Home Buyer Report

sandbrook10

Hi,

In June 2012 myself and my now ex girlfriend had a Home Buyer report undertaken prior to the purchase of our property.

Now we are selling and the buyer has had the same undertaken. The Surveyor was a really nice guy and during the course of his visit he said he would be advising the buyer that the roof tiles need replacing as there are a number missing etc.

The original report didn't mention anything about the roof, but I understand they are valid for 6 years(?)

Are we able to make any form of claim against the original report for not pointing out something?

Just a thought!

With thanks for any constructive comments.

p00hsticks

Q. How do you know that the roof tiles were missing at the point in 2012 when your home buyer report was done ?

Q, Why have you never noticed in the 3+ years subsequent that there were tiles missing ?

walwyn1978

I would say no, because in four years tiles can wear, slip, work lose, fall off in gales, etc etc.

Since I doubt the original report was obtained by someone actually climbing on the roof to inspect properly, it's just passage of time and what he could see from the ground. A tile about to slip can't be seen from the ground - a tile that has slipped can, hence the new report.

sandbrook10

p00hsticks wrote: »

Q. How do you know that the roof tiles were missing at the point in 2012 when your home buyer report was done ?
Q, Why have you never noticed in the 3+ years subsequent that there were tiles missing ?

a. This is the crux of my original question - i doubt whether a 1930's house with the original roof has deteriorated in the past 3 years beyond a level of acceptability.


a. My question is why didn't the Surveyor, a member of the RICS, someone who was paid substantially and reviewed the roof at the time of the visit notice they were missing?

sandbrook10

walwyn1978 wrote: »

I would say no, because in four years tiles can wear, slip, work lose, fall off in gales, etc etc.

Since I doubt the original report was obtained by someone actually climbing on the roof to inspect properly, it's just passage of time and what he could see from the ground. A tile about to slip can't be seen from the ground - a tile that has slipped can, hence the new report.

Thank you.

He did actually clamber onto the roof at the time to be fair.

I think it's fair to suggest we will be negotiating a fair compromise!

davidmcn

What effect does this issue have on the market value of the property?

MrJB

I would suggest that the likelihood of you being successful in your claim is slim. In 4 years tiles can fall owing to high winds etc. In any event, what's the likely cost of replacement?

questionss

Deterioration to the point of needing repair when nothing was mentioned 4yrs ago seems more than expected. Hiwever i think given the freak weather & storms of the last few years you would struggle to get any compromise at all from your surveyor. I think the compromise will have to be between you & your buyer depending on what their surveyor writes & his valuation in its current state.

Poppie68

sandbrook10 wrote: »

Thank you.

He did actually clamber onto the roof at the time to be fair.

I think it's fair to suggest we will be negotiating a fair compromise!

If the surveyor did actually take the time to clamber onto the roof it makes no sense at all that he failed to note damaged tiles, what was the point of him going up in the first place?

The tiles have been up the for 80years, if one fails then it makes sense others will go at around the same time... The bad weather we have endured over the last couple of years have in all probability damaged them . Your not going to get very far blaming the surveyor 4 years after he completed the report.

G_M

sandbrook10 wrote: »

....... he said he would be advising the buyer that the roof tiles need replacing as there are a number missing etc.
.

What does the "etc" mean?

A number of missing roof tiles means getting someone to replace that number of missing tiles. It does not mean 'the roof tiles' (ie all of them) need replacing.

A few tiles costing, say £1.00 each, would take half a day to replace: £50 - £150 labour.

So what is the "etc" - some further problem?

Ring two or three reputable local builders or roofers, and ask them to inspect, tell you how bad it is, and give you a cost to remedy. Do it now so that when the buyer comes back to you asking for £4000 off the purchase price to cover a new roof, you can respond in a knowledgeable way.

Asfor the previous report - it has no current value.