Buyer wants money off for issues raised on survey

StandingInTheSun

I don't think any of the buyer's requests are particularly unreasonable. Of course you can argue that the house was priced appropriately for the condition it's in - equally he might say that this was not communicated to him by you or the estate agent and therefore he's within his rights to ask for a reduction.

No. 6 is a very standard surveyor's request. I'd expect any knowledgeable seller to have those documents available.

How much money are they asking off? This forum often states that "a couple of grand is nothing when compared to the cost of a house". If you want the sale to go through, maybe not worth fighting over such a small amount.

GeordieGeorge

There are some things that it might be reasonable to negotiate over, or to split, but on the other hand you aren’t selling a new-build, and the general condition is as it was when it was viewed.
The issues raised donf a bit minor, and a bit petty, but against that there’s the hassle of re-listing.
I’d be tempted to politely point out that they can’t expect you to refurbish the house because of imperfections, but possibly to offer a reduction of maybe £1,000, on condition that they get their backsides in gear and exchange.

Slithery

StandingInTheSun said:

No. 6 is a very standard surveyor's request. I'd expect any knowledgeable seller to have those documents available.

Why? It's not documentation that the owner has any legal obligation to produce. I'd say that the vast majority of property owners don't have either.
The standard answer is 'if the vendor wants to get the gas and electricity checked, then they can pay for it'.

OldMusicGuy

Those are all pretty minor things, and like Slithery said, gas and electrical safety certificates are not required. I sold a house without them no problem. It will cost them a few grand to fix all those things which isn't much in the overall scheme of things. They don't seem to be very realistic about buying an older property. In the current market I would be remarketing unless they honoured their offer.

GarretC

If this is all that came up on my survey (as a buyer), I would be delighted and not be asking for anything! 

StandingInTheSun

Slithery said:

StandingInTheSun said:

No. 6 is a very standard surveyor's request. I'd expect any knowledgeable seller to have those documents available.

Why? It's not documentation that the owner has any legal obligation to produce. I'd say that the vast majority of property owners don't have either.
The standard answer is 'if the vendor wants to get the gas and electricity checked, then they can pay for it'.

Just because the legal obligation isn't there doesn't mean it isn't something which isn't going to be asked for. EVERY survey is going to bring those things up and so there's a good chance your buyer will ask for them. 

Having them done in advance not only saves that time and hassle but also prevents any unexpected shocks if the buyer does pay to get them done and it brings up major safety issues, which can lead to the collapse of the sale.

As I say, from a seller's perspective getting those certificates in order is going to cost you, what, a couple of hundred? Small change compared to the possible pitfalls of not having them done and asking the buyer to do it instead.

verytired11

StandingInTheSun said:

I don't think any of the buyer's requests are particularly unreasonable. Of course you can argue that the house was priced appropriately for the condition it's in - equally he might say that this was not communicated to him by you or the estate agent and therefore he's within his rights to ask for a reduction.

No. 6 is a very standard surveyor's request. I'd expect any knowledgeable seller to have those documents available.

How much money are they asking off? This forum often states that "a couple of grand is nothing when compared to the cost of a house". If you want the sale to go through, maybe not worth fighting over such a small amount.

They are asking for £10,000 off.

StandingInTheSun

OldMusicGuy said:

Those are all pretty minor things, and like Slithery said, gas and electrical safety certificates are not required. I sold a house without them no problem. It will cost them a few grand to fix all those things which isn't much in the overall scheme of things. They don't seem to be very realistic about buying an older property. In the current market I would be remarketing unless they honoured their offer.

You can look at it both ways though. From the buyer's perspective they'd rather that couple of grand came out of the seller's pocket given that these were unforeseen and undisclosed issues only brought up in the survey. 

The OP may hold all the cards here and be in no chain and no rush, in which case I'd call their bluff and stick to your guns.

Conversely the OP may rather take a couple of grand of a hit for the sake of keeping the sale on track.

There are no right answers here but there is a wrong one,.and that's suggesting the buyer is doing anything wrong by seeking to renegotiate after a survey brings up unforeseen issues. This is pretty standard practice regardless of the age of the house.

[Deleted User]

I would absolutely not engage in lengthy rebuttals, your original response was sufficient. 
You are the picture of restraint. A buyer who has presumably outbid others, somewhat predictably trying to re-negotiate on the back of a survey with no red list items and this against the background of rising property prices!
The problem with any goodwill gesture to smooth this over, is that it's not likely going to work as he is so out of line. Placing the onus on you to do various follow up reports, against the background of asking for 10k off - please!

verytired11

[Deleted User] said:

I would absolutely not engage in lengthy rebuttals, your original response was sufficient. 
You are the picture of restraint. A buyer who has presumably outbid others, somewhat predictably trying to re-negotiate on the back of a survey with no red list items and this against the background of rising property prices!
The problem with any goodwill gesture to smooth this over, is that it's not likely going to work as he is so out of line. Placing the onus on you to do various follow up reports, against the background of asking for 10k off - please!

I think the thing that worries me is that if I do anything as a good will gesture it may be like offering an inch and him taking a mile, including potentially encouraging him to be a c and asking for another chunk of money off just before exchange. It's the tone of his email that puts my back up so much as it is so aggressive and entitled, saying 'i require this' and 'i require that' and 'the seller has neglected core maintenance' and it makes me not want to sell to him at all.  I live in a very lovely and tight knit community with top state schools and have lived here for 20 years.  I really like my neighbours and I want someone nice living here.  Because his email is so entitled,  I feel process wise it may be sensible to tell him to confirm he will go ahead at the agreed price asap, in order to send a clear message that I won't be messed around further down the line.  If the tone of his email was more reasonable I would be more minded to meet him halfway.

I am thinking maybe I will get the gas and electric certificates as unfortunately there is a failed electric certificate from a few years ago and I can't find evidence of the works required from that as ever being done.  I will also get a plumber out anyway as I wouldn't want to risk a potential on going leak.  And then ask him to confirm that if I get those done he will go ahead at the agreed price or we go back to market.