Would you ever opt for a Level 1 Condition Report survey?

GSDPenny

We're buying a property where we've agreed not to renegotiate the price as a result of niggles in the Survey - it's an amicable arrangement as we didn't offer full asking price and they're leaving a considerable amount of expensive fixtures and fittings.

As a result, I'm not sure if the Level 2 Homebuyers Survey will actually bring any benefits over the cheaper Level 1.

We have a contingency fund available for ongoing repairs and maintenance. It's a house and not brand new, so it will need maitnenance anyway, and although we can't say this for definite, the property looks to have been shown a lot of love over the years rather than a quick spruce up for sale.

I guess all we really want to know is if the loft extension is sturdy, whether the conservatory shows signs of having leaked, and whether or not the basic structure is liable to fall down 5 minutes after we move in.

Am I penny pinching needlessly?

dunroving

GSDPenny wrote: »

We're buying a property where we've agreed not to renegotiate the price as a result of niggles in the Survey - it's an amicable arrangement as we didn't offer full asking price and they're leaving a considerable amount of expensive fixtures and fittings.

As a result, I'm not sure if the Level 2 Homebuyers Survey will actually bring any benefits over the cheaper Level 1.

We have a contingency fund available for ongoing repairs and maintenance. It's a house and not brand new, so it will need maitnenance anyway, and although we can't say this for definite, the property looks to have been shown a lot of love over the years rather than a quick spruce up for sale.

I guess all we really want to know is if the loft extension is sturdy, whether the conservatory shows signs of having leaked, and whether or not the basic structure is liable to fall down 5 minutes after we move in.

Am I penny pinching needlessly?

Have they shown you the necessary building warrants for the loft conversion and conservatory (not sure if the latter is exempt)? Regardless, whatever you do, don't contact the local authority to ask if they have building warrant records for the house. Contact the seller's solicitors to ask the question.

GSDPenny

We're assuming inspection certificates etc should be included as part of the basic forms that you fill in for the solicitor - we were asked similar questions on our own forms and we know the date of the extensions as I've seen the approved planning applications online, so they certainly should have all the necessary paperwork.

However, we have noted to bring it up as a specific query with the solicitor.

dunroving

GSDPenny wrote: »

We're assuming inspection certificates etc should be included as part of the basic forms that you fill in for the solicitor - we were asked similar questions on our own forms and we know the date of the extensions as I've seen the approved planning applications online, so they certainly should have all the necessary paperwork.

However, we have noted to bring it up as a specific query with the solicitor.

Remember that planning permission and building consent/warrants are very different. [you probably know, but I'm always hearing people confuse the two]

Definitely make it a priority for your solicitor to find out whether they have the building consents (not just planning permission). Because if they don't you/your solicitor have some work to do.

But definitely don't call the local authority to enquire (and make sure your solicitor doesn't either).

GSDPenny

Thank you - I wasn't specifically aware, but now know the correct terminology to use with the solicitor.

I'm intrigued about not calling the LA. Is this to avoid drawing attention to something just in case...?

dunroving

GSDPenny wrote: »

Thank you - I wasn't specifically aware, but now know the correct terminology to use with the solicitor.

I'm intrigued about not calling the LA. Is this to avoid drawing attention to something just in case...?

One way, or one part of the solution for no building consents is to get an indemnity insurance policy. If the local authority are made aware of the work being done w/o building consents, you can't get an indemnity policy. Things can then become much more complicated for all concerned.

[ETA: And a seller may become very pee'd off with a buyer who reports the building consent issue to the LA.]

GSDPenny

Ah - indemnity Insurance. Until very recently I'd never heard of this, but it seems to be a growing business these days and almost needs to be added as a compulsory cost when purchasing a pre-owned house.

I wonder how many policies we'll have to stump up for our buyers, after having lived here for nearly 30 years without needing any!

dunroving

GSDPenny wrote: »

Ah - indemnity Insurance. Until very recently I'd never heard of this, but it seems to be a growing business these days and almost needs to be added as a compulsory cost when purchasing a pre-owned house.

I wonder how many policies we'll have to stump up for our buyers, after having lived here for nearly 30 years without needing any!

Some people say they aren't worth the paper they are written on, but the important thing is they often satisfy lenders and buyers.

And there's nothing to stop you (or the seller) getting a structural report if there is any concern about the integrity of the work. It's just that if the LA are informed before an indemnity policy is taken out, you can't then get one.

AndyTails

GSDPenny wrote: »

We're buying a property where we've agreed not to renegotiate the price as a result of niggles in the Survey

You've agreed not to renegotiate irrespective of the survey results, before you even have the survey results? That approach sounds shortsighted to me, unless you know that any sort of defect found in survey would cause you to pull out completely.

GSDPenny wrote: »

As a result, I'm not sure if the Level 2 Homebuyers Survey will actually bring any benefits over the cheaper Level 1.

Not really, a homebuyers survey is pretty much pointless unless you have no idea what a house is.

GSDPenny wrote: »

I guess all we really want to know is if the loft extension is sturdy

Sounds to me like you want a full structural survey then; with permission from the homeowner for the surveyor to lift all the floorboards and knock holes in the walls. Failing that (and I don't really expect you to do that!) just get the cheapest survey that'll satisfy your lender and save yourself a few quid.

maisie_cat

We are planning to move and were having a similar discussion, when we bought this house we had a full structural and it was largely a waste of money. There was a "rising damp/dry rot problem" that wasn't, and several things he should have spotted he didn't.
I would always be wary of a house that has been lived in by the same family for decades, ours was 40 years of bodged DIY.
But the survey gave us nothing useful and it appears that the surveys are even more backside covering than they were 12 years ago. We were thinking of a structural engineer as the worst case is a house that has a serious structural bodge!

G_M

Surveys serve several useful purposes. You need to understand and appeciate thee distinction:


* they may satisfy a mortgage lender
* they may throw up an issue that leads you o withdraw if you are unwilling (or unable) to do (substtantial?) work
* they may help in re-negotiating the purchase price
* they provide a useful 'to do' list after you move in.


This last is often over-looked. I had a long list of minor issues, none of them expensive or difficult r show-stoppers, which I dealt witth over the first 6 - 9 months. Additional ventilation in attic & under-floor. Insulation. Improving some bodged DIY wiring extensions etc.


The survey was worth having just for the To Do list, never mind the peace of mind that the house wasn't about to fall down.......

we've agreed not to renegotiate the price as a result of niggles in the Survey

This is

a) mad. Until you know what the survey throws up, how can you know what the potential costs might be.....?
) meaningless. There's still nothing to stop you renegotiating once the survey is in...... !!!