Should I renegotiate offer?

Browny137

somethingcorporate wrote: »

In terms of why get them checked properly when they are installed - for a couple of reasons:

a) It could be a legal requirement.
b) you want to make sure the house you are living in is safe.

Pretty obvious really.

Sure, it’s just that I thought if it was a legal requirement then they would have to prove they’ve complied before selling the house.

Surrey_EA

Browny137 wrote: »

* No planning permission obtained for conservatory (required because they have removed an external door and installed central heating).

Are you certain that the conservatory required planning permission? Many conservatories will not require PP. I am not aware that PP is required just because an external door has been removed and central heating installed.
Have a read here:https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200130/common_projects/10/conservatories

Browny137 wrote: »

* No paperwork for recently built conservatory, i.e. no evidence it meets building regs.

Again, conservatories are often exempt from building regs. Have a read here:
https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200130/common_projects/10/conservatories/3

Browny137 wrote: »

* No testing certificates for newly installed electrical works. (Vendor has denied any new electrical installation work carried out since they moved in, despite fairly major remodelling of downstairs of the house, including new kitchen, utility room, open plan conservatory/lounge.)

Are you certain that recent electircal installation work has taken place?

Browny137 wrote: »

* No indication or evidence of when boiler was installed and no service history at all.

As others have mentioned there is no legal requirement to have a boiler regularly serviced.
As I mentioned before, a selling point of the house was that it was finished to a ‘high standard’, which in part persuaded us to offer slightly more than perhaps it was really worth. The vendor has refused to carry out a service on the boiler to prove it is functioning ok, and will not get their house electrically tested either, they will only buy indemnity insurance for the other issues (lack of planning permission for conservatory, no evidence of compliance with building regs for conservatory, no electrical certificates). I am very sceptical that these insurance policies will be worth much to me should any issues arise.

Browny137 wrote: »

My current opinion is that I will offer £380k in order to account for the extra unexpected risks/issues that weren’t obvious when we initially offered the £390k, including a clearly neglected boiler I can only assume will need replacing soon!

If the electrics and boiler are of concern, pay for them to be inspected, then you will have a better understanding of their condition, as at present the situation appears to be unclear.

ReadingTim

No legal requirements have been breached, nor red flags raised - only @rses covered.

Regardless of nobility (or otherwise) of your motives to reduce the price, it's how the vendor interprets them that's key; and if they don't react well, it's what you do then.

The consensus here is that you haven't got a very strong case, but if you don't ask, you don't get. The vendor's past reactions and MSE opinion suggests your attempts to negotiate won't get far, so it's really up to you whether you resign yourself to the fact that you either largely pay what you've already offered, or walk away.

Red-Squirrel_2

Browny137 wrote: »

I think I will probably go back to the seller and push a bit on the fact that it was sold as “finished to a high standard”

That's just estate agent speak for 'not a complete dump that needs fumigating before you can move in'.

G_M

Red-Squirrel wrote: »

That's just estate agent speak for 'not a complete dump that needs fumigating before you can move in'.

Or '"It's been recently re-painted" (to hide the structural cracks in the walls).

Crashy_Time

aneary wrote: »

You state that the house was overpriced but was the only one that ticked all the boxes, from what I have read you don't really want to pay the price you agreed on and are trying to find excuses to lower the price.

Stop messing the vendors about either
1. Pay the price you agreed
2. Offer lower but expect them to say no
3. Walk away now

4. Assume they saw JC`s speech today and offer much lower....and expect them to say yes..:rotfl:

Jack_Johnson_the_acorn

Crashy_Time wrote: »

4. Assume they saw JC`s speech today and offer much lower....and expect them to say yes..:rotfl:

Crashy, you are sounding more desperate as each day go's by.

Crashy_Time

Jack_Johnson_the_acorn wrote: »

Crashy, you are sounding more desperate as each day go's by.

No, desperation is chasing people around the internet because they say that house prices are due a correction, that is the true definition of the word. Saying that a main political party is basing policy on saying that the housing market needs to change (i.e get cheaper) is just stating the obvious from what they obviously said to the whole country on TV :rotfl: