Vendor survey vs buyer survey

paul82uk

Hello All,

my building survey detailed a number of issues the key ones
- possible structural movement
- roof resurfacing
- damp/stop !!!!!! leak

The vendor arranged their own structural survey which is saying there is non of the above issues and the house is sound.
the vendor also said that my survey was just a template and their surveyor cannot understanding why my surveyor has flagged as they are non-issues or concerns.

The vendor is unhappy and they have also issued photos saying my survey left mud and dirt from the roof plus removed ceiling wall paper.

The estate agent has said to wait for the mortgage valuation but said the vendor is unhappy they spent £500 which was not needed.  The language used also suggests that the vendor disbelieves my survey having now had their own.

Question is
- what to do in this situation as there is clear different professional opinion from the two surveyors.
- do I need to go back to my surveyor 
- do I get another survey with different company

It feels there is an discussion needed and as the mortgage has done an physical valuation the structural may be pulled out here if any.
Thanks

FinallyStoppedLurking

Lots of factors at play here.

What outcome do you want?
Potentially walk away?
Discounted price?
Work to be carried out by vendor?

If you are happy with the property and don't feel the survey's offer too much risk you could ask if the survey could be put in your name so that their surveyor would be liable to you and offer to pay towards the cost of the survey.

tripled

The mortgage valuation means very little. They just check the house is there and the price isn't too far off what they think it's worth.

We had a buildings survey done recently that saw "possible localised subsidence" and recommended a drainage survey and structural engineer inspection. We got those done and it turns out the whole house was shifting on clay with cracks everywhere and underpinning needed. In the midst of this, the mortgage valuer came out and signed it off without noticing anything wrong. 

Ultimately you have to decide whether you are happy to go ahead at whatver price you can agree with the vendor, whether to have another survey done, or to pull out. If you have another survey done, it might be worth using a local structural engineer to report specifically on those issues, specially given the possible structural movement.

paul82uk

FinallyStoppedLurking said:

Lots of factors at play here.

What outcome do you want?
Potentially walk away?
Discounted price?
Work to be carried out by vendor?

If you are happy with the property and don't feel the survey's offer too much risk you could ask if the survey could be put in your name so that their surveyor would be liable to you and offer to pay towards the cost of the survey.

Just legally binding confirmation there is no structural issues.

princeofpounds

All else equal, you should believe the independent professional you are paying to give you an opinion, and not the person trying to sell you something. That's not to say your surveyor cannot be mistaken, or have a difference of professional opinion, but they are not incentivised to deceive you.

The criticism that the survey 'is just a template' makes little sense - most surveys are filled out on some kind of template, especially homebuyer's surveys. The material inside is either right or wrong.

Ask the vendor for copies of the relevant parts of their survey. Pick up the phone, call your surveyor and discuss it with him. Things like the roof needing resurfacing may be a matter of opinion - is it 5 years or 10 years away until a failure, no-one really knows. But focus on the issue of movement and perhaps the damp unless it is localised and caused by the stopcock leak.

FinallyStoppedLurking

paul82uk said:

FinallyStoppedLurking said:

Lots of factors at play here.

What outcome do you want?
Potentially walk away?
Discounted price?
Work to be carried out by vendor?

If you are happy with the property and don't feel the survey's offer too much risk you could ask if the survey could be put in your name so that their surveyor would be liable to you and offer to pay towards the cost of the survey.

Just legally binding confirmation there is no structural issues.

Then possibly ask them if they will put the survey in your name so it is binding. 

Point of note, there are usually so many get out clauses that some people argue they aren't worth the paper they are written on.  Do you have genuine concerns over the property?

paul82uk

FinallyStoppedLurking said:

paul82uk said:

FinallyStoppedLurking said:

Lots of factors at play here.

What outcome do you want?
Potentially walk away?
Discounted price?
Work to be carried out by vendor?

If you are happy with the property and don't feel the survey's offer too much risk you could ask if the survey could be put in your name so that their surveyor would be liable to you and offer to pay towards the cost of the survey.

Just legally binding confirmation there is no structural issues.

Then possibly ask them if they will put the survey in your name so it is binding. 

Point of note, there are usually so many get out clauses that some people argue they aren't worth the paper they are written on.  Do you have genuine concerns over the property?

Agree but would like it writing then consider getting my own done so it’s within my name.

it’s just strange two surveyors saying complete opposite.

can over think in terms of is it real or a family friend who’s do their survey.  It just best to wait and see and then go with gut.
the location ticks all the boxes for needs and more so because of my personal needs but it’s not the only house in the street or area.

md258

Give your surveyor a ring and chat it through. They may be willing to say things on the phone that they "think" or "believe" but not want to commit to writing them in the report as they aren't certain.

Why are you so keen to get a legally binding opinion? It it turned out the stopcock was leaking, would you actually go back to the surveyor for recourse or just sort it out?

numbercruncher8

Why did the vendor have a survey? Did you request them to do this?
I'd put more credence on the one I paid for as opposed to one I didn't pay for. 
Almost sounds to me that they got themselves a 'clean' one to try and hardball over any problems.... their whinging is a bit of a red flag to me.

es5595

This sounds like you got the cheapest survey, which is full of bottom-covering from the ‘surveyor’. 

They pretty much always find damp, and I’m sure they’ll offer to sort it for you for a pretty penny. 

Every house has ‘possible’ structural issues. What you need to know is yes or no. But for pennies they won’t offer themselves up to that liability. 

The vendor has now forked out the £ for a full structural survey after yours, and is understandably pretty ratty to have it come back with a clean slate. 

If this is a house you want and you’re prepared to pay what you offered, I’d get in touch with the EA post-haste to find out if the vendors survey can be put in your name if you pay for it. You are then covered. 

paul82uk

md258 said:

Give your surveyor a ring and chat it through. They may be willing to say things on the phone that they "think" or "believe" but not want to commit to writing them in the report as they aren't certain.

Why are you so keen to get a legally binding opinion? It it turned out the stopcock was leaking, would you actually go back to the surveyor for recourse or just sort it out?

Wasn’t bother about the stopcock didn’t even talk about it to the estate agent in any detail.
the structural was the more important due to the clear cracking on the internal and external wall which had been patched