Seller gone ahead with some repairs but also disagrees with points from survey

Banberry

Last week I had the survey results back for a bungalow I'm buying. The surveyor found some things that required fixing and valued the property at 4k less than asking, given the problems found. I sent the survey results to the estate agents who said they'd get quotes to fix them from one of their builders (they also do lettings), and I was going to get a builder to quote too. Then yesterday the estate agents call saying all the problems found in the survey have now been fixed! (2 working days from them seeing the survey results)

The survey said that the chimney stack pointing was weathered and lead flashing separating from the brickwork, and apparently the sellers have fixed this. It also said that there were plastic soffit, fascia and bargeboards fixed over the original soffit, fascia and bargeboards, but the fixings have failed because the original boards have rotted. The sellers, however, are saying they have checked the boards and they aren't rotted. The report also said that the roof timbers should be checked when the above repairs are made, as they may also be rotted, but the estate agent didn't mention this and given they haven't done one of the repairs I doubt this has been done. The report also said the air space beneath the floor was poorly ventilated (urgent category 3 repair). The estate agent was dismissive of this and said it wasn't worth putting in air bricks - she said something along the lines of most of the houses they sell have this issue. There were also some other issues (e.g. polystyrene coving that needed removing, rusting lintel on garage roof) that the sellers say they have fixed.

I get the impression I'm being fobbed off and they've just fixed what they could easily do (cheaply?) and hope I'll forget about the rest. So now what do I do? I'll ask the estate agent to confirm in writing what exactly has been fixed, and I guess I need to get a builder to check their repairs. Or could I ask the surveyor if they'll go back? What usually happens when sellers disagree with stuff that's come up in the survey? Should I go back to the surveyor and ask for more details about the rotting bargeboards? And is the floor ventilation thing really not an issue? Help!

Nobbie1967

Don't listen to the opinions of the estate agent, listen to what your surveyor said. Get a builder round to quote for the original works and ask them to assess the 'repairs' that have been done. I suspect it's just been bodged, bit of mortar slapped in the joints rather than raked out and re pointed. If the underfloor isn't properly ventilated then the floor timbers can rot. Not a big job to put some air bricks in £200 maybe.

chanz4

you can ask but , they don't have to

Banberry

Nobbie, I also suspect a bodge job and will do as you suggest. Thank you :-)

G_M

Yes. Ignore the agent - he is employed and paid by the seller. he is not your friend.

And stuff fixed by a seller pre-sale like this is always a bad idea. seller has no incentive to do a proper job. And done in 2 days? have you ever tried to get a contractor out for a job!!! :rotfl:

Chimney stack work? Any decent job is likely to require scafolding .......

I would be inclined to insist on getting your original surveyor back to assess - at the seller's cost, since he went ahead with this work without consulting you.

Banberry

Thanks G_M - I like that idea!

sunshinetours

Be prepared of course the seller can of course find another buyer - they are under no obligation to do any work or agree any reduction.
Unless you had a full structural survey the review you would have had would have been largely visual and yes most likely some minor bits and pieces.

The hard thing is picking out the potential major ones - good luck