Roof leak in newly purchased house

Leakyroof

Thanks for all your replies

davidmcn

AdrianC wrote: »

What sort of "home report" did you get?

I am guessing a Scottish Home Report i.e. a seller's survey, roughly equivalent to a homebuyer's report so you'd expect them to look in the loft etc if accessible.

dc197

Leakyroof wrote: »

The survey said slight dampness was detected in plasterboard ceiling in living room

When you read the report that told you of the dampness, what did you do next? Did you ignore the report's warning and proceed to buy, or did you query it further? If the latter, what did the results of this line of questioning reveal?

kinger101

Leakyroof wrote: »

The survey said slight dampness was detected in plasterboard ceiling in living room and thy was it. It said timber and roof space was all ok and no defects found. I have had a roofer out who advises the roof had been rotting for months if not years and I due to cracked slates. The guy who done home report actually came back to the house to check. But his response was that this damage has happened recently and there is no way he could have spotted it. Surely if there was dampness and the previous owner had alleged to have had a repair done, you would investigate to see evidence of the repair? The damp in roof is clearly visible by looking in loft space - you don't actually have to go inside

I'm going through something similar myself, and I had a full survey. The procedure (in England) as I understand it would be I get a new survey done, confirming the old one was rubbish. Then, if I take action, what happens is I get the difference in the valuation of the house with and without the defect, which isn't the full cost of the repair.

I've decided to just get the problem fixed and get on with my life, as all the BS I had dealing the solicitors during the purchasing was bad enough. But if I ever saw a surveyor on fire, I wouldn't help him no matter how full my bladder was.

teneighty

Leakyroof wrote: »

The survey said slight dampness was detected in plasterboard ceiling in living room and thy was it. It said timber and roof space was all ok and no defects found. I have had a roofer out who advises the roof had been rotting for months if not years and I due to cracked slates. The guy who done home report actually came back to the house to check. But his response was that this damage has happened recently and there is no way he could have spotted it. Surely if there was dampness and the previous owner had alleged to have had a repair done, you would investigate to see evidence of the repair? The damp in roof is clearly visible by looking in loft space - you don't actually have to go inside

So you gave the surveyor a copy of the report from your roofer saying "the roof has been rotting for months" which clearer shows the surveyor missed the long standing defect?????

I have no idea how the system works in Scotland but I'm guessing the surveyor still owes you a duty of care, anyway I think the formal complaint lodged with surveyor and then take dispute to ombudsman if not satisfied with outcome still applies if it is an RICS firm.

AdrianC

AdrianC wrote: »

What sort of "home report" did you get? What did it say - exactly - about the roof and about any caveats and disclaimers?

One very obvious scenario pops to mind - you say the hole is visible in the loft? Would it be visible if the loft was full of boxes and the previous owner's stuff...?

And, strangely, these questions have gone unanswered by the OP.

magpiecottage

Was this a homebuyers' report arramged by the mortgage lender, a valuation for mortgage purposes or a survey you contracted to have done yourself?

kinger101

AdrianC wrote: »

And, strangely, these questions have gone unanswered by the OP.

The caveats and disclaimers might not hold up in court. If you took your car for an MOT, the mechanic would be expected to check the oil levels. Saying he can't do it because he didn't bring a rag with him to clean the dipstick properly, and advising it is checked by a proper rag-owning dipstick specialist wouldn't wash.

At some point the surveying profession needs to be overhauled. 95% of it is written before they've collected the keys.

AdrianC

kinger101 wrote: »

The caveats and disclaimers might not hold up in court. If you took your car for an MOT, the mechanic would be expected to check the oil levels. Saying he can't do it because he didn't bring a rag with him to clean the dipstick properly, and advising it is checked by a proper rag-owning dipstick specialist wouldn't wash.

Which isn't what's being discussed here, at all.

You're selling your house. The loft is full of your stuff. When the buyer's surveyor comes around, do you want him to empty that loft, move all your furniture, lift all your carpets, poke holes in all your walls?

At some point the surveying profession needs to be overhauled. 95% of it is written before they've collected the keys.

If a house is in good condition, 95% of it IS boiler-plate explanation and !!!!-covering. It's really only the exceptions which need to be actually covered.

Hasbeen

davidmcn wrote: »

I am guessing a Scottish Home Report i.e. a seller's survey, roughly equivalent to a homebuyer's report so you'd expect them to look in the loft etc if accessible.

If it is a Scottish home buyers report? they are the most useless ones you get.

Paid for by vendor as per Scottish law, to give free to interested partys, they are a basic report that only has one or two worthwhile pages, rest bunk/junk.

They give an basic indication of state of property/value.

It is a visual report, they check the roof from outside with binoculars etc

Most buyers if serious, should get their own independent ones done