Advice on negotiating?

[ecuse]

We're going to try ti negotiate on price based in outcome if survey.

Plan is to write a letter, setting out items raised with cost estimates and asking for total amount off (although in reality would accept less than all of it). Going to include survey which has ballpark cost estimate for each thing raised ( quite a few items most smallish but cumulative total about £16k). The biggest item, re-wiring whole house, we have a written quote for so will include copy of that too.

No experience of this, though. Who do you address to? Estate agent? ("please communicate the following request to Mr & Mrs.Vendor.."?). Or directly to vendor? In which case do I post to their home or to Estate agent asking him to pass it on?

And any general tips?

FWIW our initial offer took account of poor state of decor, kitchen, bathroom but not this structural stuff. Other houses in same street have gone for about our offer price but only one gone for.more.than what we offered in last 5 yrs according to zoopla and this one's.in.pretty bad nick - a fixer upper - so I don't think the items raised in survey can be realistically said to have been factored into price already.

[Crocodilio]

I would suggest that the best way of going about it is either to phone or pop in to the estate agent, and speak to the most senior person you can who knows the property/vendors (so not the spotty 18-year old on reception duty!), and explain what you have said above, talk it through with them and tell them how much you want to reduce your offer by, and why, and then follow up with that confirmed in writing including the estimated costs, for them to pass on to the vendors. Good luck!

[ecuse]

Good advice to call first, thank you. Wouldn't have, but can see it might pave the way.

[Crocodilio]

Any luck?

[ecuse]

Spoke to the agent on the phone yesterday and have emailed through a letter as well as posting it.

Have yet to hear back... eeek.

EA was a bit of an arse on the phone, but then he's a bit of an arse, so not entirely unexpected

[ecuse]

Quick update - we got 10k off and are proceeding. Hooray! Thanks very much for the advice.