Why is the survey such a secret?

AngelEyes91

The buyers had a full survey done on my house today. I asked him at the end how it went and he said he couldn’t discuss it with me. He said there aren’t structural issues, theres a few bits and bobs and that they must know what they are getting themselves into.. if that wasn’t the most mixed messages of sentances I don’t know what it.
I get he can’t discuss things with me but I’d rather he said nothing! He said it will take 7-10 days for them to get the report.. I’m never moving again!
I also don’t really understand why it’s all hush hush

Thrugelmir

Your buyer has instructed and paid for a report for their own personal use. The professional involved is reporting to them. 

oldbikebloke

the buyer paid for it
the info it contains will inform the buyer of anything that they may wish to use as a negotiating tool
the surveyor has a professional duty of care not to disclose any info which could be used against the person paying him - ie you cannot expect to forestall negotiations by being forearmed.

if you want to know the condition of your own house then either look around it or have your own survey done.

Davesnave

One reason might be that if they decide to back out, they might offer it to you at a reduced price.

Personally, I think they've been very decent for telling you there are no structural issues.

AdrianC

Unless he's trying to use it as a negotiating tool, does it matter what it says?

davidmcn

You only find out what's in your buyers' survey if there's anything relevant they want to discuss with you. And at the moment, they don't even have the survey themselves, so what's your concern?

AngelEyes91

I know what you all mean, I'm just very worried about all this.
I have paid out alot of money for my purchase that I dont have that to spend again so understandably im very nervous about this whole situation. Also this isnt even how I wanted things, Im only selling as my relationship has ended.
I met the buyers on Monday as they came round to show their daughter the house and they were very nice and said the survey is purely for their piece of mind and for future reference for knocking walls down etc so they dont seem to be using it as a negotiating tool.

greatcrested

AngelEyes91 said:

I know what you all mean, I'm just very worried about all this.
I have paid out alot of money for my purchase that I dont have that to spend again so understandably im very nervous about this whole situation. Also this isnt even how I wanted things, Im only selling as my relationship has ended.
I met the buyers on Monday as they came round to show their daughter the house and they were very nice and said the survey is purely for their piece of mind and for future reference for knocking walls down etc so they dont seem to be using it as a negotiating tool.

None of that is of he slightest relevance so far as the surveyor is concerned.

He said there aren’t structural issues, theres a few bits and bobs and that they must know what they are getting themselves into.. if that wasn’t the most mixed messages of sentances I don’t know what it.

Nothing mixed about that!

* there are no structural issues. Excellent news.

* there are some 'bits and bobs' they eed to know about. Every house has maintenance issues. Perhaps a tile or two that need fixing; a wooden window frame that will need painting; a squeaky floorboard.

My own survey had a list of around 20 things that went on my 'to do' list (5 in the first 3 months the rest over 2 years!) which was very useful. Nothing to make me renegotiate price, or pull out of the purchase, just useful information about the house.

Davesnave

AngelEyes91 said:

I know what you all mean, I'm just very worried about all this.
I have paid out alot of money for my purchase that I dont have that to spend again so understandably im very nervous about this whole situation. Also this isnt even how I wanted things, Im only selling as my relationship has ended.

Instead of telling us how worrying it all is, (we know, we've bought, sold and lost houses/money etc before!) focus on the fact that this is a perfectly normal situation, your buyers seem emotionally committed and you've dodged the bullet of Covid 19, which is likely to hit a lot of sales in a while.

There's a lot of positives here.

davidmcn

Mickey666 said:

I've had surveys done on houses and have seen the surveyor's notice that the contents are for me only adn cannot/should not be shared with anyone else . . . or words to that effect.  Is this in any way legally binding?  I appreciate the surveyor's duty of confidentiality towards me, but since I've paid for the report surely it belongs to me and I can divulge the contents to whoever I choose?

You can if you want, it doesn't really mean much other than a warning to third parties that they can't rely on a copy of somebody else's survey.

Davesnave

Mickey666 said:

"The buyers had a full survey done on my house today. I asked him at the end how it went and he said he couldn’t discuss it with me."

'Couldn't' or just didn't want to? 

At the time of asking, the purchaser wouldn't have had the report, so it's a couldn't. They probably still haven't got the written copy.  You can work this out if you read the thread.