Reducing Offer - Asbestos Garage roof

Glover1862

Not too far from exchange but I've only been able to inspect the garage today as the keys had been misplaced.




Plants are growing on the roof and found there way inside causing the roof to be damaged and leak, it also looks like the roof is made from Asbestos cement sheets so really needs to be replaced, the garage is in a block.


The first estimate has come in at £1200, I was thinking of reducing the offer by £1000. The house is well priced, was up for £160k, I offered £156k which was accepted. They’d had a buyer fall through just before exchange and I’m a BTL purchaser with everything in place. Don’t want to delay thing too much but it’s not that minor an issue and I did ask to view the garage.


Is it best offer via solicitors or Estate Agent? Property is in Luton and market is good there, agent reckons they had quite a few interested parties.

TheCyclingProgrammer

Offer through EA will be much quicker. If there's lots of interest and you've already had an offer below asking price, I wouldn't get your hopes up of the reduced offer being accepted. It is only a garage after all, a leaking garage roof isn't the end of the world.

Lots of concrete garage roofs contain asbestos, I don't think its an issue unless its disturbed.

westv

Seems a bit pointless delaying the purchase over £1k. If it was £10k maybe different. That's just my opinion though.

Glover1862

I was thinking this as well as not massive amount but £1k is still £1k and I suppose if you don't ask and all that.


Its just the word Asbestos that caused the panic, and it's more than just a leak, quite a bit of vegetation inside! It's a 1985 build so I would assume not the really nasty (specialist contractor ) type, but I know all asbestos needs to be handled carefully.

Hoploz

Get on with the purchase regardless. These sellers have been through enough already. Just forget about it. It's never bothered them

TheCyclingProgrammer

Yes, if you had the roof replaced it would need to be done with care.

No harm in asking.

Glover1862

Hoploz wrote: »

Get on with the purchase regardless. These sellers have been through enough already. Just forget about it. It's never bothered them

I'd like to get on with it but it's basically a garage I can't use which I tried to view on the first visit. It never bothered them as they might not have used it, not to say I won't.

pawlala

Glover1862 wrote: »

They’d had a buyer fall through just before exchange

Gosh, I hope he's ok :shocked:

greatgimpo

Glover1862 wrote: »

Plants are growing on the roof...

They’d had a buyer fall through...

Maybe he was gardening!

lincroft1710

Must be a small house (or ex council) if it's only £156K and in Luton.

No doubt the seller factored in the cost of you having to replace the garage roof when they accepted your offer.

Glover1862

I was just about to email the agent, not sure whether to bother or not now, part of me saying leave it other saying if you don't ask and it will save in a £1200 in cash very soon, I'm sure a more experienced BTL'er would have gone in much harder!