Buying a house - nightmare survey!

Gypsy916

We are buying a house and just got the survey report back, which is extremely allarming.

My question is, do we put our questions to our solicitor to ask the vendor to resolve before contact exchange as per the surveyors instruction. As the solicitor indicated they would not contact the sellers solicitors to discuss/resolve the many problems.

We've used the solicitors for the last 3 purchases/sales in the past 6 years and been good until this experience. When the same paraleagal is putting up roadblocks at every step. Don't know which way to turn...

Thank you in advance.

LegallyLandlord

Presumably the issues relate to the structure and condition of the building, and aren’t legal problems. Maybe it would be easier to sit down with the seller and go through the problems and renegotiate the price. Have you spoken to the estate agent. They might be able to broker a compromise. 

Alternatively, walk away if the problems are serious like subsidence and you don’t get a big reduction. There are always other houses. 

DE_612183

why won't your solicitors who you are paying contact the other solicitors?

you could try going via the estate agents, but any agreement to remedial works should be legally binding, and therefore the solicitors should be involved.

Can you change solicitors?

Woolsery

Unless this is Scotland and there's an inaccurate Home Report, the physical condition of a property is nothing to do with the solicitor. If the problems really are 'alarming,' they won't be cheap fixes, so getting the owner to sort them isn't the best idea. They'd do the cheapest job possible, and you'd have no contract with whoever did them. The surveyor is probably covering their rear end by making that suggestion. Negotiate money off for serious shortcomings not obvious during your inspections or already factored into the price...or walk.

diystarter7

Gypsy916 said:

We are buying a house and just got the survey report back, which is extremely allarming.

My question is, do we put our questions to our solicitor to ask the vendor to resolve before contact exchange as per the surveyors instruction. As the solicitor indicated they would not contact the sellers solicitors to discuss/resolve the many problems.

We've used the solicitors for the last 3 purchases/sales in the past 6 years and been good until this experience. When the same paraleagal is putting up roadblocks at every step. Don't know which way to turn...

Thank you in advance.

Hiya OP

The highlighted bit and you are still going ahead or at least considering it?
What is the massive problem?

Not sure about you using 3 solicitors and survey statements. (Some surveyors in order to cover themselves go OTT, so send your builder around if that is what is needed to put your mind at rest)

Either way, I hope you get it sorted and it is the right place for you.

martindow

Are you sure the matters raised really are serious?  Surveyors always say to get get the electrical system and gasd boiler checked as they are not electricaians or qualified gas engineers.  There is not necessarily anything wrong with them.

There are people here able to tell you how serious or not these problems may be.  It also sometimes helps to phone the surveyor - they often will tell you how serious things are in a way that they would not put in writing.  I have found a chat to be very reassuring in the past.

propertyrental

Solicitors deal with legal matters. If the alarming matters in the survey report are legally related (eg planning consent issues) then your solicitor should advise you.

If it's structural matters, a solicitor will have limited knowledge and zero interest in getting involved.

If whatever is the issue impacts on the price you are paying, then that's a matter for the estate agent to renegotiate on your behalf.

babyblade41

Would help if you highlighted what was so alarming on the survey report

EndlessStruggle

I've just had a nightmare one too but I've pulled out as it was a money pit list of issues.

You need to speak to the EA and ask for a discount, get them to fix (not recommended if a major issue) or pull out.

Depending on the issue, it may effect your mortgage or home insurance costs too...

What problems did the surveyor find?

Mine had only one green, 13 red and 8 orange sections.

I would negotiate a discount rather than asking them to do the work.

I had noticed an issue at the viewing and asked them to do a repair and they did such a cheap fix it has failed again.

They've just put the house back on the market at full price, despite knowing the roof has completely failed and part of it is riddled with woodworm.

Parties03

We have a very similar issue after having a survey back this week! 

The surveyor has estimated the costs to be around £45-50k. We currently have an offer accepted on the house for 50k under guide price - it was massively overpriced - but this was assuming it didn’t have some issues that have come up, which include the need to replace some chimneys, possible rot in one of the rooms on the floor boards and damp in a bathroom. 

Husband wants to walk, I’d like to try to renegotiate again but 50k off asking is  Unlikely to be successful 

TheJP

Parties03 said:

We have a very similar issue after having a survey back this week! 

The surveyor has estimated the costs to be around £45-50k. We currently have an offer accepted on the house for 50k under guide price - it was massively overpriced - but this was assuming it didn’t have some issues that have come up, which include the need to replace some chimneys, possible rot in one of the rooms on the floor boards and damp in a bathroom. 

Husband wants to walk, I’d like to try to renegotiate again but 50k off asking is  Unlikely to be successful 

I would hazard a guess that much of what's in your survey is a be aware off rather than needs urgent attention. Also surveyor estimates are often 50% over prices. Pick out the big areas and get a trade quote on paper to give you an idea of real costs.