Rodent droppings on second viewing - happy to pay and renegotiate price?

theoretica

You could try letting the seller/their estate agent know - wording it as a favour - that there is a mice infestations and 'of course' this means you will need to get the electrics checked for damage just before your purchase is finalised. So if they saw their way to getting the rodents treated now it could potentially save them a lot of hassle and expense later on...

propertyrental

It's a doer-upper. What more need be said?

user1977

annetheman said:

user1977 said:

I would probably just press on and deal with it myself after completion, rather than waste time negotiating stuff like this (given it sounds you're hardly taking on somewhere which ought to be in pristine condition).

it will be a few months still before completion

Is that because of the timeline for your sale? Rather than anything to do with the purchase? If so then I think the mice are more of a "you" problem than the seller's problem, so you might want to consider doing it both at your cost and your risk.

annetheman

user1977 said:

annetheman said:

user1977 said:

I would probably just press on and deal with it myself after completion, rather than waste time negotiating stuff like this (given it sounds you're hardly taking on somewhere which ought to be in pristine condition).

it will be a few months still before completion

Is that because of the timeline for your sale? Rather than anything to do with the purchase? If so then I think the mice are more of a "you" problem than the seller's problem, so you might want to consider doing it both at your cost and your risk.

Sales in the UK typically take between 4-6 months - we're 2 months in on this sale. Assuming the typical timelines, irrespective of my sale, we have at least 2 months to go (also my very-hard-to-get-for-this-house mortgage expires in September, so fingers crossed!) at best, 4 at worst, of the average.

Actually my last purchase took 1 year but that was exceptional (2020....)! I'm erring on the side of caution based on typical conveyancing timelines, rather than my own unfortunate purchase experience in the past or sale.

The infestation is by definition my problem because I'm buying the house to live in - hence, again, I am happy to pay for the exterminator ASAP, well before exchange. I posted about the risk somewhere above, that they could pull out with a mice-free home - worth it for relative peace of mind.

I just wasn't sure whether I should ask for a reduction -- now, someone else above mentioned the considerable legal faff that will entail, which I didn't take into account -- I don't think it's worth it!

It has also just occurred to me I should ask if the company will detail any structural damage they see it during their inspection. Those repairs can wait until completion, but good to know and get the buggers out if at all possible before they make it worse, which they absolutely will!

anselld

You don't even need to spend £340.  Go to diy store and buy traps and/or bait and some rubber gloves.
Blocking off entry points will happen anyway in the course of doing up if you are careful.

annetheman

theoretica said:

You could try letting the seller/their estate agent know - wording it as a favour - that there is a mice infestations and 'of course' this means you will need to get the electrics checked for damage just before your purchase is finalised. So if they saw their way to getting the rodents treated now it could potentially save them a lot of hassle and expense later on...

I think the ship has sailed. In my email to the EA on Saturday I asked what would be "easiest for the seller"; honestly, I'll go with whatever allows an exterminator in quickest, next week would be great (the company who quoted for me said they could do, but if seller wants to do it himself, and it takes longer, I might even offer to go with my company and pay).

The more YouTube horror videos I watch about mice chewing electrics etc the more urgent it is becoming, cost aside. It is not helping my phobia though, I'm going to lay off (I have a cat, which is making me feel better)!

annetheman

anselld said:

You don't even need to spend £340.  Go to diy store and buy traps and/or bait and some rubber gloves.
Blocking off entry points will happen anyway in the course of doing up if you are careful.

I might try to get over my fears and do it when I own the house - while I'm buying though, I don't see the seller letting me run roughshod in there with zero experience! I don't think I'd do a good job, anyway - at all! They'd probably laugh at me (the mice)

BobT36

You mentioned they have rubbish everywhere, that's probably what's attracting them. 

Better to wait until they're out then get it sorted, removing both the source and the entry points. 

Millsandovis

Wait until exchange and then get a license to occupy before completion? Gives you a bit of time to get the work done and at least there is a financial penalty stopping the seller from pulling out. 

pjs493

Yes, it seems a fairly inexpensive cost in the grand scheme of buying a property, but from a lot of what you’ve said there are a lot of red flags and I’d be tempted to walk away personally. 

Do also consider the damage that will have ben caused by the mice. It is likely to require you to replace the carpets if it is really that bad, and could involve needing to rip out the kitchen entirely depending on the damage. Of course if you plan to completely gut the place, this may not be so much of an issue.