Remortgaging an unusual property

cjard

The house I live in is an industrial conversion and fairly unique in terms of style. I owe about 150k to the existing lender, and in a town where you can't even get a building plot/2 bed flat for that amount I never foresaw a 4 bed 250sqm passive house with a high spec internal fit having a problem, although there are elements of it that are incomplete (landscaping, driveway, garage door not installed etc).
Credit wise, my partner and I check out fine, but the stumbling block was the house. I got the feeli the valuer (lender provided) wasn't quite getting it as I showd him round, but he seems to have gone away and failed to come up with a value due to the one off nature of the place, and so he's recommended it unsuitable security. When I asked him for feedback (he gave me his card), he said he couldn't imagine it ever having wide market appeal should it need to be sold post repo. Bearing in mind that it currently has a mortgage and two previous surveyors disagree with this latest opinion, I was somewhat surprised to be told that "even if it was complete, there aren't many people who could/would buy it"

How does one argue with this? Take a pot shot with another lender and hope they hire someone who isn't Wearing barratt blinkers? Do we have any control over who provides valuations for a property? (Can I find a sensible surveyor first?)
I'm also getting some indication (third hand references, that is) that there may be errors in the report, though I've never seen it, such as massively overstating the size (describing what I refer to as the garage - an as yet unconverted part of the original building - as more an 600 square metres, when it's just shy of 90, still a big garage, mind but a far cry from what was written up)
Do I have any right to see the report and check it for correctness? Can I approach the intended lender again and ask them to send a different valuer at my cost?

Having a tough time with the notion that "No one would buy this property if it were repo'ed, as they wouldn't be able to raise finance on it, because it isn't mortageable" is a self fulfilling prophecy; if the surveyor says it, it becomes true!

xyz123

You can try to ask for report but your best bet might be to go/stay with existing mortgage provider..

kingstreet

Did you discuss this with a broker first, or go direct?

No. You can't pick your own surveyor. Lenders use panel survey firms to reduce the risk of fraud.

cjard

Broker first, though this turns out out be perhaps one of the most unusual properties he's been asked to deal with - it's not a "typical unusual" such as ex-council house/flat above shop/flat on the 27th floor. He's casting around for alternative opinions and looking at lenders who present themselves as more openminded with regards to unusual properties