Buyer Asking us reduce house sale by 9K but not allowing us to see survey.

Tiglet2

An older property with guttering and roof vegetation would surely have been visible when they viewed.  Your house is 60 years old for goodness sake.  Did they expect it to be perfect?  OK woodworm might not be seen on a viewing, but if you're worried, think about getting someone in to look at that and advise you what the status of it is.

I would be inclined to say no and see what they come back with.  £9k is a ridiculous amount of money.  These FTBs are trying their luck.

If they want to renegotiate money off and you're happy to consider it, tell your EA that you will liaise with your solicitor, who will write to the FTB Solicitor asking to see relevant excerpts from the survey.  No excerpts, no negotiation.

TripleH

The survey is about your property not theirs so the argument could be that they have no right to see the report because it is not their property whilst only you do.

Anyway, agree with above. No reduction especially without evidence of what they're claiming for or say £500 reduction based on the little evidence given which to clear a gutter and de-moss a roof seems reasonable (no idea if that is true now).

The builder could be quoting £9k because they don't want the work or will milk a naive FTB.

In laws wanted a reduction on their home because of a dodgy roof. Buyer refused but got the work done themselves.

lookstraightahead

It's up to you really. It's their survey so they can share it or not. You need to decide whether you want to reduce the price by 9k or not. Even if you did see the survey, you're probably going to end up debating whether the 9k is worth it. She might be genuine (although a homebuyers survey is hardly a proper survey) or she might just want 9k off (cold feet, her interpretation of the current market, or trying her luck) or maybe the house has been 'Down' valued?).

The only reason it could be useful for you is if you can see from it that there are issues - in which case you can have your own done (as our vendors did prior to putting it on the market so that they could answer questions - it is a very old house).

I'm really not one for negotiating after a survey but lots of people do - did your buyer pay over the asking price (something else I would never do), maybe they're now uncomfortable.

either way, you need to decide what to do based on the situation, forget the survey.

incidentally none of what she's sited would make me budge, does she want a new house for old?

don't do this, but I would be thinking about going back it with an increased price 🤣🤣

Section62

Tiglet2 said:

I would be inclined to say no and see what they come back with.  £9k is a ridiculous amount of money.  These FTBs are trying their luck.

There's no information on the size and detailed condition of either the garage roof or garden wall... putting those two items back in order could easily swallow up £9k.

Maybe if the OP posts pictures of the wall, woodworm in the garage, and garage roof (if possible/safe) we'd have some basis to guess at the cost of repair work and whether £9k is reasonable.

Ath_Wat

TripleH said:

The survey is about your property not theirs so the argument could be that they have no right to see the report because it is not their property whilst only you do.

This would be a terrible argument.  They paid for the report; it is theirs.

The fact is they really have no need to share it, and you have no need to see it.  They want to pay £9,000 less, you don't want them to.  You either accept or refuse or negotiate.  What's fair or reasonable is irrelevant.  All that matters is what they are prepared to pay and what you are prepared to take. If you think they won't get a better house than yours for the price they are paying and you can easily get another buyer who will pay your price if they do decide to shoot themselves in the foot over it, stick to your guns.

Section62

Ath_Wat said:

What's fair or reasonable is irrelevant.  All that matters is what they are prepared to pay and what you are prepared to take. If you think they won't get a better house than yours for the price they are paying and you can easily get another buyer who will pay your price if they do decide to shoot themselves in the foot over it, stick to your guns.

Not quite.

If the buyer's surveyor has identified defects the OP was unaware of, and if the buyer's builder has given a reasonable estimate of the cost of rectification work, then the OP needs to factor in the possibility that another buyer will get a similar survey and similar builder's estimate and then ask for a similar price reduction.

The OP could go on pulling out of potential sales until a buyer comes along and doesn't bother with a survey... but that's a gamble, and may take more time than they are able/willing to wait.

canaldumidi

As others have said, decline the reduced offer and ensure your EA is instructed to re-market the property asap if the buyers aren't willing to proceed at the original price agreed.

Lolarose13

Hiya

Thank you very much for all your replies. The agreed sale price was fairly typical for other properties that are of a similar size and are so the buyer did not agree a price that was above the current market value.  I have a roofer coming round to give me a quote this afternoon. So I will see what he comes back with. I feel the buyers quote is excessive. The buyers builder has also quoted to replace the glass panes in the garage and outbuilding doors which are ‘misty’ which is purely cosmetic. 

cymruchris

In your position - even with wanting to move quickly - I'd refuse, and state that either they continue at the agreed offer price, or it'll go back to market, highlighting that previously you had higher offers, but went with them as they were first to offer. If they don't like it - get it relisted and resold. I know you want to move asap - but don't let a few weeks cloud your judgement over a big chunk of money. 

lookstraightahead

cymruchris said:

In your position - even with wanting to move quickly - I'd refuse, and state that either they continue at the agreed offer price, or it'll go back to market, highlighting that previously you had higher offers, but went with them as they were first to offer. If they don't like it - get it relisted and resold. I know you want to move asap - but don't let a few weeks cloud your judgement over a big chunk of money. 

Although to be fair the buyer doesn't want to be clouded by a big chunk of money either.