Potential Unstable Chimney Stack

Drem1992

We're almost ready to exchange, every other issue is sorted. 
Our survey stated that there was no chimney breast in the loft area above the rear bedroom but below the roof, the stack is still present on the roof, and the breast throughout both bedroom and dining room.
In the report he also stated that he spoke to the vendor about it who claimed the neighbours had removed parts of the breast when doing some work. 
No building regs have been identified. I raised it with the vendor and asked if she could ask the current neighbours if they had any more info on this. The vendors since come back to me claiming no idea what the surveyor is talking about and that as far as she's aware the chimney breast has not been removed, the neighbours seem to have no more idea than she does! 
I've queried this with the surveyor, who is completely sticking to everything he wrote in the report. 
A structural surveyor has quoted £475 for an assessment, I've asked the vendor if she can send pictures of the loft area to me so I can a) have a look for myself and b) use them to get some quotes. 
I'm incredibly confused at the moment as I have 2 completely conflicting accounts from the surveyor and the vendor and I don't know what to trust!
The surveyor already got 1 thing wrong, he claimed the boiler was in the bedroom (it's in the kitchen) he has accepted that this was an error and it's the water tank that's in the bedroom. I'm starting to doubt the quality of my survey, I'm wary of paying nearly £500 to investigate something which may not even be an issue. 
Has anyone got any advice??

AdrianC

View again and see for yourself.

princeofpounds

Yes - go and look at it yourself to see if it is there or not. Take a few pictures if it is, and email to your surveyor as part of a formal complaint (along with detailing the other things he got wrong), asking for a significant partial refund given he appears to have got two very major and basic things wrong. Don't go in with angry language - he may have an explanation for what he has written (although I can't think of one).

If it isn't there, then get quotes to put it right and adjust your offer. You WILL want it repaired. 

Chimney breasts do go 'missing' sometimes, but it would be very unusual for that to happen in a loft. Normally they are taken out in the living areas leaving the loft area and above unsupported.

Drem1992

Unfortunately the vendor is self isolating at the moment so we can't get back in to look ourselves for at least a week! She's going to go up and send us some photos after she's finished work, really hoping they will explain things and I can work our what on earth is going on! We're hoping to move early July so I'm aware the clock is ticking for us to work this out.

Drem1992

Having received photos from the seller it's clear the survey is very much wrong, both chimney breasts present. 
I've sent an email to the chief surveyor at the company explaining my concerns, and asked for a full refund so that I can arrange a new survey elsewhere, given I no longer have any faith that this one is an accurate representation of the property. 
I'm now awaiting their reply 😬

macman

Even if the stack was missing on the ground and/or first floor, it doesn't make the structure unsafe as long as the remaining stack has been properly supported, which for decades was done solely by the insertion of gallows brackets. Which would be visible from the loft area.
Sounds like they surveyed the wrong house...

HampshireH

What a strange thing to put in a survey when evidently wrong.

Definitely complain and ask if he has photos to evidence such a significant concerns

Drem1992

Have now had a reply from the survey company, they're offering us the full refund on the condition that the survey is withdrawn and we are no longer a client and they bear no responsibility for anything within the report going forward. We're quite happy to take this offer.
The decision we have now is do we bother getting a second survey with someone else given we've got our money back, or do we just go ahead given nothing major came up on the other one, it just invented issues that weren't there!

davilown

Drem1992 said:

Have now had a reply from the survey company, they're offering us the full refund on the condition that the survey is withdrawn and we are no longer a client and they bear no responsibility for anything within the report going forward. We're quite happy to take this offer.
The decision we have now is do we bother getting a second survey with someone else given we've got our money back, or do we just go ahead given nothing major came up on the other one, it just invented issues that weren't there!

Great result for you, just shows the gross incompetence of a few individuals.