Buyer demanding boiler fix right before exchange

Razzle36

Apologies in advance for the length of this post.

So before putting our flat on the market we had the boiler serviced and a defect was found - a perforated expansion vessel. At the time we booked the service we had no clue anything was wrong, the heating and hot water was (and still is) working fine. The engineer showed us it's only a problem if the controls are all turned to max then the boiler pressure goes into the red - we've never had it turned up that far so wouldn't have known. The paperwork provided by the gas safety engineer states that no 'necessary remedial work' is required, all safety checks were passed and a gas safety certificate was also issued. If we were staying we would have paid for the fix but decided not to bother before the sale - I think he said the replacement and fitting would be £5-600.

The completion date for our purchase and sale had been agreed with all parties for 8 August so we were all ready to exchange last week when our buyer's solicitor suddenly requested paperwork for the latest boiler service. This and the gas safety certificate had already been sent over to them on 21 May, but it was resent. After stating at the beginning of July that there were no queries the buyer is now requesting that we pay for the boiler part to be replaced. We said that this is not something we're prepared to do particularly at this late stage, they then came back and said they would split the cost with us but I really don't see why we should be paying for this.

We had a lot of interest on the flat and sold on the first weekend so don't see an issue with us selling again. We don't particularly want to start that process all over again, but also really annoyed they're trying this now. Our buyer is paying cash for the flat and from chatting to her, know her budget was higher so it's not like she doesn't have the money. We know she loved the place and these flats are in very high demand so really don't think she'll pull out of the sale.

It's obviously cost us a lot to get this far already and our new house needs a lot of work (including a new boiler) so money is tight and don't see why we should have to pay out for this.

Just wanted to get people's opinions - are we being too stubborn on this, or would you stick to your guns?

quantumlobster

All depends if she wants to buy the flat to a great or lesser extent than you want to sell it.

TBH if I had a high-demand property and was this >< close to exchange, I'd be inclined to invite my buyer to fornicate elsewhere if they wanted something like this at the eleventh hour.

Doozergirl

She's found a defect that she couldn't reasonably have known about when she offered. It's not going to get any better by itself, quite the opposite.

I think offering to go half and half with you is more than fair.

You're right, you don't want to go looking for another buyer over a £2-300. Suck it up.

D_M_E

Being so close to the finish line, I would accept their offer to split the costs and thus save the sale.

Why go through another few months of hassle selling again to somebody else just to save a few quid, which is nothing much when compared to the price of the property.

Probably cost you more to pay the solicitor to go through it all again with someone else.

k3lvc

Given the number of posters on here who've discovered non-working boilers post-completion then either buyers are taking more care or you've been unlucky.

Paying half is the least you could do (and if you're budget is that tight then you certainly can't afford to be waiting for another potential buyer to come out of the woodwork who may want to sting you for the whole amount)

hazyjo

Agree with Doozergirl. I nearly always cut my nose off to spite my face, but in this case I also think you should suck it up.


Was it due a service or was it done as a selling point?

Razzle36

hazyjo wrote: »

Was it due a service or was it done as a selling point?

It was due anyway - the buyer did not ask about the boiler when she visited

ComicGeek

If it's an external (to the boiler) expansion vessel then £5-600 sounds far too high. Get another quote, it's really not that much particularly when split 2-ways.

Razzle36

ComicGeek wrote: »

If it's an external (to the boiler) expansion vessel then £5-600 sounds far too high. Get another quote, it's really not that much particularly when split 2-ways.

It's an internal one, for a combi boiler - think he said the part alone was £300

Comms69

Do you want to start the sales process over again for the sake of £300?

Stubod

..I think you should pay up, or at least offer half. It is a real problem that I would want to be fixed.



If you are not prepared to pay or at least contribute to a known problem then put it back on the market and see what happens.