Survey Findings - What’s Fair to Ask Vendor For

Maxi2011

Hi,

I’m new to the forum and wanted to ask some advice about the survey results we’ve had on a house we are purchasing.

Firstly, for background the house was advertised for £330k but we negotiated it down to £320k Simply because we thought that was what it was worth - the house had been on the market for 8 months already and while the downstairs had been renovated and extended around 7 years ago, the upstairs was in a much worse state and needed a new bathroom, full redecoration, new doors and skirting boards etc. The vendor eventually agreed to £320k but made clear he wasn’t happy about it to his estate agent.

We’ve had several issues with him since, just being awkward on things like allowing a second viewing which he had a problem with “because we weren’t committed” even though we had at that point had the offer accepted, instructed a solicitor, submitted searches and had all but the valuation done on the mortgage and was actually waiting on his solicitor for the property information form! But having spoke to both estate agents he was listed with and both of them having described him as “odd”, “hard work” and “a difficult man” - we didn’t take this too personally.

We expected fixtures and fittings to be heavily negotiated on the back of this but actually hes included loads for free we didn’t expect like applicances, curtains and even a small TV in the kitchen - not all to our taste but of course still more generous than he had to be.

We have just had back the results of the structural survey and electrical inspection report we had done and Generally it was good - nothing stating it was red (urgent repair) but £5k worth of “items needing review and attention” broken down as follows:

£550 for a new security alarm
£550 for damp treatment to one wall
£1200 to remove asbestos garage roof
£2500 to replace failed double glazing units
Then a whole bunch of smaller stuff like rehipping and repointing on the roof, rehanging doors etc

The electrical report showed generally ok, lots of stuff not to current regs which we expected and advice to rewrite upstairs (also expected) but also that two light switches just don’t work and need investigation to establish why.

Our initial thoughts was to ask the vendor to fund the electrical work, damp and failed double glazing as we viewed these are things which you’d just expect to be right when buying a house ie you don’t expect to move
In and find the light doesn’t come on in the dining room or that your house advertised as double glazed actually isn’t.

Yesterday we got a call from the estate agent telling us that the boiler had broke at the property and been condemned but that the vendor would be getting it replaced and leaving us a 5 year warranty.

I guess now I’m worried we are being unreasonable if we ask for him to cover the stuff in the survey and wanted to get the thoughts of others? I’m certainly going to insist on the electrical work as I think it’s perfectly reasonable to expect a house to have fully working electrical switches and lights unless it’s listed as needing total renovation. But is the other stuff unreasonable?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and opinions!

Slithery

What valuation did the surveyor give you?

AnotherJoe

New security alarm - you're avin a giraffe.
Damp treatment to a wall - maybe or is it just blocked gutters, or soil too high at base ?
Remove garage roof - leave it alone
Replace failed double glazing units - didn't you see these (literally) when you visited twice ?
Electric work - if upstairs needs rewiring I'd have thought it was apparent downstairs did as well.

Seems to me you are already taking on a project and much if this will get wrapped into the large amount of work you are contemplating.

In contrast you've said he's been generous leaving lots of stuff but most likely it's things he doesn't need or can't use for example he's moving into a new purpose built flat, so he's just leaving what to him is worthless stuff behind and there's no generosity there it would be more hassle for him to dispose of these.

It's a tough call you'll have to decide how much you want the house vs the cost you might save vs a new boiler. I think on balance a new boiler will trump some double glazing units.

Maxi2011

We didn’t get a valuation except for the one the bank conducted for the mortgage (which came back ok but obviously they don’t share the value).

AnotherJoe

Maxi2011 wrote: »

We didn’t get a valuation except for the one the bank conducted for the mortgage (which came back ok but obviously they don’t share the value).

If it was lower than the agreed price it's a certainty they'd have let you know as you'd need to pay more money. So it was valued in present state at what you are paying.

Maxi2011

Hi AnotherJoe

To clarify - we are only planning to ask for the damp, electrical repairs and possibly the windows.

The downstairs of the house has been renovated so doesn’t need rewiring. We knew the upstairs would need it and that was part of the reason we offer £10k less than the asking price.

The windows weren’t apparent at all. Again, some had been replaced and some hadn’t. The vendor put on the property info form that they had been replaced in 2011 but the surveyor has confirmed this isn’t true and only some were of that age, others were much older.

As to it being a project - we didn’t buy it as one. We bought it because it was a livable condition property and while we planned to do some work on it eventually, that wouldn’t be for 2-3 years after our kids are out of full time childcare and we have more disposable income - so I wouldn’t say i expected or am pleased about the prospect of having to fund high ticket repairs now such as the windows but equally I don’t want to be completely unreasonable and hack off my vendor.

Maxi2011

I guess I don’t see why the banks valuation is relevant - they spent less than 15min doing a bank valuation at the property - they essentially only look for major defects and then it’s just based on market price so the fact that there’s electrics that don’t work, damp etc would never be picked up or considered by a bank valuation and doesn’t mean I should or shouldn’t ask for things to be funded from the survey.

mark55man

I agree the stuff he's leaving wasnt done from generosity, but you nevertheless might want to consider the value of it in your overall pros and cons.

I think I would focus on the windows - eg get him to get a quote and then whether or not he has the work done with that firm he has a price he is happy with to knock off.

My sense is you can probably go back once but don't want to make it too demanding as the vendor is obviously a bit touchy, and there is a risk he could just be difficult

On the other hand its been on the market for 8 months so there must be a reasonable amount of desire for him to be shot of it so possibly asking for the electrics as well as a negotiating buffer

AnotherJoe

Maxi2011 wrote: »

Hi AnotherJoe

To clarify - we are only planning to ask for the damp, electrical repairs and possibly the windows.

The downstairs of the house has been renovated so doesn’t need rewiring. We knew the upstairs would need it and that was part of the reason we offer £10k less than the asking price.

The windows weren’t apparent at all. Again, some had been replaced and some hadn’t. The vendor put on the property info form that they had been replaced in 2011 but the surveyor has confirmed this isn’t true and only some were of that age, others were much older.

As to it being a project - we didn’t buy it as one. We bought it because it was a livable condition property and while we planned to do some work on it eventually, that wouldn’t be for 2-3 years after our kids are out of full time childcare and we have more disposable income - so I wouldn’t say i expected or am pleased about the prospect of having to fund high ticket repairs now such as the windows but equally I don’t want to be completely unreasonable and hack off my vendor.

Well I suppose given what you've said that changes the position somewhat, of course however reasonable you are, or what you ask for, that doesn't mean it won't hack off your vendor

All you can do is balance what seems reasonable to you (possibly modified by responses here) with the possibility of losing the deal. How wedded are you to this house? Are you selling another and that's also in jeopardy?
I would though be worried as to why downstairs which you say has been renovated / retired has two light switches that don't work. Can you get an electrician to report on that? Maybe the downstairs rewire was a bodge? Or is it just that the bulbs need replacing? Don't laugh people have reported similar errors from surveyors. And what's with the damp? £500 isn't much.

Maxi2011

Thanks AnotherJoe

We have paid for an electrical inspection report which is how we knew about the switches not working. The electrican says that it’s all been done to a good standard. The vendor apparently explained one of them as him having broken something when replacing an appliance. As it was a professional electrician, I’m quite confident it’s more than just a bulb but he says it needs to be investigated to fully understand the cause and cost which is the bit I want to see the vendor fund as it’s a case of how long is a piece of string - it could cost £100 or it could cost £500.

We are selling our house to buy this one - are we wedded? Well, financially yes as we’d obviously lose the money paid so far (£2000 ish) so I wouldn’t like to see the sale collapse at this point but equally I’m not going to be shy on insisting we get what I view as being things that are perfectly reasonable - like electrical switches that work

The damp is an original wall which was where the extension was added. The surveyor recommends getting it injected which is what he’s costed the £550 for. He didn’t find any signs elsewhere. It’s a 1950 build so won’t have cavity walls/insulation in the original walls.

kirtondm

You might get him to knock a bit off but will probably loose goodwill.

To be honest if the upstairs is in a state it is obviosuly a property that needs some work doing to it.

against that it is a slow time of year and you haven't knocked a huge amount of sales price.

Depends on local market being on 8/12 suggests to me a vendor who will not hesitate to reject offers.

Depends on how 'lucky' you are feeling. You are already getting a replacment new boiler which even if basic will outweigh most of what would be reasonable to ask