Structural Survey-who pays?

toddler9

I am currently looking at moving up the property ladder into a bigger house. On Saturday I viewed a house which ticked all the right boxes. However I noticed the walls were very moist to the touch downstairs and I couldn't see any evidence of a damp course.
More disturbingly I noticed the hallway floor was slightly sloping towards the back of the house and the doors downstairs would not close in the frames. There were no visibible cracks to walls though inside or outside the house.
The feedback I gave the EA was that I really liked the house but had some concerns that some movement had occurred due to the points listed above. I asked if the vendor would consider contributing towards a structural survey if i obtained some quotes. They quickly came back and said the vendor is not aware of any movement and that it would be up to me to pay for the survey.
I am really pained to pay £500+ for a structural survey to find out it is sinking and then I have nothing to show for that money.
Should I press the vendor to contribute towards the survey or walk away from the house?! The problem being that there isn't really anything else on the market suitable at the moment!
Thanks in advance for any help

stator

Generally the buyer would pay for surveys.

kettlefish

As the buyer it'd be up to you to pay for the survey once an offer has been accepted. Indeed, you need the survey to be "yours" as it needs to be independent.

Red-Squirrel_2

Buyers pay for surveys.

If you don't want to pay, why would the seller?

Davesnave

You might be better getting a structural engineer to look at the possible movement issue and an independent damp specialist surveyor (not a damp treatment company) to look at that aspect.

Yes, it will cost you, but you're intending to buy something very expensive, with the capability of becoming even more expensive after completion.

You don't say how old the house is. There's plenty of old property where I live with these 'issues,' some of which go back to the 16th century, when they were new builds!

Doozergirl

All houses move. You would be hard pushed to find an old house full if right angles.

That said, the buyer would pay for a survey. Surveys are there to find things that the untrained eye doesn't - so most people will get some kind if surprise.

Re: wet walls - is the house empty?

kingstreet

Davesnave wrote: »

You might be better getting a structural engineer to look at the possible movement issue and an independent damp specialist surveyor (not a damp treatment company) to look at that aspect.

Yes, it will cost you, but you're intending to buy something very expensive, with the capability of becoming even more expensive after completion.

^ What he said!

toddler9

Thanks you for the replies so far

I realize the buyer normally pays for the surveys as I have indeed done in the past. A few years ago I put an offer in on a house which was accepted however the mortgage valuation survey suggested a structural engineer to look at it. Turns out the house was subsiding and had a botched extension and the surveyor said "don't touch it with a barge pole”. So although that saved us from making the worst purchase of our lives it was an awful lot of money to pay to then tell someone else their house was subsiding.

In this case the house is from the 1930’s and there is clear evidence of movement. None of the doors close and there is a pronounced dip in the floor. Although it may well be historical I can’t be sure without the survey. The vendor is a BTL investor who is selling the house after renting it out and is keen for a quick sale I am led to believe. I think I will stick to my guns and not proceed unless they are willing to contribute towards the survey. It is in their interest to sell the property whereas I have the choice to purchase a different property.

searchlight123

thats not really the best way to proceed. if you are interested in the house then get the surveys done and depending on the findings you can adjust your offer down accordingly.
if the vendor is sensible he will negotiate this with you as any subsequent buyer's surveys are going to turn up the same issues.

as a vendor i have to say that i would not pay towards a survey knowing that in all likelihood the findings will be used against me to lower the price. no 80 year old house is going to not have any issues if its not bee refurbished in recent years anyway.

G_M

toddler9 wrote: »

Thanks you for the replies so far

I realize the buyer normally pays for the surveys as I have indeed done in the past.
so there's the answer to your own question.

...... The vendor is a BTL investor who is selling the house after renting it out and is keen for a quick sale I am led to believe. I think I will stick to my guns and not proceed unless they are willing to contribute towards the survey.
well if you think 'blackmail' of this sort may work, then try it and se.

It is in their interest to sell the property whereas I have the choice to purchase a different property.

and they have the choice to look for a different buyer.

Plus of course, if they feel 'blackmailed', who knows what issues they may raise later, or how many lightbulbs (and light fittings) you'll find when you move in......

or dead cats under the floorboards......