Estate Agent demanding copy of the survey

cookie_monster_2

I know this isn't my thread but it's similar. How would you go about speaking to the seller directly?

SerialRenter

cookie_monster_2 wrote: »

I know this isn't my thread but it's similar. How would you go about speaking to the seller directly?

Put a note through their door with your contact details.

AdrianC

cookie_monster_2 wrote: »

How would you go about speaking to the seller directly?

If only you knew where they lived, it'd be easy...

circuit

We were trying to buy a well-priced house that needed modernising and new windows etc. The valuation came back at the right price and we offered knowing that the work was imminent.

However, when we got the survey done, it recommended that we get the boundary walls, electrics and gas checked. This unearthed around £12,000 worth of work that we couldn't have know about when we offered. This work would have needed to be done within the first year.

We knew that these hidden problems meant we couldn't afford the house. We asked the seller to help with the cost - even just £500 - and they refused, so we walked away.

(The problems were serious - for example, the electrics were not safe)

IMO this is the balancing act you have to make: did you know about the work (or could you have reasonably guessed)? If so, you have no grounds to drop your offer.

If the work is a surprise to you, is it expensive enough to make the house unaffordable? And/or is the house unsafe because of the problems you have discovered? If yes, there is your opener for negotiation.

mgarl10024

laidbackgjr wrote: »

The estate agent can demand to see it all they like, but they don't have to be given it.

princeofpounds wrote: »

They want the survey so a) they can get a free survey without having to pay for it

That's my view.

When buying a house, you don't need a survey. However, the concerned (some may sensible) buyer gets one done at their expense, and this is the advise of a professional surveyor as to the condition of the property.
This has value. It has value to you as the buyer (or you wouldn't have paid for it), but it also has value for the sellers.
As a result, I wouldn't simply hand it over. I'd let them see the relevant (and only the relevant) sections, and perhaps I'd walk into a branch and let them view (but not take copies) of it.
If they really wanted the survey, and I was within my rights, I might accept an offer of half of the survey price - but only if I thought this wouldn't weaken my negotiation case.

em_9187

we couldn't possibly have known about the horizontal cracks and wall tie corrosion - it just isn't my field of expertise.

StuC75

its likely that kind of work is reflected in the price - with that work done the valuation would likely be higher..

This house needs someone with the financial resources to do that work, and so is simply outside of your affordability..

think of it this way - say a car is valued \ worth £40k, but needs £10k of work doing it (say engine and other bits), so it is being sold for £30k - to entice someone in to buy to do up..

Once you know that it needs £10k of work doing is it really grounds for you to try and offer £20k ? Or is that the point you realise its beyond your affordability..

em_9187 wrote: »

we couldn't possibly have known about the horizontal cracks and wall tie corrosion - it just isn't my field of expertise.

shaunclark

My parents have been living in there bungalow for approx. 2 years. I have a small building business. There existing garage was dilapidated so I am going to build them a new one. The old man who lived there before my parents was by neighbouring reports suffering from dementia. The boundary line is shared to the right hand side with two neighbours, both have dug up sections of the boundary hedge and erected fencing on my parents land within the last 5 years by there admission. The neighbour directly to the right have reluctantly relinquished , However the neighbour to there back garden is the ex-chief constable of sussex . He visited my parents and told them that there was nothing they could do about the fence and if they touched it he would cause them trouble in a round about way. The very next day my brother (who lives with my parents ) was pulled over by the police feet from the driveway. He also stated to my father that the oak tree (that used to be in the old mans garden but is now is in his ) he bought from the old man for £50. I would really appreciate some feed back on this as my parents do not have the money to go through the courts. I have posted the situation on you tube type, boundary issue ex-chief constable of sussex will not move his fence.
Can I remove the fence without his buddies arresting me.