Vendor sealed up loft prior to surveyor coming

t1redmonkey

Just wondered if this would set any alarm bells ringing to anyone here.  I had a surveyor visit a property I'd had an offer accepted on, however he phoned me after he'd visited and said he couldn't access the loft as the vendor had sealed this up (think he said they'd caulked it up) so he didn't want to force it open. 

The odd thing is, they had an EPC done a couple of weeks before that and the person doing the EPC would had to have gone to the loft to check the insulation, so it seems like they've sealed it up in between the person doing the EPC and the surveyor's visit. 

Am I worrying unnecessarily?  I personally would've liked the surveyor to have accessed the loft because it's an old property, and I know it's useful to be able to see the roof joists and also if there are any leaks (it was raining on the day he visited so he would've been able to see if there was any water coming in if he could've accessed the loft).  As it is, there's a bit of a question mark over the roof space as it couldn't be accessed.

Brie

I would certainly ask for access.  Just to ensure there were no dead bodies or hemp farms.

babyblade41

Just make sure there is no expanding foam everywhere 

eddddy

t1redmonkey said:

The odd thing is, they had an EPC done a couple of weeks before that and the person doing the EPC would had to have gone to the loft to check the insulation, so it seems like they've sealed it up in between the person doing the EPC and the surveyor's visit. 

The EPC assessor might not have gone into the loft.

FWIW, a landlord told me about the following experience...

• There was no access to the loft. The EPC assessor asked if the loft was insulated. The landlord said he didn't know. So the EPC assessor assumed it wasn't insulated and gave the property a low score.

• So the landlord called in a second EPC assessor to the same property. There was still no access to the loft, but this time the landlord told the assessor that it was definitely insulated. So the EPC assessor gave the property a higher score.

But it's strange to seal a loft hatch. Ask the estate agent to ask the seller why it's been done.

Is it a very old terrace of houses? Sometimes they were built without party walls in the loft - so potentially a neighbour could go up through their loft hatch, walk along, and come down through your loft hatch. So perhaps it's been screwed up and caulked up to stop that happening.

(But if that's the case, and a mortgage lender finds out, they often say that party walls must be constructed to limit the spread of a fire.) 

t1redmonkey

eddddy said:

t1redmonkey said:

The odd thing is, they had an EPC done a couple of weeks before that and the person doing the EPC would had to have gone to the loft to check the insulation, so it seems like they've sealed it up in between the person doing the EPC and the surveyor's visit. 

The EPC assessor might not have gone into the loft.

FWIW, a landlord told me about the following experience...

• There was no access to the loft. The EPC assessor asked if the loft was insulated. The landlord said he didn't know. So the EPC assessor assumed it wasn't insulated and gave the property a low score.

• So the landlord called in a second EPC assessor to the same property. There was still no access to the loft, but this time the landlord told the assessor that it was definitely insulated. So the EPC assessor gave the property a higher score.

But it's strange to seal a loft hatch. Ask the estate agent to ask the seller why it's been done.

Is it a very old terrace of houses? Sometimes they were built without party walls in the loft - so potentially a neighbour could go up through their loft hatch, walk along, and come down through your loft hatch. So perhaps it's been screwed up and caulked up to stop that happening.

(But if that's the case, and a mortgage lender finds out, they often say that party walls must be constructed to limit the spread of a fire.) 

Those are some good points actually.  Yes it is an old mid terrace house.  My last house also had what you are describing (no party walls in the loft).  Will ask the EA tomorrow if they can ask the vendor and see what they say.

I think the person doing the EPC must've had access to the loft though, because they did put a specific thickness of insulation in the EPC (don't they have to write assumed in the EPC if they haven't checked something?).

lookstraightahead

Well if I was buying the house I would want access to all of it 

user1977

t1redmonkey said:

eddddy said:

t1redmonkey said:

The odd thing is, they had an EPC done a couple of weeks before that and the person doing the EPC would had to have gone to the loft to check the insulation, so it seems like they've sealed it up in between the person doing the EPC and the surveyor's visit. 

The EPC assessor might not have gone into the loft.

FWIW, a landlord told me about the following experience...

• There was no access to the loft. The EPC assessor asked if the loft was insulated. The landlord said he didn't know. So the EPC assessor assumed it wasn't insulated and gave the property a low score.

• So the landlord called in a second EPC assessor to the same property. There was still no access to the loft, but this time the landlord told the assessor that it was definitely insulated. So the EPC assessor gave the property a higher score.

But it's strange to seal a loft hatch. Ask the estate agent to ask the seller why it's been done.

Is it a very old terrace of houses? Sometimes they were built without party walls in the loft - so potentially a neighbour could go up through their loft hatch, walk along, and come down through your loft hatch. So perhaps it's been screwed up and caulked up to stop that happening.

(But if that's the case, and a mortgage lender finds out, they often say that party walls must be constructed to limit the spread of a fire.) 

I think the person doing the EPC must've had access to the loft though, because they did put a specific thickness of insulation in the EPC (don't they have to write assumed in the EPC if they haven't checked something?).

I wouldn't presume too much about the diligence with which EPCs are prepared.

But in any event, just ask for access to the loft. Conceivably it has just been "sealed" for draughtproofing purposes, I don't see it being a big deal. Further refusals to allow access may be grounds for suspicion.

propertyrental

Ignore the EPC. So many 'assumptions' they are not worth a lot.

 he couldn't access the loft as the vendor had sealed this up (think he said they'd caulked it up) so he didn't want to force it open. 
...
Am I worrying unnecessarily?

No. No way would I proceed without myself or the surveyor inspecting the attic.

macman

All is speculation. The solution is to ask the vendor for access yourself. If they refuse, then obviously they have something to hide.

JuzaMum

When we bought out house we were not able to see inside the loft. When we had the roof retiled all work suddenly stopped when it was discovered that part of the roof was propped up with a tatty piece of floorboard!

t1redmonkey

JuzaMum said:

When we bought out house we were not able to see inside the loft. When we had the roof retiled all work suddenly stopped when it was discovered that part of the roof was propped up with a tatty piece of floorboard!

Wow that’s terrible!  Will make sure I gain access to it before proceeding.