Renegotiating house price based on smaller than expected garden

ReadySteadyPop

perizadah said:

When we viewed there was an area where ownership wasn’t clear, so we got confirmation in writing from the agent that it was part of the garden before submitting our offer - turns out the agent was wrong.

The garden left is VERY small - patio that isn’t big enough for a sofa and small patch of grass. 

I hear what everyone is saying that it’s about value to us. I’m struggling because I think it’s more important to us than average and I don’t want the vendor to think we’re being ridiculous with the value we ask for and decide to withdraw completely. E.g if we think 10% would be fair but the consensus is 5% max, we would be happy with 5%. (Round numbers just for an example!)

Find another property with a larger garden, you don`t want to complete the sale and then feel disappointed with the lack of garden space a few months later.

Murphybear

Albermarle said:

The garden left is VERY small - patio that isn’t big enough for a sofa and small patch of grass. 

Maybe even if you got a price reduction, it sounds like this small garden will be an ongoing issue for you and mean you will never really happy with your purchase?

When we were last house hunting we saw a house with a very large conservatory.  It took up most of the already small garden.   . It had been on the market for quite a while and the price had been dropped twice.  The EA raved about the conservatory but neglected to say the garden was pocket handkerchief size.  We thought that if we bought it reselling could be a problem.  It was 3 bedroom so there would possibly be children, no room in the garden.

We bought a bungalow instead, it had a gorgeous garden, 2 ponds, a small consevatory, a shed and workshop.  As a bonus mature blackcurrant and raspberry bushes as well 

RHemmings

TheJP said:

perizadah said:

MysteryMe said:

If as it appears the OP was given incorrect information by the EA, and it was obviously an important enough consideration to the OP for then to ask the question in the first place, then I think a revised offer is reasonable. What the reduction should be is for the OP to decide, perhaps they could use the valuation report as a starting point.

We got a Level 3 survey so no formal valuation , but the informal chat with the surveyor indicated we were on the high side but not ridiculous if we loved the house.

Garden size now just over 40m sq whereas we were expecting it to be 47m sq (approx measurements). No way of using the area we’d previously understood to be the garden as it belongs to next door but we can extend the patio onto the grass to make just enough space to sit out.

Was the neighbours land not fenced off in any way? What when viewing made you think the area was part of the property?

As posted by the OP further upthread, they didn't think the area was part of the property, only thought that it might be. They asked the EA about it, so the OP clearly had doubts, and were assured  by the EA that it was. Hence, I think that making an offer based on the expectation that the piece of land in question was part of the property was entirely reasonable. And their doubts about their offer and a wish to re-negotiate is also, IMHO, reasonable. 

I.e. I think it's irrelevant why the OP thought the piece in question might have been part of the property after they checked with the EA and were told that it was. 

sheramber

 Will you be happy with the smaller garden area or will there  always be a niggle  that it is too small?

TheJP

OP do you have a link to the property and garden?

silvercar

So the Estate Agent sucked you in to thinking that the garden was larger than it is, otherwise you may not have considered it. Now that you are keen on the property the true picture is revealed. Would you have still been interested if you had known the garden was tiny at the start?

bobster2

ReadySteadyPop said:

perizadah said:

When we viewed there was an area where ownership wasn’t clear, so we got confirmation in writing from the agent that it was part of the garden before submitting our offer - turns out the agent was wrong.

The garden left is VERY small - patio that isn’t big enough for a sofa and small patch of grass. 

I hear what everyone is saying that it’s about value to us. I’m struggling because I think it’s more important to us than average and I don’t want the vendor to think we’re being ridiculous with the value we ask for and decide to withdraw completely. E.g if we think 10% would be fair but the consensus is 5% max, we would be happy with 5%. (Round numbers just for an example!)

Find another property with a larger garden, you don`t want to complete the sale and then feel disappointed with the lack of garden space a few months later.

For once I agree with crashy - walk away. You can change lots of things about a property but this garden isn't going to get any bigger!

Linton

I dont see how reducing the offer really helps.  Either the house with its small garden is affordable and suitable suitable for your needs or it isnt.  If it isnt look elsewhere.  If it is suitable and affordable do you want to risk losing it for a relatively small reduction in price? 

ReadySteadyPop

Linton said:

I dont see how reducing the offer really helps.  Either the house with its small garden is affordable and suitable suitable for your needs or it isnt.  If it isnt look elsewhere.  If it is suitable and affordable do you want to risk losing it for a relatively small reduction in price? 

Paying less is always best, but the garden is just going to annoy them after a while and may make the flat hard to sell later.

lincroft1710

40 sq m is very small for a garden, although I have come across smaller.


If you cannot live with a garden that small, then look elsewhere.


If you can, then obviously try and negotiate a price reduction and if none forthcoming, decide if the house still offers what want and whether it is still worth proceeding