Buyer's surveyor gave us his findings and they're inaccurate/exaggerated

Tempestina

Hi all, not really sure there is anything we can even do, but we're selling our house and our buyers had a level 2 survey done today. I was expecting them to do so and this in itself isn't an issue. House is around 100 years old and there are some decorative things that might bother some folks so I wasn't by any means expecting it to find nothing.

However, he's asked for a convo toward the end of his visit and asked a lot of questions that didnt' seem terribly relevant to the current condition of the house. He then said he would share his major concerns with us so it wouldn't be a surprise when we heard about it from the buyers. It felt very unprofessional and a lot scammy that he was telling us, not his clients, the results of his inspection. It really felt like he was trying to make us panic about the issues so we'd already be ready to take a lower offer than agreed by the time the buyer digests the full report. I pushed back on some of his claims I didn't agree with in the moment and he seemed annoyed to be challenged/corrected. I don't know why he's even giving his customer's report content to us anyway, he's just overblown the situation and made us distrust him by doing so.  

I had a trusted builder come around this afternoon after the surveyor visit and my builder doesn't agree with either major point the surveyor raised. He said it's all a bit of nothing and not to worry about it, which echoed what I already thought. 

The buyer's bank also sent a surveyor to do the mortgage valuation - he actually complimented us on how lovely the house is, then valued it at the agreed price as they have their mortgage approved. 

I'm just wondering if something like this has ever happened to anyone else and though I'm guessing the answer is nothing, what if anything I can do or what you did. How do you handle a situation where you are confident someone is wrong but their client will be more predisposed to trust them as they are the ones who picked the person and paid for their advice?

RHemmings

It might be a bit premature to be concerned until you hear from your buyers. I wondered if this sort of thing ever happened (not assuming it has in this case), with people having 'pet surveyors' who would make up and/or exaggerate problems. 

If the buyer wants to make an offer, then you can always refuse. I just hope it's not a situation like we have seen here before where someone knows they are offering more than they want to pay, but they do so to 'win' the house, with the intention of a lower offer later after the survey. 

It would be good to hear updates on what actually happens. 

Tempestina

RHemmings said:

It might be a bit premature to be concerned until you hear from your buyers. I wondered if this sort of thing ever happened, with people having 'pet surveyors' who would make up and/or exaggerate problems. 

If the buyer wants to make an offer, then you can always refuse. I just hope it's not a situation like we have seen here before where someone knows they are offering more than they want to pay, but they do so to 'win' the house, with the intention of a lower offer later. 

It would be good to hear updates on what actually happens. 

I appreciate that it's a bit premature, and we're first time sellers so likely a bit touchier than needed, but he gave me a really just bad feeling, and I mentioned this after he'd gone and my partner then said they felt the same. I was always given to believe that the surveyor should just say thanks for your time to let them in and then go away to write a report and share it with their actual client. He spent 2 hours seeming to just take pictures and poke his damp meter into every wall at minimal intervals.

We had loads of interest in the first weekend we were listed and these were the first to offer and in a position to proceed quickly, and I guess they're committed enough to get their mortgage agreed, legals already underway and spend on the survey but while this firm's web site looks professional you don't know what they're saying to people to win the business during phone calls. As you say can only wait and see but it seemed really odd and off-putting! 

propertyrental

It would help if you shared with us " his major concerns".

However, for now you should ignore this 'convo' (is that a thing?).

Wait till you hear from the buyers and if they suggest a price reduction, askl to see the survey report, or at ;east the relevant parts. At that point you can either agree to their new offer, negotiate, or tell them to stick to the original offer or you will re-advertise.

Tempestina

propertyrental said:

It would help if you shared with us " his major concerns".

However, for now you should ignore this 'convo' (is that a thing?).

Wait till you hear from the buyers and if they suggest a price reduction, askl to see the survey report, or at ;east the relevant parts. At that point you can either agree to their new offer, negotiate, or tell them to stick to the original offer or you will re-advertise.

I'm trying not to be too identifiable but it was damp in an upstairs area that simply isn't damp (been painted directly on plaster for over a decade and never shown any damp like colour change, bubbling, peeling or flaking) and a bit of brickwork that will need repointing soon that he was overblowing in 'very concerning cracks'. Our builder is a brick layer by original trade and agrees the issue is a simple bit of pointing needed after some historical movement that has nothing to do with subsidence (does have a known cause that's been fixed by us years ago.)

youth_leader

I am sorry, that sounds very unprofessional.  My buyer's surveyor spent six and half hours on my magnificent 1847 pile, didn't speak to me at all except to ask if he could 'go for a wee'.  I assume this was to check the taps/flush.  He whispered as he left that I had a leak on my water tank.  I was frightened the tank leak would get worse and had the plumber in - he said the joint would have lasted years.  £250 I hadn't expected to spend and that was 'friends and family' rate as they knew I was selling.

RHemmings

Do you know if the surveyor was RICS affiliated? 

Tempestina

youth_leader said:

I am sorry, that sounds very unprofessional.  My buyer's surveyor spent six and half hours on my magnificent 1847 pile, didn't speak to me at all except to ask if he could 'go for a wee'.  I assume this was to check the taps/flush.  He whispered as he left that I had a leak on my water tank.  I was frightened the tank leak would get worse and had the plumber in - he said the joint would have lasted years.  £250 I hadn't expected to spend and that was 'friends and family' rate as they knew I was selling.

I too had the do you mind if I use your bathroom, and made the same assumption about checking the loo flushed and the tap worked.

Tempestina

RHemmings said:

Do you know if the surveyor was RICS affiliated? 

Based on their website, yes they are and have a location in a few cities, so I assume he's not a one man band.

user1977

youth_leader said:

My buyer's surveyor spent six and half hours on my magnificent 1847 pile, didn't speak to me at all except to ask if he could 'go for a wee'.  I assume this was to check the taps/flush.  

I'd assume it was because he was there for six and half hours...unless you think he "went" somewhere else without asking? I'd kind of expect a surveyor to be turning on the taps etc (without needing an excuse) for that level of survey.

Hoenir

Tempestina said:

propertyrental said:

It would help if you shared with us " his major concerns".

However, for now you should ignore this 'convo' (is that a thing?).

Wait till you hear from the buyers and if they suggest a price reduction, askl to see the survey report, or at ;east the relevant parts. At that point you can either agree to their new offer, negotiate, or tell them to stick to the original offer or you will re-advertise.

I'm trying not to be too identifiable but it was damp in an upstairs area that simply isn't damp (been painted directly on plaster for over a decade and never shown any damp like colour change, bubbling, peeling or flaking) and a bit of brickwork that will need repointing soon that he was overblowing in 'very concerning cracks'. Our builder is a brick layer by original trade and agrees the issue is a simple bit of pointing needed after some historical movement that has nothing to do with subsidence (does have a known cause that's been fixed by us years ago.)

Surveyor works their client. He will draw to their attention any matters that he considers warrant further investigation. Until your buyers have the report with his recommendations. Speculating isn't going to achieve anything at the moment. 

Is there's been historical movement and the pointing wasn't addressed at the time. Then water ingress may have occurred.