Reasonable vendors starting to lose patience...

lobsterpot11

We accepted an asking price offer on our house a few weeks ago and the buyers survey suggested there were possible structural issues, i.e. roof spread and falling bay window. Cue nervous buyers asking for us to pay for a structural engineer's report. We agreed to this in the interests of moving the sae forward. Engineer says there's nothing wrong, and we are sharing his report with the buyers and happy to put their name on it so he's liable to them. Now they are asking for a builder to come around to quote on other smaller issues in their surveyor's report, none of which are serious or in need of immediate attention, as far as we are concerned. I suspect they are desperately looking for something to base a dropped offer price on. I feel we were extremely reasonable in paying for the engineer's report and sharing parts of our original survey from a few years ago (we have seen none of theirs, only a brief email listing issues) and that they are not returning our good faith. We would have been willing to negotiate if structural issues had been confirmed and told them so. Are we being played for fools now as a result?

Tiglet2

Are they FTBs by any chance?  Ask to see some extracts from their survey regarding what other smaller issues they are concerned about, before agreeing anything more.

Comms69

Stop treating this as anything other than a business transaction. You're taking it personally, and it shows.

DayDreamerandGeneralWaster

I would accommodate at your convenience. They can try and get money off if they like after that, but of course you can say no. 

Falafels

I was in a comparable situation to your buyers many years ago, in that I was about to pull out of a purchase because the surveyor's report recommended a retention on the mortgage because of structural issues - and my vendors offered to provide the structural engineer's report and do the works, which they did.

I would not have DREAMED of asking them to do any further works, and I was also happy to share my Homebuyer's Report with them!

If I were you, I'd get the estate agent to tell your buyers that the property is being sold as it is, priced to reflect the condition, and that any further works will need to be carried out once they are the owners. Any future negotiations also need to be carried out through the agent. You also now have a structural engineer's report to show future purchasers if this issue should raise its head in the future.

There are people who will run rings round you if you let them, and it's important that you establish proper boundaries now.

Falafels

lobsterpot11 said:

Falafels said:

I was in a comparable situation to your buyers many years ago, in that I was about to pull out of a purchase because the surveyor's report recommended a retention on the mortgage because of structural issues - and my vendors offered to provide the structural engineer's report and do the works, which they did.

I would not have DREAMED of asking them to do any further works, and I was also happy to share my Homebuyer's Report with them!

If I were you, I'd get the estate agent to tell your buyers that the property is being sold as it is, priced to reflect the condition, and that any further works will need to be carried out once they are the owners. Any future negotiations also need to be carried out through the agent. You also now have a structural engineer's report to show future purchasers if this issue should raise its head in the future.

There are people who will run rings round you if you let them, and it's important that you establish proper boundaries now.

I think you're right. I've told the EA that they can have a builder quote if they like but their surveyor has already been proved wrong on some of his scary claims by a specialist. We're at the limit of our reasonableness.

To be honest, I wouldn't even let them have a builder in to quote; tell them they are free to do what they like with the property once they own it!

warby68

I think 2 goes at extra checks and due diligence is not that unreasonable even if its dragging on a bit.
If it IS about trying to get money off , then you can say no. If they are just belt and braces or on a tight budget themselves there wouldn't be much lost.
Builder at your convenience.
After that though I'd probably have had enough and would be making such noises now.

Rambosmum

I don't see anything wrong with having a builder round to quote. Maybe they want to check they can afford the stuff that is needed. They may or may not ask for a reduction on price. 

For example, out most recent home, we had a few specialists go through the house after the survey, all confirming the issues in the survey. We just wanted to check how much it would cost is to rectify the issues, we didn't renegotiate the price with the vendor but we need in increase the mortgage we too out. Had they not allowed us to do that we may have had to withdraw from the sale as we couldn't know if we could afford the remedial works (in addition to what was visibly required). 

Crashy_Time

Just drop them, take one of your other offers.

MalMonroe

I agree with Crashy_Time. It sounds as if they are dilly-dallying prior to withdrawing, to me. You could agree to do everything they ask but they could still turn round and withdraw - wasting your time and testing your patience to the very limit.

NortheastEA

Rambosmum said:

I don't see anything wrong with having a builder round to quote. Maybe they want to check they can afford the stuff that is needed. They may or may not ask for a reduction on price. 

For example, out most recent home, we had a few specialists go through the house after the survey, all confirming the issues in the survey. We just wanted to check how much it would cost is to rectify the issues, we didn't renegotiate the price with the vendor but we need in increase the mortgage we too out. Had they not allowed us to do that we may have had to withdraw from the sale as we couldn't know if we could afford the remedial works (in addition to what was visibly required). 

I would concur with this - surveys are there to highlight current and potential defects - in this climate where banks are asking for higher deposits therefore buyers need to ensure they are not buying a home that requires work in the next few years that they cant afford. If they come back with a request to reduce ask for a copy of the survey and the quote - speak to your agent and decide if its fair and reasonable request - if not the agent will politely decline and should be skilled enough to explain to the buyer why its been declined and keep the deal together

On a side note transactions are taking alot longer than they used to as banks/solicitors/surveyors all all under staffed so the deals feel very drawn out which can make the stress levels alot higher so be patient.