Buyers told they need red ash test

Vasquez65

The house hasn’t got concrete floors,  it’s suspended timber joists on sleeper walls with a void of at least 1 metre to bare earth in the sub floor 🙄
There is a small area of concrete floor about 6ft x 6ft, in the hall  where there was a front porch extension done around 30 years ago,  it’s outside the orginal footprint of the house and very obviously a newer addition.   I’m annoyed for our buyers, having to spend a few hundred on an unnecessary test, plus the delay, we thought the searches would be well underway by now as the valuation was done 10 days ago.
   Next door neighbour bought his house 10 years ago and didn’t need one. 

I don’t know who our buyer’s mortgage is with,  or who did the valuation report.  

On viewing the house, our buyer asked specifically about the floor as they had already paid for a test on a previous house purchase that fell through ( their vendor pulled out) .   I showed them the floorboards under the stairs and explained about the very obvious porch extension.   

I’m assuming the company who come to take a sample will happily drill into the concrete and wont care that they are getting money for nothing. 

greatcrested

There are 3 options

1) refuse to allow any drilling or invasive inspection. Buyer loses mortgage. You lose buyer.

2) buyer re-applies for mortgage with new lender. Sale is uncertain % delayed

3) permit new survey. sale is delayed, but proceeds

Vasquez65

I know, I’m just furious on our buyer’s behalf.  I plan to go round when they come to take the sample and ask if they can state in their report that the test wasn’t needed?    

Whoever did the mortgage survey must be an idiot,   The house is completely empty and it would be obvious just by walking around that the floors are wooden,  he must have looked in the under stairs cupboard at the gas meter,  it’s bare floorboards.

eddddy

I guess you tell the buyers that there is only 6' x 6' area of concrete floor - so that they can pass that info onto the survey firms they get quotes from.

Hopefully, the costs quoted will reflect the fact that only a small area of the floor needs testing.

Thrugelmir

Vasquez65 said:

   Next door neighbour bought his house 10 years ago and didn’t need one. 

What often happens is that events move on. Further information comes to light.  Surveyors will know far more than you do.