Surveyor not allowed before exchange

snowqueen555

Hello I'm in the process of buying a new build flat. From what I can see it seems to be common practise for them to not let you do a survey until after exchange.

What can I do other than get a snagging survey after I've moved in?

user1977

It's not normal to do a survey at all for newbuild properties, and often there isn't even anything to survey before exchange - is all the construction complete?

snowqueen555

user1977 said:

It's not normal to do a survey at all for newbuild properties, and often there isn't even anything to survey before exchange - is all the construction complete?

It's mostly done, they think by Dec. I've come in and had a look. It's an old brick building being converted into several dozen flats.

I'm guessing it's standard the measurements are always smaller as they measure the widest points of the room 🤦🏿‍♂️ EPC says 51sqm but it's more like 40-43sqm.

wilfred30

So it's not a new build then, it's a conversion.

If it's an old building, I think I'd be inclined to want a survey prior to exchange.

snowqueen555

wilfred30 said:

So it's not a new build then, it's a conversion.

If it's an old building, I think I'd be inclined to want a survey prior to exchange.

It's classed as a new build, I am using a government scheme to buy as well.

[Deleted User]

Sounds sketchy. It's not unreasonable to want to have the build inspected while it's possible to see parts of the work that will be covered up later.

daveyjp

What if the buyer is a surveyor?!

prowla

The idea of a survey is to highlight potential issues; I don't quite understand how doing that after exchange makes any sense.

eddddy

So it's a new conversion of an old building.

• Is the work completed (i.e. is the flat all finished) and/or will it be completed before you exchange contracts?

• What does the contract say about a builder's warranty and/or snagging (i.e. faults with the builder's work)?

If it's an old building, you might want a surveyor to look at the condition of the building and the general quality of the conversion very early on (and certainly before exchange).


If the flat isn't finished yet, you might want to have a snagging survey when it's finished. If you're not getting a builder's warranty, maybe you need to do that just before completion, before you move in. (Check what the contract says.)

Or if ,for example,  there's a 2 year builder's warranty - there is less urgency to getting a snagging survey done.

(But if you get a snagging survey done after you move in, there might me arguments about whether it was you who chipped the plaster, scratched the bath, stained the floor, etc.)

user1977

I wouldn't expect any developers to be happy to have a buyer's surveyor poking around a building site. And even if your surveyor does spot points of concern, what then? It's only likely to be take it or leave it, they're not likely to renegotiate the price or specification. 

snowqueen555

eddddy said:

So it's a new conversion of an old building.

• Is the work completed (i.e. is the flat all finished) and/or will it be completed before you exchange contracts?

• What does the contract say about a builder's warranty and/or snagging (i.e. faults with the builder's work)?

If it's an old building, you might want a surveyor to look at the condition of the building and the general quality of the conversion very early on (and certainly before exchange).


If the flat isn't finished yet, you might want to have a snagging survey when it's finished. If you're not getting a builder's warranty, maybe you need to do that just before completion, before you move in. (Check what the contract says.)

Or if ,for example,  there's a 2 year builder's warranty - there is less urgency to getting a snagging survey done.

(But if you get a snagging survey done after you move in, there might me arguments about whether it was you who chipped the plaster, scratched the bath, stained the floor, etc.)

There's the 2 year builders warranty and the 10 year one as well.

It is an old building. The flat is mostly done, just cosmetic finishes and will be done by exchange.

I find the whole buying a new build process a slimy process, especially the salesperson. I will carry the process on but will happily walk away with £500-£1000 costs involved if I am not happy at the final viewing of the finished flat.

Thanks for your input.