Homebuyers Report panic

adriano1

Hello,

I am a first time buyer and I have just had the homebuyers report back on the property and it's filled with scary 3s. I understand surveyors like to cover their back but it's still quite a concern. There appear to be problems with the ceilings and possible water penetration. It is a 1930s mid-terrace home and I was wondering if anyone here could allay my fears?

These are two of the concerning 3s:

Ceiling finishes

"The plaster finishes are generally acceptable. Some localised filling and redecoration will be needed however to repair the superficial shrinkage/differential movement cracks present. However the kitchen ceiling and that to the front bedroom have been affected by water damage together with condensation and will require repair and part replacement. There is also evidence of condensation
damage to the shower room."

Sub-floor ventilation

Air circulation beneath the suspended ground floor as stated in Section E4 Walls, is inadequate as there are not enough ventilation openings in the external walls and sub-floor ventilation needs to be improved. As there has been penetrative dampness from the shower room this floor should be opened up and inspected as a precautionary measure as persistent dampness may have lead to rot.

Most things are rated '2' and there are very few '1s'.

Has anyone else had anything like this and should I be really concerned? The house is £171,400 and the valuation agrees with this as a price.

Thanks for your time.
Adrian

cattie

All very minor really & typical of surveyor's scary speak. All shower rooms & bathrooms will suffer with condensation.

If I had a homebuyers report & the only negatives on it were the things you mentioned, I'd be very happy.

You recognise that surveyors like to cover their backs with a lot of generalisations, which is good as many buyers can get pretty freaked by mention of get the experts in to check this that & the other.

The only time to worry how serious a defect or negative might be is if the lender puts a retention on the mortgage.

No older property is ever going to be completely perfect as far as a survey goes.

You could try to get a bit of a reduction if you think the vendor will be willing to renegotiate, but if they won't shift on price, I wouldn't let that deter me from buying the house.

adriano1

Hi Cattie,

Thank you for getting back to me with this - very helpful!

This was one other bit which refers to the dampness:

"Damp meter readings were obtained from the front bedroom ceiling and chimney breast due to the deteriorating chimney stack and also evidence of damp staining to the front bedroom, conservatory and bathroom. Isolated readings were also obtained from the rear bedroom, rear wall. These are indicative of a maintenance liability. The property is also affected by condensation dampness."

The chimney stack, I hope, should be relatively straightforward to fix.

Would the above be of great concern or is it similar to the issues explained before.

Thanks again! Adrian

cattie

No, still not a lot to worry about. Condensation is mostly caused through lack of ventilation &/or lack of heating People drying wet washing indoors contributes big time to condensation too.

As long as you ensure rooms have adequate ventilation, especially bathrooms & kitchens, where fitting an extractor fan is always a good idea to help dispel the steam, & rooms do receive some heat in cold weather, then you should have very little problem with large scale condensation in future.

Many people who have properties that seem prone to condensation, recommend buying a dehumidifier. You'll find lot's of posts talking about this on these boards if you do a search.

The fact that the surveyor has mentioned some of these issues are down to a maintenance liability should help put your mind at rest. Always keep on top of maintenance & repairs when owning a property as it pays off big time in the long run & brings you very few headaches & sleepless nights.

Do try for a reduction on price of this house though, let them think you are very concerned about these issues as even if you can only get a small amount knocked off, it will all help with the overall cost of buying a home & having to have refurbishment & other work done.