Concerned about actions rated '3' on homebuyers report

webster023

Hi there everyone,

The wife and myself have had an offer accepted on a 3 bedroom Victorian end of terrace townhouse, but we're a bit concerned by our recent homebuyers report which has uncovered a few actions rated as '3'. Was just hoping if anyone could give any advice as to whether any of these items (paraphrased below) were worthy of halting the purchase.

1 (Chimney Stacks) - There is a single brick stack with replacement "Flashband" flashing. There are numerous spalled bricks and open joints. The spalled bricks should be cut out and replaced, the stack part re-pointed and the Flashband replaced with lead flashing

2 (Roof Coverings) - The main roof is pitched and concrete tile covered. It generally appears in fair condition for its age where seen. However, some maintenance works are now required. Localised Re-Pointing is necessary to both gable verges and some weathering is evident to the ridge tiles.

3 (Main Walls) - To the right hand side gable, the upper wall is of a half brick thickness and is leaning outwards. It is recommended that a Structural Engineer is asked to inspect and advice on its stability and any necessary remedial works.

The right hand side flank wall was subject to a limited inspection using binoculars from a public highway. Where seen, the mortar pointing to the wall is in poor order with extensive re-pointing required. Further re-pointing is required to the section of parapet wall above the mono pitched roof over the rear most bedroom.

As the ground floor is part formed by the cellar and suspended timber construction, it required sub floor ventilation.

4 (Ceilings) - The ceilings in the two reception rooms are the original lath and plaster ceilings. They are both in poor order with extensive cracking and off-key areas. They require replacement.

5 (Cellar) - There is evidence of flooding in the cellar (vendors insist it has never flooded in the time they've lived there though...) and a pump is presently in situ to pump out the cellar in the event of flooding. Details of the extent of and frequency of the flooding should be obtained from the vendor.

6 (Electricity) - The meter and consumer unit are located in the hallway at high level. The consumer unit contains the old-style rewireable fuses. Upgrading of the installation is required

7 (Gas/Oil) - Mains supply connected. The meter is located in the cellar.

Regular safety inspections of the gas installation are essential. If the gas installation has not been inspected within the last 12 months then this should be carried out prior to a legal commitment to purchase by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

8 (Heating) - Heating is provided by a modern combination gas fired boiler located in the rear bedroom. The boiler serves pressed steel radiators to most areas.

Central Heating systems and gas fires should be serviced annually, Your legal adviser should request sigh of past maintenance records for the central heating system. If the boiler has not been serviced within the last 12 months then a full service should be carried out by a gas safe registered heating engineer prior to a legal commitment to purchase.



With all these 3 rated issues you'd think that the house might be a bit of a disaster but then the surveyor says as the overall opinion of the property...

"The property is generally considered to be a reasonable proposition for purchase at the agreed price, providing there are no unduly onerous remedial works required as a result of further investigations. Providing there are no unduly onerous works required, the value will be £213,000"

Before we received this homebuyers report the valuation report from the mortgage provider turned up the problem with the gable wall and we're getting a quote from a structural engineer who came out to view the property earlier today (still waiting on his quote). Also as a result of the issue with the aforementioned gable wall the mortgage offer has a retention of £3,000. We've also agreed with the sellers of the property that if the estimate for the work on the gable wall is roughly around £3,000, then they will knock that off the current price of £213,000 to reduce it to £210,000.

However, after seeing all the red in the homebuyers report I'm a bit sceptical about proceeding. Should me and the wife be worried, or is this just a possibly overzealous surveyor trying to cover his back a bit??

Thanks to anyone who read that all btw

googler

6, 7 and 8 don't indicate any fault at all, so why are they red-flagged?

webster023

googler wrote: »

6, 7 and 8 don't indicate any fault at all, so why are they red-flagged?

No idea at all and I thought the same, hence me thinking maybe the surveyor is just the over-zealous type...

cattie

This is all pretty standard for houses of this age. It would be virtually impossible to find a Victorian house without any issues. They do need more maintenance than a modern house does, but when you want a house with a bit of character, it's something you accept.

As the vendors have agreed to the cost of the work on the wall then you've got a good result there. However, I don't think you've anything to lose by trying for a bit more off due to the old fuse board, ceilings probably needing reboarding at some point & the fact that the boiler is in the bedroom.

Personally I'd never buy a house with a boiler in a bedroom, indeed I've turned down quite a few houses over the years where boiler has been situated thus. It's just something I don't like. To me boilers belong in kitchen or bathroom, preferably hidden behind a kitchen wall cabinet or in an airing cupboard in the bathroom & not in a room people might be sleeping in.

DevCoder

For 6 - Upgrading of the installation is required.

Rubbish, upgrading might be advised as the old unit might not have RCD , RCBO etc. but there is nothing wrong with old re-wireable units.

Personally I would upgrade to a split board but it would be no means required. Indeed upgrading to an rcd cu might well introduce even more problems that need extensive work to sort out (borrowed neutrals, cabling causing nuisance trips to the sensitive mcb/rcd's)

DevCoder

Agreed with Cattie, having been CO poisoned (at my inlaws of all places) where the entire family required hospitalisation I want boilers as far way from any area I may be residing in for large periods of time.

webster023

cattie wrote: »

This is all pretty standard for houses of this age. It would be virtually impossible to find a Victorian house without any issues. They do need more maintenance than a modern house does, but when you want a house with a bit of character, it's something you accept.

As the vendors have agreed to the cost of the work on the wall then you've got a good result there. However, I don't think you've anything to lose by trying for a bit more off due to the old fuse board, ceilings probably needing reboarding at some point & the fact that the boiler is in the bedroom.

Personally I'd never buy a house with a boiler in a bedroom, indeed I've turned down quite a few houses over the years where boiler has been situated thus. It's just something I don't like. To me boilers belong in kitchen or bathroom, preferably hidden behind a kitchen wall cabinet or in an airing cupboard in the bathroom & not in a room people might be sleeping in.

Yeah, having a home with a bit of character is quite important to us and we knew it would throw up a few issues. However not having any real experience of this kind of thing and not being very DIY minded myself, I appreciate the comments.

Fingers crossed the cost of the gable wall isn't something crazy like £10k to sort..

webster023

krisdorey wrote: »

Agreed with Cattie, having been CO poisoned (at my inlaws of all places) where the entire family required hospitalisation I want boilers as far way from any area I may be residing in for large periods of time.

Good point, we'll definitely be in the hunt for a good CO alarm if we end up going through with the purchase.

Sorry to hear about what happened with you and your family.

DRP

Give the surveyor a ring. He'll be able to give you more info and his own opinion.

AdrianC

webster023 wrote: »

1 (Chimney Stacks) - There is a single brick stack with replacement "Flashband" flashing. There are numerous spalled bricks and open joints. The spalled bricks should be cut out and replaced, the stack part re-pointed and the Flashband replaced with lead flashing

That doesn't sound great - definitely one for a closer look.

2 (Roof Coverings) - The main roof is pitched and concrete tile covered. It generally appears in fair condition for its age where seen. However, some maintenance works are now required. Localised Re-Pointing is necessary to both gable verges and some weathering is evident to the ridge tiles.

Not necessarily a heck of a lot more than routine maintenance. A half day of a roofer's time should see you right.

3 (Main Walls) - To the right hand side gable, the upper wall is of a half brick thickness and is leaning outwards. It is recommended that a Structural Engineer is asked to inspect and advice on its stability and any necessary remedial works.

As with 1, closer look.

4 (Ceilings) - The ceilings in the two reception rooms are the original lath and plaster ceilings. They are both in poor order with extensive cracking and off-key areas. They require replacement.

We had an original L'n'P ceiling fall down with very little warning in our last place...

5 (Cellar) - There is evidence of flooding in the cellar (vendors insist it has never flooded in the time they've lived there though...) and a pump is presently in situ to pump out the cellar in the event of flooding. Details of the extent of and frequency of the flooding should be obtained from the vendor.

There's no flooding, because they're constantly pumping the water out... How long have they lived there, and if there's no problem, why do they have a pump running constantly?

6 (Electricity) - The meter and consumer unit are located in the hallway at high level. The consumer unit contains the old-style rewireable fuses. Upgrading of the installation is required

Not a bad idea at all, but not necessarily scary.

7 (Gas/Oil) - Mains supply connected. The meter is located in the cellar.

Regular safety inspections of the gas installation are essential. If the gas installation has not been inspected within the last 12 months then this should be carried out prior to a legal commitment to purchase by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

8 (Heating) - Heating is provided by a modern combination gas fired boiler located in the rear bedroom. The boiler serves pressed steel radiators to most areas.

Central Heating systems and gas fires should be serviced annually, Your legal adviser should request sigh of past maintenance records for the central heating system. If the boiler has not been serviced within the last 12 months then a full service should be carried out by a gas safe registered heating engineer prior to a legal commitment to purchase.

Standard.

On their own, there's a few things that you can use to negotiate. But... the combination of the flooding and the leany wall, together with cracked old ceiling, makes me wonder a bit. If I was anything but dead-set on it, I'd be chin-stroking. If I was dead-set, then there'd definitely be some specialist opinion coming up. Worst possible case is that the cellar's so waterlogged that there's some movement, causing that leany wall and the ceiling plaster to crack.

webster023

DRP wrote: »

Give the surveyor a ring. He'll be able to give you more info and his own opinion.

That won't cost extra will it!