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Home Buyer Searches

JenniferZenn
JenniferZenn Posts: 33 Forumite
10 Posts Photogenic First Anniversary Name Dropper
edited 1 November at 8:39AM in House buying, renting & selling
Hi All,

Short story - My friend is currently in the process of purchasing a semi (1935) and just got a letter from their solicitor on some of the commissioned searches with these points below. They are really concerned (FTB - CASH Buyers) and having thoughts to drop the offer. Home Buyer survey yet to de done. I wanted to have the expert's opinion here as I did not find it that severe (If I am not dim). Especially the flooding one. She did check the area on gov before putting the offer in (it was low/very low). Do you think having another flood risk report (£54) will have peace of mind? Regarding the public sewer, does that affect saleability in future? WIll the size of the line put you off (it's in the rear garden).

Environmental Search

The environmental search (Landmark information) has revealed the property is within 50 metres of surface water flooding and river flooding, and you should check that you are able to get buildings and contents insurance in relation to flooding at the property. You must inform your insurer of the entry on the environmental search to ensure that you will have no problems in obtaining buildings and contents insurance in relation to surface water flooding at the property. I can carry out a flood risk report on your behalf if you wish me to do so and the cost of this report is £54. please let me know whether you wish me to commission a flood risk report.



From gov website : 

Water and Drainage Search

The drainage search reveals there is a public sewer within the boundary of the property. We have raised enquiries about this with the seller’s solicitor. Please note that if you want to build over or within 3 metres of the sewer you will need to contact the Water Authority for consent. Please let me know if you believe the sewer has already been built over.





Appreciate any helpful replies/comments

Thanks
«13

Comments

  • Ectophile
    Ectophile Posts: 7,612 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Regarding the public sewer, does that affect saleability in future? WIll the size of the line put you off (it's in the rear garden).


    Public sewers running across back gardens is extremely common.  Mine has one.  It's never been an issue.


    If it sticks, force it.
    If it breaks, well it wasn't working right anyway.
  • JenniferZenn
    JenniferZenn Posts: 33 Forumite
    10 Posts Photogenic First Anniversary Name Dropper
    Ectophile said:
    Regarding the public sewer, does that affect saleability in future? WIll the size of the line put you off (it's in the rear garden).


    Public sewers running across back gardens is extremely common.  Mine has one.  It's never been an issue.


    Thanks for your reply. Since having this restricts extensions (water company's are bit strict with the build over agreement), do you think it will affect the salability in the future? Add to it a flood risk and being on coal field (though no mine entries).
  • EssexExile
    EssexExile Posts: 6,256 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    I'm going through this sort of thing at the moment. To a layman the flood aspect doesn't seem to be a problem, it has never flooded, isn't likely to flood. There are no contours on those maps so is it higher or lower than surrounding land? I suppose it would be worth speaking to an insurer to find out how they see it.

    The sewer thing is only a problem if they want to extend, when it will obviously add to the cost. The same will apply when they want to sell in the future.

    Searches can be scary things at first sight. Mine brought up a mining problem but when I read it in detail it appeared than another property a several yards away had claimed for subsidence due to mining but had their claim rejected. So nothing of concern really.
    Tall, dark & handsome. Well two out of three ain't bad.
  • Bigphil1474
    Bigphil1474 Posts: 2,845 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    None of that says there is a flood risk, no potential for flooding in a 1000 years, and the surface flood risk is highest at Low. I'd ignore.

    The sewer is typical, our old house had one across the rear garden - funnily enough most houses need one to get rid of your bits and blobs. As above, if you wish to extend then it needs factoring in, but so does moving downpipes, and other drains that belong to the property anyway. Being in the middle of the run, does mean that there's a small risk you end up with crap coming out of the manhole cover if the people upstream chuck all sorts down their toilet, but didn't happen to us in 25 years. 

    Unless they are buying with the intention to extend, none of that would bother me and I wouldn't pay out for another report. Even if they are planning to extend, it's just an additional cost to consider, but will be at most properties.
  • fluffymuffy
    fluffymuffy Posts: 3,396 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Combo Breaker
    Hi All,

    Short story - My friend etc

    Appreciate any helpful replies/comments

    Thanks
    Nothing unusual or of any concern in the information 
    I am the Cat who walks alone
  • silvercar
    silvercar Posts: 48,088 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Academoney Grad Name Dropper
    I’ll move this to the housing board.
    I'm a Forum Ambassador on the housing, mortgages, student & coronavirus Boards, money saving boards. I volunteer to help get your forum questions answered and keep the forum running smoothly. Forum Ambassadors are not moderators and don't read every post. If you spot an illegal or inappropriate post then please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com (it's not part of my role to deal with this). Any views are mine and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.com.
  • FlorayG
    FlorayG Posts: 801 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 500 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Flood risk will not affect them being able to get buildings insurance, they will just have to go to a specialist insurer and accept a huge excess for flood. I have a property seen to be at 'high risk', the insurance is about £50 a year more than the usual and my flood excess is £5,000 rather than a couple of hundred. Where the house actually IS, is almost zero risk of actually flooding; the risk is based on the postcode
    So don't worry about not being able to get insurance; but do take into account the ACTUAL risk of flooding and how much you may have to pay out if it happens
  • user1977
    user1977 Posts: 15,860 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Sixth Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper

    They are really concerned (FTB - CASH Buyers) and having thoughts to drop the offer.
    Why are they "really concerned"? Has their solicitor advised them that they ought to be concerned or that the search results are unusual in some way?
  • TheJP
    TheJP Posts: 1,850 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Third Anniversary Name Dropper
    This sounds less about risk but how can they use this to get a reduction. If they are that concerned about the report then they would pull out rather than get a reduction.

    Your friend has more chance winning the lottery than the house suffering surface flooding, even if it did flood it would be puddles on the driveway. My house is high risk surface flooding and in 30 years there has been no sign of even puddles on the drive.
  • JenniferZenn
    JenniferZenn Posts: 33 Forumite
    10 Posts Photogenic First Anniversary Name Dropper
    user1977 said:

    They are really concerned (FTB - CASH Buyers) and having thoughts to drop the offer.
    Why are they "really concerned"? Has their solicitor advised them that they ought to be concerned or that the search results are unusual in some way?
    Yeah the solicitor has added their comment on pricey insurance (Another risk report will help them get one) and regarding the sewer they have asked the other parties solicitor for few more details on type of cover (manhole/concrete foundation) and if indemnity insurance needed etc. Being FTBs , they are just concerned with the costs adding up and rather having the money for cosmetic changes  they will have to pay to insurance premiums. I know we FTBs are infamous for having panic attacks and also know solicitors do their due deligence to work their backs too.
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