FTB - Home buyer survey

Zoyya

Hi All,

I have been house haunting (Stoke on Trent) from more than 3 years. The last property I put the offer on and did L3 structural survey scared me for life and had to pull out. This time I did a L2 home buyer survey (the property seemed well maintained to me on my viewing) with a local RICS surveyor and I am back to square one. The verbal summary from the surveyor is concerning and only advise is AVOID! TOO MANY ISSUES! You don't even need a written report as that is to bin straight away.

He is offering a discount on the next survey in place of providing this written report which will be of no use. I am a FTB (cash purchase), no won't need it for a mortage purpose.

I don't understand how the current owners are living in the property with two small childerns and a pet dog if the raised issues are so big!

I wonder how people find houses and draining the money on surveys everytime without any success .

I am so dis heartened now that I don't think buying is a house is a that easy for dim/naive woman like me! . so giving up and looking around to rent.


Problems : 
1. Rising Damp (living room) & severe damp in the kitchen
2. Suspened timber floor (so damp)
3. Windows are pretty old (atleast 30 years) so lot of condensation issues along the stairway/chimney etc
4. Cracks in the back elevation, cavity wall failure and mortar coming out of the wall tiles
5. Front bay cracked bricks work
6. Japanese knotweed in the neighbouring garden sp rrots could be under the fence of this property too.
7. Need Internal doors replacing
8. Sub floor problem
9. Artex ceiling etc etc

Do you think it still worth it to ask for the written report too? I have already paid the full amount for it.

Emmia

Zoyya said:

Hi All,

I have been house haunting (Stoke on Trent) from more than 3 years. The last property I put the offer on and did L3 structural survey scared me for life and had to pull out. This time I did a L2 home buyer survey (the property seemed well maintained to me on my viewing) with a local RICS surveyor and I am back to square one. The verbal summary from the surveyor is concerning and only advise is AVOID! TOO MANY ISSUES! You don't even need a written report as that is to bin straight away.

He is offering a discount on the next survey in place of providing this written report which will be of no use. I am a FTB (cash purchase), no won't need it for a mortage purpose.

I don't understand how the current owners are living in the property with two small childerns and a pet dog if the raised issues are so big!

I wonder how people find houses and draining the money on surveys everytime without any success .

I am so dis heartened now that I don't think buying is a house is a that easy for dim/naive woman like me! . so giving up and looking around to rent.


Problems : 
1. Rising Damp (living room) & severe damp in the kitchen
2. Suspened timber floor (so damp)
3. Windows are pretty old (atleast 30 years) so lot of condensation issues along the stairway/chimney etc
4. Cracks in the back elevation, cavity wall failure and mortar coming out of the wall tiles
5. Front bay cracked bricks work
6. Japanese knotweed in the neighbouring garden sp rrots could be under the fence of this property too.
7. Need Internal doors replacing
8. Sub floor problem
9. Artex ceiling etc etc

Do you think it still worth it to ask for the written report too? I have already paid the full amount for it.

I'm not surprised you're frightened with all of the issues in a house you're haunting. 

As an FTB this wouldn't be a house I'd be going for as the costs of tackling this will mount up to more than you'd like.

The thing with renting though, is you're paying someone else's mortgage... rather than your own. I'd keep hunting for another place.

Bigphil1474

Sounds like the surveyor has done you a favour - that's a list of potentially very expensive repairs. Surveys can tend to be worst case scenario, but that is pretty bad even compared to a typical survey. Do you know  a reliable builder? Next time you view a property see if they'll come with you. If not, do you know anyone who has house buying experience who could go with you? Definitely keep looking.

daveyjp

Well done surveyor on being able to identify Japanese knotweed and highlighting it.

As this is a no mortgage purchase are properties being looked at which are limited by budget?

 This may not be enough to get what is required.  Is a small mortgage an option?  Even £25-30k extra may be enough to widen the options.

Zoyya

Bigphil1474 said:

Sounds like the surveyor has done you a favour - that's a list of potentially very expensive repairs. Surveys can tend to be worst case scenario, but that is pretty bad even compared to a typical survey. Do you know  a reliable builder? Next time you view a property see if they'll come with you. If not, do you know anyone who has house buying experience who could go with you? Definitely keep looking.

Thanks. That's the problem.Literally no one to come along with me and advice.

YoungBlueEyes

It sounds like you're in the same position I was a few years ago. House-hunting, alone, no real knowledge and no-one to help.

I'd recommend reading through a lot of the threads on here (put something like "FTB survey results" into the search) so you can teach yourself what real problems look like, and how to tell the major red flags from the ones you can throw a bit of money at and it'll be fine. It'll give you an idea of costs for whichever problems you spot - as long as the threads aren't too old - and give you a bit of confidence about the whole process. 

I kept viewing properties and found somewhere in the end, and you will too. I'd give yourself a while longer before going into rented though. Keep viewing properties and take photos of things you're not sure about, you can always ask about them on here. There's an astonishing range of knowledge on here and people are only too willing to help.

Good luck  

Emmia

Zoyya said:

I don't understand how the current owners are living in the property with two small childerns and a pet dog if the raised issues are so big!

As to why they're living there, perhaps they have no choice.

Many years ago when I was hunting for my first property I viewed a place with one bedroom and a box room, which judging by the photos on the wall, number of dining chairs and the stack of (made up) double mattresses in the lounge was housing 8+ people, most of whom appeared to be adults.

I didn't buy it,  but I have to assume they didn't have a choice in this living arrangement, as it was substantially overcrowded.

Zoyya

YoungBlueEyes said:

It sounds like you're in the same position I was a few years ago. House-hunting, alone, no real knowledge and no-one to help.

I'd recommend reading through a lot of the threads on here (put something like "FTB survey results" into the search) so you can teach yourself what real problems look like, and how to tell the major red flags from the ones you can throw a bit of money at and it'll be fine. It'll give you an idea of costs for whichever problems you spot - as long as the threads aren't too old - and give you a bit of confidence about the whole process. 

I kept viewing properties and found somewhere in the end, and you will too. I'd give yourself a while longer before going into rented though. Keep viewing properties and take photos of things you're not sure about, you can always ask about them on here. There's an astonishing range of knowledge on here and people are only too willing to help.

Good luck  

Aww! Thank you so much for the encourgement and really appreciate the advise! Yes so far this forum has been mine armour. I really liked this property and it's really shame that it has so many issues. But again I have seen people saying that everything is fixable, it just matter of how much you will spent on it and renegotiate the price. But reading on this forum, I have seen people struggling to resale properties especially with Japanese knotweed.

Zoyya

Emmia said:

Zoyya said:

I don't understand how the current owners are living in the property with two small childerns and a pet dog if the raised issues are so big!

As to why they're living there, perhaps they have no choice.

Many years ago when I was hunting for my first property I viewed a place with one bedroom and a box room, which judging by the photos on the wall, number of dining chairs and the stack of (made up) double mattresses in the lounge was housing 8+ people, most of whom appeared to be adults.

I didn't buy it,  but I have to assume they didn't have a choice in this living arrangement, as it was substantially overcrowded.

Oh wow! 8 + people! You are right. The current owner had bought the house from the aunt (local authority builds) so I wonder even if they did any survey at all previously.

Albermarle

He is offering a discount on the next survey in place of providing this written report which will be of no use. I am a FTB (cash purchase), no won't need it for a mortage purpose.

I think you might as well take up his offer of a discount on the next survey.
However I would suggest you tell him what you think a suitable discount might be ( 35%?) and that whatever is agreed, he confirms it by e mail. 

Zoyya

Albermarle said:

He is offering a discount on the next survey in place of providing this written report which will be of no use. I am a FTB (cash purchase), no won't need it for a mortage purpose.

I think you might as well take up his offer of a discount on the next survey.
However I would suggest you tell him what you think a suitable discount might be ( 35%?) and that whatever is agreed, he confirms it by e mail. 

Thanks for the advise. My solicitor actually suggested that I get the detailed written e - report as £100 discount for the next one is not worth it. She said we sometime as FTB do panic on minor things and also tend to forget the important findings in the process. but if there is a written report , we can atleast check the issues with experts if needed and then can decide?

She also mentioned that if I really like the property, rising damp/old windows replacement etc can be solved but Japanese knotweed is an major one. On property Information form, the seller has mentioned 'no' to knotweed. She is surprised that there is nothing on the roof, loft etc.

She said to wait , get the written report and then I can go for a second viewing and if needed third and have a look around again on the findings from report and if confident, then can re negotiate and else just pull out. 

I am so disheartened , I have no energy left. The surveyor said it will take a week for him to write the report and send over!