Our buyer wants us to demolish our shed

ThePants999

ReadingTim wrote: »

"Dear prospective buyer,

Thank you for your e-mail following the results of your survey. However, we will not be removing the shed or re-negotiating the price. Please confirm whether you wish to continue your purchase at the previously agreed price, or not. If we do not receive a response from you by the middle of next week, we shall assume that you do not, and instruct our agent to remarket the property.

Yours etc,

vendor"

This, except that since you've had a quote for removing the shed, you might as well pass that on. You're effectively asking them to decide whether the house is worth more or less to them than "agreed price plus cost of shed removal", which is a much easier decision for them to make if they know BOTH of those numbers. If they just know one, they might decide to pull out purely because of the uncertainty.

walwyn1978

What is the price quoted to you to demolish the shed out of interest?

AnotherJoe

G_M wrote: »

I can't believe this even needs debating.

The shed was there when they viewed. It's a useful storage shed. OK not in great condition, but it's up to a new owner to decide whether to remove it, repair it, replace it or leave it as it is.

The difference is the survey has brought attention to it, has mentioned that its rotten and has an asbestos roof. None of that may have been apparent on viewing. The OP did say they came back wanting it demolished after the survey.


Its not much difference to the survey saying that parts of the roof are in poor repair and need replacing. I doubt as many respondents here would be advising "jog on" if that was the case instead of it being a shed (and its not just any old shed presumably its quite substantial if it is brick built and has an asbestos roof)

prowla

Well, I guess the asbestos roof is the issue.


I once looked at a house some years ago and one corner of the garage roof was resting on half a brick; they pretended to be surprised when I pointed it out. But we didn't offer anyway.


Back to this one, though; the asbestos could be an issue for all buyers, but there's a choice in spending the money or declining the offer conditions.

Tom74

It seems an odd issue for your buyer to be demanding action on - if the asbestos was in the house, that might be different.
I'd be worried that if you demolished the shed, the buyer might find something else they are not satisfied with, and pull out of the purchase - leaving you with no shed, which another buyer might actually have liked, despite the asbestos.
Plus you can't afford it.
During my sale (still ongoing), the buyer has asked me to cut back the branches of some bushes from a neighbouring garden. For me, these kind of demands raise red flags about whether they are really interested at all. If you had found the house of your dreams, would you really risk delaying or derailing the purchase for an issue that could be easily and cheaply resolved after the move?

AnotherJoe

Tom74 wrote: »

It seems an odd issue for your buyer to be demanding action on - if the asbestos was in the house, that might be different.
I'd be worried that if you demolished the shed, the buyer might find something else they are not satisfied with, and pull out of the purchase - leaving you with no shed, which another buyer might actually have liked, despite the asbestos.
Plus you can't afford it.
During my sale (still ongoing), the buyer has asked me to cut back the branches of some bushes from a neighbouring garden. For me, these kind of demands raise red flags about whether they are really interested at all. If you had found the house of your dreams, would you really risk delaying or derailing the purchase for an issue that could be easily and cheaply resolved after the move?

Maybe they dont fancy a confrontation with a neighbour on moving in and would put the blame on you eg "ah well nothing to do with us thats the last owner that set fire to your tree "

AnotherJoe

Tom74 wrote: »

It seems an odd issue for your buyer to be demanding action on - if the asbestos was in the house, that might be different.
I'd be worried that if you demolished the shed, the buyer might find something else they are not satisfied with, and pull out of the purchase - leaving you with no shed, which another buyer might actually have liked, despite the asbestos.
Plus you can't afford it.

For the third time of saying, OP can negate that risk by offering to do it between exchange and completion.

Slithery

StarTrekkie007 wrote: »

I would get quotes on the cost of taking down the shed. Have the buyer add this cost when giving a deposit ( exchange of contracts ?) and say you will do it then. However, if buyer pulls out then this fee is none refundable.

Not really an incentive for the buyer, they have much bigger problems than the price of demolishing a shed if they pull out after exchange as they would already be forfeiting the entire deposit.

davidmcn

prowla wrote: »

Well, I guess the asbestos roof is the issue.

If I were the buyer and had an issue with asbestos, I'd prefer to get rid of it myself and at least know the job was done properly, rather than just hope that the sellers don't get some cowboys to smash up the roof in the garden.

EachPenny

AnotherJoe wrote: »

The difference is the survey has brought attention to it, has mentioned that its rotten and has an asbestos roof. None of that may have been apparent on viewing. The OP did say they came back wanting it demolished after the survey....

prowla wrote: »

Well, I guess the asbestos roof is the issue.
....
Back to this one, though; the asbestos could be an issue for all buyers, but there's a choice in spending the money or declining the offer conditions.

*Cough*
The OP said the survey identified rot in the timber and a structural crack. Unless I'm reading too much into the post, the survey has not raised concerns about the asbestos. (although the OP is aware the roof is asbestos):-

Woodyautumn wrote: »

Apparently the survey said it has some rot in the timber (visible from the outside) and a structural crack (visible from the back).

The buyer ought to have been able to see the shed roof is asbestos when viewing, unless it was covered with something. If it was an issue for them, then why weren't they looking out for it during the viewing, just as you might look out for signs of damp or great big cracks in the walls (even if you aren't a surveyor or structrual engineer)?

If the survey has raised concerns about the asbestos, then the OP can state that in their opinion the roof is in good condition and they see no need to have it removed themselves. If the buyer has a different opinion then they are free to demolish their shed.... once they own it.