Selling - is this negotiation ok?

huglebear

I'm a first-time seller, selling my house to a first-time buyer. Their surveyor discovered a chimney breast isn't adequately supported - it is still in the loft but has been removed from the room below. 2 builders have advised that an RSJ is needed, and building regs should pass the work. Buyer's solicitor says I must have this work done before they'll complete. As I've already had to move out of the area for work reasons, I'm keener to negotiate on price than do the work myself. Does that sound reasonable, and does anyone know how much this kind of job would cost? Buyer knows my situation and I don't think this approach would be unexpected. Thanks!

ono_no_komachi

I'd've thought it was reasonable to offer a lower purchase price instead of having the work done - seems a fair negotiating point to me.

Your buyer may be thinking that as you are not living in the house it will be less nuisance factor to you to have the work done while you are absent than it will to them to have to live in the house while structural work is being done.

But they might also like the idea of getting the house for less. You won't know until you ask, and there's no harm in asking!

Being willing to negotiate is a point in your favour to start with - when we bought our current house we had to have £6K of structural work done and the vendor would not budge on price!