Full building survey for ex local authority flat

nLdn

Hi,

I've had an offer accepted (phew!) and am looking for surveyor quotes atm. I just spoke to a company in Islington who told me they dont do Homebuyers Reports and only do full building survey. She then laid thick a load of stuff about the roof maybe being about to fall in and other strong sales stuff. She told me that if the surveyor found an issue when making a homebuyer report they wouldnt tell you what the issue was but in a full building survey the surveyor would give you that detail.

All sounds a bit salesy to me. The flat is a top floor maisonette built, I'd say in the 70s and seems in pretty good state of repair. I already know the council freeholder want to re-surface the roof over the next year or so - that should I hope cancel that worry out.

The things I'm mostly interested in from my viewings of the place are - is the wiring a death trap, what state is the boiler in, is there any damp. I'd get this info from a home buyers report wouldnt i?

Thanks,

B

jbainbridge

nLdn wrote: »

Hi,

The things I'm mostly interested in from my viewings of the place are - is the wiring a death trap, what state is the boiler in, is there any damp. I'd get this info from a home buyers report wouldnt i?

No you won't. You'll need an electrician to check the electrics and a Gas Safe engineer to check the boiler - your surveyor won't make any real judgement on either. He might have half a clue about damp - but then may recommend you have a specialist check it out.

[Deleted User]

I hope you have an idea how much the freeholder is going to charge for the resurfacing of the roof? This could in fact be higher than you are expecting.

Alice_Walker

Have you been advised of the cost of the new roof? That's going to come under major works and could be expensive.

(Great minds!)

dogshome

Hmmm - Ex Local Authority Maisonette.
The 'Bigger' picture is more of a problem than the type of survey.

By Bigger I mean the lease holders being the Local Authority - There are already plans in place to re-roof and you will have to pay your share, but over and above that the LA can make further repairs/improvements, ( new windows, exterior decoratation etc ), over which you will have no say other than paying the bills. - As a priority find out from the LA what the projected costs of the new roof are, and what your share will be

AnotherJoe

nLdn wrote: »

Hi,

I've had an offer accepted (phew!) and am looking for surveyor quotes atm. I just spoke to a company in Islington who told me they dont do Homebuyers Reports and only do full building survey. She then laid thick a load of stuff about the roof maybe being about to fall in and other strong sales stuff. She told me that if the surveyor found an issue when making a homebuyer report they wouldnt tell you what the issue was but in a full building survey the surveyor would give you that detail.

All sounds a bit salesy to me. The flat is a top floor maisonette built, I'd say in the 70s and seems in pretty good state of repair. I already know the council freeholder want to re-surface the roof over the next year or so - that should I hope cancel that worry out.

The things I'm mostly interested in from my viewings of the place are - is the wiring a death trap, what state is the boiler in, is there any damp. I'd get this info from a home buyers report wouldnt i?

Thanks,

B

You dont see a contradiction there?

So, who will pay for the new roof? How much will it be?
Is that a sign other things will need repairing soon, eg if the roof needs repairing what about windows ??

nLdn

Thanks for the speedy replies. I should give more info.

I've seen all the proposal docs from the freeholder and have spoken to them about costs and am comfortable with that part of it.

RE: dogshome's comments about having the LA as a freeholder - that ships sailed really, I'm happy to have an LA property for the space vs cost saving.

Windows have been done very recently and the owner seems to have replaced the boiler in the last few years.

It's more - would I really get much extra value getting a full survey on a leasehold flat? Would it be recommended over a homebuyers report.

hazyjo

Most surveyors are unable to offer a full structural survey on a flat as they'd need to access the entire building for that (including other flats so often unavailable to them).


I would be ringing round/employing another surveyor!


As above though, a surveyor won't be testing electrics or the like.


Jx

davidmcn

The main item I'd be concerned about is the roof - and you know what's happening with that anyway. Not sure how much more value you'll get out of the survey given the likely restrictions on access, and as above if you want electricity/gas looked at properly then you need to get specialists in.