a couple of properties where there are cracks down the side of the front bay - meaning the front is falling away and other places where there are cracks across the ceiling - suggesting something is moving.

I don't want to put in an offer have it accepted and then pay for the survey and solicitors to get to work and then find out from the survey that the house needs £10k of work done to it and the Vendor won't drop the price beyond the offer they had accepted.

I ask this because I know of a house where the vendor had accepted an offer, the buyer had the survey done which identified a falling bay and damp course failure and they then didn't agree on a new price. The vendor is now selling the property through a different agent at the same original asking price...

cattie

All offers are subject to contract, which includes survey. I doubt very much that any vendor would agree to the terms you want to impose regarding any possible work needing doing. I know I certainly wouldn't.

I might be open to negotiation for major works needed found on survey but wouldn't be agreeing up front to fund the whole cost of any such work. If work is essential then the lender will normally hold back part of the mortgage as a condition of the loan, untill the work is carried out, so this will be an indication of if something is really wrong or just cosmetic.

Ceiling cracks are quite common & often occur after a room has been newly plastered, so don't necassarily indicate a problem. Besides, all houses have settlement of some sort.