Survey Before Buying.

warwick2001

Grizebeck said:

user1977 said:

pjs493 said:

user1977 said:

pjs493 said:

propertyrental said:

Adding 'subject to survey' neither adds nor detracts anything legally. ALL offers are subject to a host of conditions - why not add 'subject to searches' since searches are always done and might cause a buyer to withdraw. Or 'subject to Enquiries'? Or subject to mortgage application'?

No contract is binding till Exchange - before that there's no legal commitment on either side as to either purchasing, or as to the price.

But I agree - buyers who add 'subject to survey' are either naive FTBs who think it protects them in some way, or are pointlessly declaring that they are the type of buyer who will leap at the slightest issue highlighted in the survey and demand a price reduction.

Searches are required as part of the conveyancing process so it goes without saying.

They're commonplace, but they're not "required". It's up to the buyer. A cash buyer might view them as a lot of money for something which merely states the bleeding obvious (or things which can be found out for free from other sources).

The solicitors I approached for quotes all stated searches were essential.

Then they were all wrong. What other wrong advice might they have given?

It amazes me how often solicitors are wrong about stuff 

When I bought my house a couple years back, my solicitor managed to somehow mis-calculate the stamp duty, out by 6k. Good job I sat down and checked the workings out (and asked for clarity on this forum), as I'm fairly sure HMRC wouldn't have been too happy had I just paid what my solicitor reckoned I owed them......

TheJP

Bigphil1474 said:

OP, have you asked if you can get a copy of any previous surveys? Might save you a few quid. Some people sell them on at a reduced price or give them away. We got a copy of the survey from our first buyer who pulled out. Helped us get a few things done, but he gave it for free. 

OP went in hard before they even had an offer accepted. Also the seller wont have access to previous surveys unless they undertook them. 

TheJP

Martyn_H said:

^ It's naive to make an offer without knowing the condition of the property.

Not many sellers will let you send in a surveyor before you make an offer...

Bigphil1474

TheJP said:

Bigphil1474 said:

OP, have you asked if you can get a copy of any previous surveys? Might save you a few quid. Some people sell them on at a reduced price or give them away. We got a copy of the survey from our first buyer who pulled out. Helped us get a few things done, but he gave it for free. 

OP went in hard before they even had an offer accepted. Also the seller wont have access to previous surveys unless they undertook them. 

As I said in my post, our first buyer pulled out and sent us a copy of the survey they had done, which we have used to have some work undertaken. There's nothing to stop a failed buyer giving the seller their survey.

fatboydaz

I called the EA yesterday and offered to pay for a Survey with my own money and the seller has refused that too. The house has been empty for over a year, I have stated that I would not try and amend the offer depending on the findings and the seller has today refused this with no reason. I have walked away from the property. 

TheJP

Bigphil1474 said:

TheJP said:

Bigphil1474 said:

OP, have you asked if you can get a copy of any previous surveys? Might save you a few quid. Some people sell them on at a reduced price or give them away. We got a copy of the survey from our first buyer who pulled out. Helped us get a few things done, but he gave it for free. 

OP went in hard before they even had an offer accepted. Also the seller wont have access to previous surveys unless they undertook them. 

As I said in my post, our first buyer pulled out and sent us a copy of the survey they had done, which we have used to have some work undertaken. There's nothing to stop a failed buyer giving the seller their survey.

This would mean nothing to me as a buyer. You have no fall back on the survey if things were missed and cant trust that you didn't do a botch job fixing the things that needed attention plus there is no warranty/guarantee on the work either.

TheJP

fatboydaz said:

I called the EA yesterday and offered to pay for a Survey with my own money and the seller has refused that too. The house has been empty for over a year, I have stated that I would not try and amend the offer depending on the findings and the seller has today refused this with no reason. I have walked away from the property. 

If you weren't going to change/negotiate after the survey then why not get the survey done after you complete?

Bigphil1474

TheJP said:

Bigphil1474 said:

TheJP said:

Bigphil1474 said:

OP, have you asked if you can get a copy of any previous surveys? Might save you a few quid. Some people sell them on at a reduced price or give them away. We got a copy of the survey from our first buyer who pulled out. Helped us get a few things done, but he gave it for free. 

OP went in hard before they even had an offer accepted. Also the seller wont have access to previous surveys unless they undertook them. 

As I said in my post, our first buyer pulled out and sent us a copy of the survey they had done, which we have used to have some work undertaken. There's nothing to stop a failed buyer giving the seller their survey.

This would mean nothing to me as a buyer. You have no fall back on the survey if things were missed and cant trust that you didn't do a botch job fixing the things that needed attention plus there is no warranty/guarantee on the work either.

Why do you keep changing the argument? You said sellers won't have access to the survey - which they clearly can. Now you are saying it won't mean anything to a buyer - didn't say it would. What a previous survey will tell you is what condition the house was in when it was surveyed and give you an idea as to whether it is worth surveying again or walk away. If the survey is recent, then it's worth having a read. If the seller says they've had all the issues sorted, then you can question from there.

Sapindus

fatboydaz said:

I called the EA yesterday and offered to pay for a Survey with my own money and the seller has refused that too. The house has been empty for over a year, I have stated that I would not try and amend the offer depending on the findings and the seller has today refused this with no reason. I have walked away from the property. 

I'm confused now.  You say you offered to pay for the survey yourself, so do you mean that when you made the original offer "subject to survey" you were expecting the vendor to pay for it?

TheJP

Bigphil1474 said:

TheJP said:

Bigphil1474 said:

TheJP said:

Bigphil1474 said:

OP, have you asked if you can get a copy of any previous surveys? Might save you a few quid. Some people sell them on at a reduced price or give them away. We got a copy of the survey from our first buyer who pulled out. Helped us get a few things done, but he gave it for free. 

OP went in hard before they even had an offer accepted. Also the seller wont have access to previous surveys unless they undertook them. 

As I said in my post, our first buyer pulled out and sent us a copy of the survey they had done, which we have used to have some work undertaken. There's nothing to stop a failed buyer giving the seller their survey.

This would mean nothing to me as a buyer. You have no fall back on the survey if things were missed and cant trust that you didn't do a botch job fixing the things that needed attention plus there is no warranty/guarantee on the work either.

Why do you keep changing the argument? You said sellers won't have access to the survey - which they clearly can. Now you are saying it won't mean anything to a buyer - didn't say it would. What a previous survey will tell you is what condition the house was in when it was surveyed and give you an idea as to whether it is worth surveying again or walk away. If the survey is recent, then it's worth having a read. If the seller says they've had all the issues sorted, then you can question from there.

I'm not changing anything, i am responding to posts. The one you highlight is someone telling the OP to try an buy a previous survey. Lets recap,

• Making an offer with a subject to survey as a condition is pointless unless you add it to the contract (never happens)
• Sellers rarely have access to a survey on their property, even if the sale falls through.
• Previous buyers survey doesn't protect you nor guarantee the work.
• OP has also said survey wont change the price yet has pulled out of the sale due to not being able to have a survey.

Judging the OPs other post this is either tongue in cheek or they have no idea what they are doing.