To get a survey or not.. estate agent/vendor unhappy

bsmith147

@hazyjo We had our offer accepted 4 weeks ago but the vendors only instructed a solicitor about 2.5 weeks ago. We were then waiting for our valuation/mortgage offer which came through yesterday so instructed surveyor today. Vendors have only just found a house to buy so nowhere near completing etc.

verytired11

Alarm bells!  Of course you want a survey when you are about to make the biggest purchase of your life, it's completely standard, it's your decision and got nothing to do with the vendor.  Ignore the agent they are talking rubbish.  A valuation is not a survey

Brie

I had a L3 survey done the first time we wanted to buy a place.  Scared the living daylights out of me without telling me anything helpful.  "there might be X wrong but you will need to investigate further" was the standard phrase used in almost every section. 

And the valuation surveys are a joke.  When MiL was selling her place someone came round and said that it didn't look in very good shape for a new purpose built flat.  And the reason was that it was actually a flat converted from a Victorian vicarage 40 years earlier!  The person doing the valuation had a ipad that was showing her the block of flats next door rather than the actual property and she couldn't spot that there was an issue.

StandingInTheSun

Vendor is hiding something and/or trying to twist your arm in the hope you're naive.

Stick to your guns. If they think they'll sell a 1930s build to someone without a survey they'll be stuck there the rest of their days.

davilown

bsmith147 said:

Hi all..
This is my first post here and am looking for opinions/advice.
We are buying our “forever home” which was built in the 1930s and had since had 3 extensions. The property has been kept modern and up to date. 

Without giving it much thought, we decided to get a Level 3 building survey just for total peace of mind with it being an older property. We thought this was pretty standard.
We then received a call from the vendor’s estate agent this morning that the vendor is unhappy as she’s already had the valuation (from mortgage lender) done. The EA said the same thing and couldn’t understand why we would need “another survey.” I said this is pretty standard and she said not, not many people get a survey after valuation. She tried to argue they go round picking up every minor issue such as broken light bulbs and are pointless. 

I’m sticking to my guns and having the survey but just wanted opinions on this - would you get a level 3 survey on a property of this type?

Thanks,

You get whatever surveys you want - just because the valuation survey has been completed before the structural survey means absolutely nothing.  Stick to your guns, I'd be more concerned about why the vendor is unhappy.....

AdrianC

If the vendor and EA are trying to persuade you not to have a survey, there would be alarm bells ringing like crazy for me.

purplebutterfly

We're buying a 1920's house and had a very thorough level 2 survey done (surveyor was there 4 and a half hours and it reads more like a level 3 TBH) plus an EIRC of the whole house.   

The vendor has just had a full boiler service done today because they don't want anything to delay the sale and it hadn't been serviced for years.  They offered to do it and paid for it. 

I can fully understand a vendor not wanting to have the disruption of a survey but it's something they just have to accept as part of selling a house!  I'm a FTB and I would walk away from any house where the vendor refused a survey.  I'd also be very unhappy with any EA who tried to put me off having one.  It all sounds very strange. 

badger09

I agree with those saying this would raise alarm bells with me. Does the vendor want to sell or not?

I would politely ask the EA to inform the vendor that I have no intention of spending £xxx,000 on such a property without having a survey done. If the vendor is not prepared for the minor inconvenience, I will look for another property. 

Good luck

Skiddaw1

Too right. Our buyers had a level 3 survey carried out on our previous (Victorian) house and we completely understood why- indeed, we'd done the same ourselves when we bought the house. If the seller and the EA are throwing hissy fits, it's all the more important to go ahead with the survey. Hope it doesn't throw up a deal-breaker but at least you won't be potentially purchasing a pig in a poke.

steampowered

I could understand the agent's point of view if we were talking about a new build property.

For a property build in the 1930s with three extensions, it is absolutely expected to get a proper survey done. A lender valuation is not a survey. The agents/sellers are being deliberately dense if they don't recognise that.