Problem with wall not picked up in Homebuyers Report

nLdn

I completed and moved into my first flat 2 weeks ago and got a Homebuyers Report as part of the buying process.

On the day I moved in I noticed that one of the internal walls between a bedroom and the hall seems to be coming apart. On each side, but larger in the bedroom itself, there is a large bulge and what looks like fault lined where, to me, it looks like the plaster has come away from the wall and is only held together by the lining paper and layers of paint. The wall is clearly not straight and the bulge comes out at such an angle that you couldnt hang a picture or mirror (as I was hoping to) as it would stick out so harshly and not be flat.

Nothing was mentioned about this in the Homebuyers Report yet other more minor things (that turned out to be nothing) were listed. That you can see this very easily without extra access or instruments makes me wonder if this should have come up. The description of a HB implies, to me that is would be listed.

The wall has a radiator on one side and a light switch on the other so I'm guessing to have it stripped and re-done will not be a cheap job. Had it been flagged, I would have asked for a contribution from the seller.

What should I do for next steps?

Mr.Generous

Was it noticeable during your viewings? If not how do you know it was noticeable at the time of the home buyers report inspection?
If the plaster has come away it will just need re plastering, its not that uncommon in properties about 50 years old or more.

[Deleted User]

A radiator can be taken off the wall relatively easily and light switch unscrewed from the plate, shouldn't have any real effect on cost.

AdrianC

Mr.Generous wrote: »

Was it noticeable during your viewings?

This, with bells on.

If it's so visible, how come you didn't see it?

And I suspect the answer will be that there was furniture in front of it...

Doesn't sound like it'll be the end of the world to resolve. Strip the old plaster off, and you'll probably find it's just a partition wall. Fix plasterboard to the studwork, then a skim of plaster, and paint. Job jobbed.

nLdn

Thanks for your answers.

I didn't spot it at my viewings though the surveyor did spend the best part of a day to compile the report and it is a cost I didn't expect to have.

I understand there are limitations of a homebuyers report though I can't see that someone compiling something like this wouldn't spot it. Is this the sort of thing I should go back to the surveyor about for some sort of recompense or is that outside of the scope?

[Deleted User]

I've had to patch repair walls where plaster has come away from a wall (I never use a steamer now to remove wallpaper, any slight problem with the plaster and chunks of it fall away lol). Sometimes its covered quite a large area. I'd count it as a DIY job.

G_M

What did the surveyor say when you asked him about it?

AdrianC

nLdn wrote: »

I didn't spot it at my viewings though the surveyor did spend the best part of a day to compile the report and it is a cost I didn't expect to have.

Your surveyor certainly won't have spent the best part of a day in the property. An hour or two at most.

pinkshoes

Our buyer paid for a homebuyer report.

I was there when it was completed, and the man spent a couple of hours bumbling round the house looking at things, talking into his dictaphone, and then filling in a form.

He did not move any furniture, rugs etc... nor would he do anything that wasn't at eye level. At best he went on tippitoes.

So, their £1000 bought then a report that told them the fuse box was outdated (I had told them this already) the extension had a flat roof (well DUH! - but it had been very recently redone) and the double glazing in one window was old (again, obvious!).

The report was filled with so many conditions and get out clauses that it really wasn't worth the paper it was written on.

Based on this, we did not bother paying for one for our purchase, and 18 months in, other than there being no thermostat for heating which we didn't spot (and nor would the homebuyer report), no big suprises.

I doubt your homebuyer would claim any responsibility for not spotting this, so probably best to start getting quotes to get it fixed.

suki1964

Reminds me of the homebuyers report I had for my first house

Advised getting a plumber to check the CH

Advised on getting an electrician to do an electrical report

Advised that the back door needed replacing

Advised that the kitchen window was rotten

Missed that the patio had been laid above the damp proof course and that the kitchen floor was covered with water and the back wall was soaking wet lol

Total waste of money

RockersWAG

Homebuyers reports are fairly standard and don't require them to move any furniture or lift any flooring. We learned this the hard way with our first house, when the report missed the fact there there was severe woodworm in the floorboards at the back of the house.
A full structural building survey is the only one that will look into everything in detail and even those are not 100% reliable, as they come with so many clauses to get the surveyor exempt from any blame if something is missed.
If it's just plaster though, our first house had a similar issue with it bulging in the hallway. We just chipped it all off and re-did it and it was fine. :-)