Misrepresention - Unofficial Survey

diystarter7

Hi OP

I hope I've understood you as some are saying they are not

A mate does a mates rate and you fear a biased report, yes?

If the above is correct, there is also another scenrio that a potential buyer pays an expert but expert is incompetent and report is a negative on your home when it should be

Is it in offical or unofficial capacity? Either way you can disagree with the report, EG a surveor states roof needs replacing, I either trust their judgment or i dont and seek a 2nd opinion.

I hope I've understood you and apologise if I've have not

Thanks

Moonlightfaery

EssexHebridean said:

Moonlightfaery said:

EssexHebridean said:

Apologies - I'm not quite sure what you're asking. 

Are you saying that the surveyor employed by your buyer to carry out their survey of the property they are buying from you was a friend of theirs, and perhaps did it for no fee in exchange for giving an informal, verbal report?  Allowing that there is no specific requirement for any buyer to get a "survey" anyway - if they are getting a mortgage them the lender will carry out a valuation survey in most cases but that is different - I'm not really sure where you feel there is an issue. 

Can you elaborate a bit do you think, so we can better understand what your concerns are? 

I think perhaps I’m acting too much in the moment here. Starting to get a little stressed over this selling malarkey and getting close to exchanging. Probably doesn’t help I’m miffed over them trying to knock the price down for something aesthetic. 

It was indeed an informal report by a friend who did the survey. Their bank didn’t do a in person survey this time around (our orig buyer did have one but that fell through)

If it’s a non-issue, and everyone’s entitled to send whomever around, then I shall just let it go. 

It's a stressful thing - don't underestimate how small things will play on your mind where in most circumstances you'd just shrug them off! I think you are probably overthinking it - and if the buyers are already being difficult then I can see why you might be concerned.  Would I be right in thinking that it was in your mind whether this was a "fake" surveyor who was subsequently going to claim all sorts wrong with the property to try to knock the price down further?  If this DOES happen it is absolutely reasonable of you to expect to see the report, and to check the credentials of the surveyor, I'd suggest. Hopefully it won't though - and it will turn out that quite simply, as any of us might - they've made sensible use of the "bartering" system. 

Oh, don’t I know it! Trying to the play the indifferent game is hard when we’ve been ready to sign the exchange for our purchase since Dec! 

Yups, I was indeed. The fact that it had already happened as well, for a stranger just to have been let inside. Luckily, we had a search online before and he is legit as it looks likes like he’s a partner. Which makes sense when our estate agent sent us a snippet of the email regarding the price negotiation they wanted and they’d mentioned they Googled the quotes. 

I think I’m just more miffed that he gave the impression it was all through the books, but it was just a friend who happened to be an actual surveyor. Again, overthinking it… I’ll be happy when this is over and I can just stress over decorating a new house! 

But thank you and everyone else for the assurances. I’m gonna chill and stop my brain running wild!

MikeJXE

Buying and selling a home is one of the most stressful situations you will experience 

Your brain will run wild challenging your reasoning of will they won't they

I know as I have been in that situation 10 times and it does't get any easier 

EssexHebridean

Moonlightfaery said:

EssexHebridean said:

Moonlightfaery said:

EssexHebridean said:

Apologies - I'm not quite sure what you're asking. 

Are you saying that the surveyor employed by your buyer to carry out their survey of the property they are buying from you was a friend of theirs, and perhaps did it for no fee in exchange for giving an informal, verbal report?  Allowing that there is no specific requirement for any buyer to get a "survey" anyway - if they are getting a mortgage them the lender will carry out a valuation survey in most cases but that is different - I'm not really sure where you feel there is an issue. 

Can you elaborate a bit do you think, so we can better understand what your concerns are? 

I think perhaps I’m acting too much in the moment here. Starting to get a little stressed over this selling malarkey and getting close to exchanging. Probably doesn’t help I’m miffed over them trying to knock the price down for something aesthetic. 

It was indeed an informal report by a friend who did the survey. Their bank didn’t do a in person survey this time around (our orig buyer did have one but that fell through)

If it’s a non-issue, and everyone’s entitled to send whomever around, then I shall just let it go. 

It's a stressful thing - don't underestimate how small things will play on your mind where in most circumstances you'd just shrug them off! I think you are probably overthinking it - and if the buyers are already being difficult then I can see why you might be concerned.  Would I be right in thinking that it was in your mind whether this was a "fake" surveyor who was subsequently going to claim all sorts wrong with the property to try to knock the price down further?  If this DOES happen it is absolutely reasonable of you to expect to see the report, and to check the credentials of the surveyor, I'd suggest. Hopefully it won't though - and it will turn out that quite simply, as any of us might - they've made sensible use of the "bartering" system. 

Oh, don’t I know it! Trying to the play the indifferent game is hard when we’ve been ready to sign the exchange for our purchase since Dec! 

Yups, I was indeed. The fact that it had already happened as well, for a stranger just to have been let inside. Luckily, we had a search online before and he is legit as it looks likes like he’s a partner. Which makes sense when our estate agent sent us a snippet of the email regarding the price negotiation they wanted and they’d mentioned they Googled the quotes. 

I think I’m just more miffed that he gave the impression it was all through the books, but it was just a friend who happened to be an actual surveyor. Again, overthinking it… I’ll be happy when this is over and I can just stress over decorating a new house! 

But thank you and everyone else for the assurances. I’m gonna chill and stop my brain running wild!

It's a tough time. Glad we've been able to set your mind at rest. Deep breaths and a cuppa! (And don't worry - we've seen plenty of far stranger questions on here!) 

Moonlightfaery

MikeJXE said:

Buying and selling a home is one of the most stressful situations you will experience 

Your brain will run wild challenging your reasoning of will they won't they

I know as I have been in that situation 10 times and it does't get any easier 

Oh wow, ten times!! I couldn’t imagine doing it that many times! 

I’m defo sticking with this is my one and only time I’ll be selling and buying (reliant on both)! If years down the line I don’t like the place, tough! 

theartfullodger

No survey , nor even  a written one, is required to buy .  If I have the chance a friendly builder having a quick look round is usually wise.

But usually (not always) get a survey done, formal.

You have no complaints.

propertyrental

There seems to be an assumption that surveys (and this one in particular " ") are all about getting reasons to renegotiate price.

Yes, that happens, but only in a small minority of cases.

In most cases the buyer just want either reassurance the property's OK to buy and/or a list of jobs that might needed doing, either rough cost to redecorate, or minor maintenance jobs that every house has...

If the 'surveyor' does spot a major as yet unidentified problem (new roof needed urgently?) many buyers might just pull out. Some, yes some, might want to renegotiate, and at that point a formal survey report would help the buyer. But even if not, the seller might just say "Fair play, yes, know the roof's knackered. I'll knock £3K off will that do it"?

MikeJXE

Moonlightfaery said:

MikeJXE said:

Buying and selling a home is one of the most stressful situations you will experience 

Your brain will run wild challenging your reasoning of will they won't they

I know as I have been in that situation 10 times and it does't get any easier 

Oh wow, ten times!! I couldn’t imagine doing it that many times! 

I’m defo sticking with this is my one and only time I’ll be selling and buying (reliant on both)! If years down the line I don’t like the place, tough! 

Thats what you think now and it can change especially if you are a couple

I remember our 3 property, a bungalow I built in 1972, we moved in and my wife said you will never get me out of here, we moved 7 more times after that

She passed away 10 years ago and I moved and am renting, no maintenance no worries no stress 

happy man 

caprikid1

When me an my EX split I had a friend who was a surveyor, she was buying the house for cash, we paid my friend c£200 to go in and do a full building survey, we requested no report, just rough narative on what he found and photographic evidence to back it up.

What we got ? A cheap survey highlighting a few issues but nothing significant.

Personally, I would not worry about it, this is more of an issue for the buyer as he has no recourse if the surveyor misses anything, although it seems most surveyors put so many exclusions in their reports you have little chance to claim for negligence.

Ultimately if they want reductions based on the findings you have various options.

1. No - I feel the survey reflects the condition of the property which was reflected in the price.
2. No - Its not a new home some level of maintenance to be expected.
3. Happy to reduce x if we conclude and move this forward swiftly.

Who did the survey is largely irrelevant, the same discussion could be had with a builder.