Bought an old house without a survey

Section62

stuart45 said:

Can you take a photo of the arch from further back?

And both of them if, as it appears, there are two of them.

OP, my initial impression is there has been some slippage/sagging in the arch(es) which has allowed the wall above to drop slightly.  With lime mortar there is some flexibility in the wall so this isn't necessarily a major thing - but confirming there is sag on the arch (and why that has happened) is the way forward I think.

My working assumption with the render is the large vertical crack is roughly along a construction joint in the underlying wall.  It looks like the upper (triangular) patch of render on the lean-to has been replaced relatively recently, so the horizontal 'crack' along the bottom of that is just where the new render meets the old, I think.  A survey should have flagged that up and led to asking the vendor why the work had been done, but it isn't that critical that it didn't happen.

In the third picture it looks possible someone has repointed the bricks using a cement-based mortar.  Ideally you'd want that removed and done with a lime mortar instead, but it isn't a major job and there is no particular urgency to have it done.

Some more pictures from further back would help form a better overall impression.

stuart45

Looks to me like a strong, cement mortar as well. This could take away some of the wall's flexibility, as well as causing some spalling and damp issues.

[Deleted User]

I purchased an old house this autumn without having a survey done. I experienced serious buyer's remorse and also suicidal thoughts due to how overwhelmed I was:

Here is the thread I created which includes some excellent replies:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6403400/overwhelmed-with-new-property-trying-to-avoid-panic-selling/p1

[Deleted User]

FTBkat said:

My problem is I’m SO paranoid about my house because I’ve discovered there are actually zig zag cracks in the brick work to the front

I have the same in my house. This video put my mind at ease:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fpdb69ccNkI

theartfullodger

FTBkat said:

Has anyone else bought a house with no survey, regretted it and felt so ashamed? 

I bought a 2-bed terraced house, Scottish Highlands, 1Q 2000, no survey, had only driven past it, not seen inside at all.

I knew it was a gamble: (Which I could cope with if it turned out a right lemon..) As it happened it turned out OK.  But window frames rotten (could shove a large screwdriver through with ease), needed various upgrades, £5-10K.

Currently on the market but s*d all interest due to the sunlit uplands of Brex**it-land.. 

macman

MalMonroe said:

Hi, I felt really sorry reading your OP - but it started me thinking that maybe the seller did not disclose the cracks and structural problems that should have been disclosed before you bought the property? 

There's some information in the following link - 

https://www.enact.co.uk/2021/05/what-to-do-if-you-find-a-problem-with-your-home-after-the-sale-is-final/

And it might be worth phoning Citizens Advice too.  https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/

You could also check with the estate agent as well as your solicitor as they could be guilty of negligence in not ensuring that all the problems and defects were properly reported before you took ownership of the property.

You shouldn't feel ashamed - but I think the estate agent and the vendors should. And you should definitely contact them if the faults you mention in your OP are going to be costly to repair. The vendor can (and should) be sued for compensation under The Misrepresentations Act. 

I wish you all the best and hope you manage to get things sorted out.

Please stop posting totally misleading advice. The vendor is under no obligation to disclose anything about the condition of the house: they are merely obliged to answer any questions asked of them truthfully. It's up to the buyer to make their own investigations, and they decided not to have a survey. 
The vendor cannot be sued for misrepresentation unless they misrepresented the condition of the property, which they did not, unless they stated to the buyer that the house was free of the alleged defects.
CAB are a grossly under-resourced organisation and have enough to do without being pestered with these sort of futile enquiries.
This assumes that the property is in England or Wales, not Scotland, where the vendor would have some comeback for the first 5 days only after completion.

FreeBear

macman said: Please stop posting totally misleading advice.

CAB are a grossly under-resourced organisation and have enough to do without being pestered with these sort of futile enquiries.

It is also highly unlikely that CAB would have anyone available with the level of knowledge required to answer questions about property transactions. By all means consult them about debt, general consumer issues, and benefit problems. Anything else, you need to pay for a specialist.

housebuyer143

FTBkat said:

Earlier this year I was in a rush to buy a house and picked one without any onward chain and rushed into without doing a survey (I was given some advice from friends saying it wasn’t always necessary). My house was built in 1910 and is an end terrace. Since living here there’s been typical teething problems ie new boiler needed. My problem is I’m SO paranoid about my house because I’ve discovered there are actually zig zag cracks in the brick work to the front and cracking in the bricks around the windows plus cracking to the rendering to the side of the house. The house does not keep heat in well at all despite having an EPC report of C. I think I’m going to now pay for a survey which will cost approx £600 so I can understand it the cracks are super material and if so how I remedy them, plus whether there are any other issues I’ve overlooked. 

I hate myself for buying such an old house with no survey, I’m miserable and feel so depressed. I don’t know anyone else that’s been in this situation and when I confide in my family they make me feel worse. 

Has anyone else bought a house with no survey, regretted it and felt so ashamed? I bought it on my own so I’m feeling so lonely about the situation. Hopefully the survey will either come back not bad at all or if there are some recommendations I can save up and sort them. I don’t how I’ll cope though  if it comes up with something catastrophic

I think you are having more anxiety related thoughts post purchase than anything else. 

I never buy a house with a survey and it's never done me any harm but I am a more anxious person this time around and I actually also find myself seeing the odd crack in my house or strange thing in the loft and then feel very upset I didn't do a survey to ensure it was all okay.

It's almost certainly fine in my case but it's just my mind in overdrive. Potentially you had the survey and it said it was all fine but you would still be feeling the same? 

If it puts your mind at ease get someone to look at it, but don't regret what's in the past. Chances are it's all okay and you just need someone to tell you that. 

youth_leader

Hi OP I hope you are feeling better tonight and are warm.  I just thought of you as I turned on my electric blanket - I'd never had one before as I was scared of them after my Mum's 1950's dangerous pink monstrosity.  My friend sent it to me when my husband died, best thing I own, not sure if I can say the brand, it's a well known make sold at supermarkets and not expensive.  If you don't have one, I do recommend it.   

[Deleted User]

theartfullodger said:

FTBkat said:

Has anyone else bought a house with no survey, regretted it and felt so ashamed? 

I bought a 2-bed terraced house, Scottish Highlands, 1Q 2000, no survey, had only driven past it, not seen inside at all.

I knew it was a gamble: (Which I could cope with if it turned out a right lemon..) As it happened it turned out OK.  But window frames rotten (could shove a large screwdriver through with ease), needed various upgrades, £5-10K.

Currently on the market but s*d all interest due to the sunlit uplands of Brex**it-land.. 

S*d all interest in any, given, property is due to one factor - price.
At the right price anything will sell.