Negotiating lower price after survey

14sprocket

Crashy_Time said:

Most property isn`t in the category of being a "risk" if you don`t get to buy it, there is plenty more to look at, just get the valuation OP and take it from there.

Yes, that's exactly what I intend to do

saajan_12

14sprocket said:

timmins91 said:

Did you expect the survey to come back and tell you the house was perfect? If my buyer asked me to replace a (so far) functioning conservatory roof and shower that they'd seen before putting an offer in, I'd be putting it back on the market sharpish. Is it worth potentially losing the house over when they're things you could replace reasonably over time?

Hmmm.... what's the point of the survey otherwise? 
The way I'm seeing it, is I'm hiring an expert to tell me what needs to be done about the house to make it livable. Where to draw the line between the "layman's knowledge" and surveyor's expertise each person decides for himself. At the end of the day, I'm not planning to take advantage of the seller and only looking to flag up the issues raised in the survey.
For example, painted over windows is a poor form, and I wouldn't be able to tell if there's dry rot myself.
Any negotiation is a 2-way process, and we may well end up agreeing somewhere in between.

No, the point is to highlight issues that may be hidden which may devalue the property below the standard that the deal was negotiated on. For things that were visible at the viewing or that are potential issues which most houses will have -> the vendor would likely say they accepted your offer on the basis of those things being known i.e. without those the price would be higher. 

There's always a bit of subjectivity / negotiation around what consitiutes visible / applicable to any property vs actual issues not already priced in. For example (and I'm being extreme here) 
- hidden damp which is about to make the roof cave in imminently would probably be a good reason to reduce offer. 
- property needs repainting when you can see the marks on the walls would be already priced in -> no reduction
- property could burn down if there was a freak fire, needing rebuilding -> no reduction

I reckon the 3 issues you mention are on the side of things visible or just potential future issues which come with home ownership. You mention that's just a snippet of the report, so maybe list the other issues if there's anything that might be worth a reduction? Note the seller's tone may seem averse but they're probably just shocked at the suggestion of a reduction for these points - and wary of what might follow. 

14sprocket said:

lookstraightahead said:

If you saw my full structural report it would make your toes curl, and I've not asked for any reduction, because it's an old house.
Im with your vendor op, sorry. These are minor things and if I was the vendor I would be thinking of relisting.
i don't always think that and there are some greedy vendors with fairy tale expectations, but not in this instance imho .

In my case it's a relatively new house, so I may have different expectations perhaps. Painting over windows and allowing frames to dry rot is a poor form, imo. I'm only asking for what the builders quoted me for remedial work

But there isn't necessarily dry rot.. the builder is just saying they can't see below the paint. The point is what you call remedial work is what others call potentially unnecessary work to improve the property beyond the standard expected when you offered. 

Hannimal

14sprocket said:

Hmmm.... what's the point of the survey otherwise? 
The way I'm seeing it, is I'm hiring an expert to tell me what needs to be done about the house to make it livable. Where to draw the line between the "layman's knowledge" and surveyor's expertise each person decides for himself. At the end of the day, I'm not planning to take advantage of the seller and only looking to flag up the issues raised in the survey.
For example, painted over windows is a poor form, and I wouldn't be able to tell if there's dry rot myself.
Any negotiation is a 2-way process, and we may well end up agreeing somewhere in between.

No this is not the point of a survey. The point is to help you identify any actual or potential issues that can cost you money and to help you decide if the property is for you. It will help you budget. There will always be things that the survey suggests you do, some necessary and others not. It is unreasonable to expect the vendor to pay for future repairs and things that are a matter of preference (windows painted shut). There is no harm in asking - as you did - but what you were asking was unlikely to ever appeal to the vendor. 

The only point where I would consider if it were worth insisting on the things you've mentioned is the conservatory roof, depending on what the state of it were. I would certainly book to see it again and discuss it with a builder or roofer to see what the actual costs are and how soon the work needs doing. The risk of the conservatory roof leaking would be a concern to me.