Dropped kerb indemnity

Newbie643

I am in the process of selling my house, 10 weeks in.  The purchaser’s solicitor is asking for a dropped kerb indemnity (The buyer’s mortgage company has requested this).  However, the dropped kerb has been there since at least the late 1960s (according to neighbours).  The council has no records that go back that far.  I really don’t want to pay this, which I feel is ridiculous and is a money making scheme - around £200-300.  There has never been any problem in over 50 years.  I know any indemnity would be invalid if I call the council but I feel there must be a solution.  Does anyone have any knowledge of a way around this?  Thank you

eddddy

Maybe say something like: The buyer is welcome to buy indemnity insurance if they wish.

However, for the reasons you mention, you don't feel it is necessary, and therefore you won't contribute to the cost.

(Do you think the buyer would walk away, if you refused to pay the £200 to £300?)


Edit to add...

It's sometimes better to feed-back this kind of stuff via the estate agent first (before getting back to your solicitor). The agent will probably phone the buyer to have a friendly chat to explain your position.

That might be better than the buyer getting 'bland' letter from their solicitor.

Section62

Newbie643 said:

I am in the process of selling my house, 10 weeks in.  The purchaser’s solicitor is asking for a dropped kerb indemnity (The buyer’s mortgage company has requested this).  However, the dropped kerb has been there since at least the late 1960s (according to neighbours).  The council has no records that go back that far.  I really don’t want to pay this, which I feel is ridiculous and is a money making scheme - around £200-300.  There has never been any problem in over 50 years.  I know any indemnity would be invalid if I call the council but I feel there must be a solution.  Does anyone have any knowledge of a way around this?  Thank you

Has the kerb actually been physically dropped - as in there is a full-height kerb either side of the driveway and a lowered section where access is made onto a clearly defined driveway?

wittykitty24

Had issues with indemnity’s with our recent sale and also with the house we were buying. It seems like solicitors are now looking into everything with more detail and anything missing needs an indemnity policy 🙄. We offered to pay for anything that came up on our house just to speed things up, but your within your rights to either ask the buyer to pay see what they say or even go 50/50

Newbie643

Thank you all for your responses.  And apologies for the delay replying….. for some reason I was expecting to receive replies by email.  A newbie indeed!   Yes there is a full height kerb either side.  Good idea to talk to the estate agent, thank you