Buyer having full structural survey....

victoriavictorious

....:eek::eek::eek:
Plenty of Homebuyer reports booked in the past, and that would have been fine, but never had a buyer book a full survey before! Just got the phone call - he sounded quite chirpy but said he'd be here for 3 HOURS!!! 3 HOURS?? The house isn't that big.
It's a smallish, warm, cosy Victorian house which has never given us any problems since the day we bought it, but we have no safety certificates for electricty, gas or anything except building regs for something done yonks ago before we moved in.
We've got old rattly single glazing, original sash windows - none of which open smoothly, moss on the roof (but no leaks) and he's bound to find damp, as they always do.....apart from that lot, everything seems ok and the house has been fine for us.
Mentally I'm going round costing up everything I know he's going to find wrong, and the buyers are going to use to get the price down.
I'm on £20K now and counting....
Should I spike his coffee and get him drunk?
Honestly I'm trying to make light of this but I'm *****ing myself!!
Has anyone else been through this - and come out the other end with buyer (and at least some money) still intact?

missprice

I think the usual comment is "its priced to reflect the work needed" or similar.
Last survey I got took 3 hours for a 3 bed semi. It even mentioned the electric cable becoming visible from under the drive to the garage. True but It was about 6mm visible. And made no difference to the price paid.

victoriavictorious

missprice wrote: »

I think the usual comment is "its priced to reflect the work needed" or similar.
Last survey I got took 3 hours for a 3 bed semi. It even mentioned the electric cable becoming visible from under the drive to the garage. True but It was about 6mm visible. And made no difference to the price paid.

Thanks. Were you selling or buying it?

G_M

He'll see and document whatever he finds. If there are hidden defects in the property, he might spot them. If there are defects that are not hidden, the buyer probably already saw them.

never given us any problems since the day we bought it,
then nothing much to worry about!
but we have no safety certificates for electricty, gas or anything
there's no requirement for you to have them. If the gas and leccy are safe and working, that's what matters.
except building regs for something done yonks ago before we moved in.
well done

We've got old rattly single glazing, original sash windows
and the buyers must already know this
- none of which open smoothly,
if the buyers did a proper viewing, they'll already know this
moss on the roof (but no leaks)
adds charm. Plus the buyers must already know this
and he's bound to find damp,

Why? Is there damp?

AnotherJoe

You dont need any of those safety certificates. Good that you've got the building cert, have that ready.

The survey will no doubt raise a whole host of additional things that its recommended the buyer [STRIKE]waste[/STRIKE] spend money on - electrical, plumbing, asbestos, knotweed, puff adders.

And will probably scare the bejeeesus out of your no doubt nervous FTB* who'll want a chunk of money off for expecting a Victorian house to be built to the same standards they imagine a modern newbuild is.

Be prepared to remarket.


* (alternative scenario, they are very canny, know there will be a whole host of "doesn't conform to modern standards BS and reckon £1500 on this survey will let them knock £15k off a gullible sellers price)

victoriavictorious

G_M wrote: »

He'll see and document whatever he finds. If there are hidden defects in the property, he might spot them. If there are defects that are not hidden, the buyer probably already saw them.


Why? Is there damp?

Not to my knowledge, but Ive never seen a report not mention it.

missprice

victoriavictorious wrote: »

Thanks. Were you selling or buying it?

Buying, but I am not a numpty and I know when something is very serious in a survey. I am risk averse so houses that need under pinning or it's equal are not for me. New electrics /roof/replumb etc no problem.

victoriavictorious

missprice wrote: »

Buying, but I am not a numpty and I know when something is very serious in a survey. I am risk averse so houses that need under pinning or it's equal are not for me. New electrics /roof/replumb etc no problem.

Trouble is they're inexperienced FTBs who tend to panic and don't always realise that surveyors have to cover their backs and it's their business to mention every jot and tittle.

missprice

victoriavictorious wrote: »

Trouble is they're inexperienced FTBs who tend to panic and don't always realise that surveyors have to cover their backs and it's their business to mention every jot and tittle.

Fall back is, it's priced to take into account any repairs needed.
Plus if it's obvious then they must have seen it in the viewing and should have offered accordingly.

victoriavictorious

Just wondering, is he likely to expect to take up carpets? Most of the rooms have fitted carpet/vinyl and whilst we're pretty sure there are no horrors lurking underneath, we don't want all the hassle and cost of having to re-lay flooring, especially if they end up pulling out.

shortcrust

Anything they could see when they viewed should already have been factored in to their offer (e.g. single glazed windows that don't open well). Anything they could have expected they should have already have factored in (e.g. damp in the cellar of a victorian building, original roof nearing end of life). Anything new and unexpected might give them grounds to negotiate, but I wouldn't easily be convinced to knock a few quid as a result of a survey unless it was a big deal, or of course unless I was desperate to sell.

At the end of the day you can simply say 'no' if they try to beat the price down.