House I'm about to buy is flooded and "uninhabitable"

[TheAbsentGazelle]

So as those who may recognise my username will know, I've recently separated from my abusive ex DP so we put the house on the market and I've had an offer accepted on a new place. We've found a buyer for our house too now and everything was on track to complete by the middle of January.

I've just had a phone call from my solicitors today saying the house I'm about to buy has experienced "significant flooding" and is currently "uninhabitable". No further details yet due to the Christmas break but I believe it's needing all new electrics, a new central heating system, but work has now started on doing the necessary repairs.

The solicitors say I have 2 options.. carry on with my plan of buying this house although they don't have a date yet when it may be finished.. or pull out now and look for another house.

Am I crazy for continuing with this purchase? What if the flooding has affected other parts of the house - floorboards or walls which doesn't become apparent until later? Am I better to just cut my losses and look for something else? It wasn't exactly my dream home but options are extremely limited on the housing market where I am.

Does anyone have any advice on what to do? ☹️

Do you need a mortgage? And will that be impacted? That would be my main concern.

A burst pipe wouldn't put me off, but it could take many months to refurbish depending on the damage done and who restores it.

How confident are you the burst pipe is the truth?

Can your buyer wait a few weeks?

Check if any sign of flooding at neighbouring properties, ask neighbours maybe. If it seems to be the truth then you may be getting an improved house, worth more then you agreed to pay. Will the insurance cover redecoration and if so can you have a say in that? What about any white goods that were going to be included? They need to be checked by an electrician. What about floor coverings?

If you could wait I would it’ll all be new

I’d proceed but with a close eye on what repairs and renovations are being made and ensuring there are certificates for the work. I’d be quite pleased about a brand new heating system and electrics!!

Can you go in and look at the damage yourself? Talk to the owners about what else might need doing?

Yes the mortgage was already signed and sealed but the house would need to be re-surveyed and the mortgage application run through again.

My issue is I have nowhere to go once this house completes mid-january. Dog and I would need to stay at an Airbnb until repairs are complete on the new house!

The bungalow across the road from me had a serious pipe burst in the cold snap and is currently under offer. I went in there while the water was pouring through and it had been for a couple of days (empty property). The ceiling was down in one room, floors underwater and ceiling and walls soaked through in another room, water was pouring out of two sides of the house. I wouldn't have continued with the purchase of that house, if I had been the buyer and seen the extent of the damage and known why the pipe burst (poorly insulated property, non standard construction and solid fuel heating system.) So I would ask to view the property in its damaged state if I was you and make a decision based on what you see and the specifics of the proposed repairs. With advice from a professional too. Unless it was a great bargain/desirable I would be looking elsewhere especially as prices looking to come down.

I drove past the new house today and noticed the kitchen window has been replaced too. It's brand new. I wonder if someone had to break into the property to stop the leak? The owners were out of the country at the time.

X-post! The owners of this home weren't at home either so no idea how long it was flooding for before someone noticed!

Hold off for a week and see what the status is then. You don't have to rush this decision. Then speak to your buyers to see if they are happy to hold on for 2 months. If you start again you're looking at another 3-6 months anyway

You don't
really have an option but to
cut loose, abandon the purchase.

It will take a very long time (at least a year, could be two) before the property is dried out, new floors plaster electric circuits etc. Your mortgage lender won't touch it with a bargepole until all that is done ( and maybe not then, now they know its a flood risk).

Meanwhile go ahead with your sale; and rent while you search again.

As a buyer with equity and no chain, you'll be in a good position.

As a child I lived in a flood-risk home and would never touch such a property again. The stress of every rising water, disruption mess and loss are unbearable.

Exactly this

In this case it was the water company who came looking for a leak as they were alerted to the pressure drop in the village. I helped the engineer guy out with getting a key to access the property and finding the water meter location. I amore shocked bu the fact that they haven't done any work there since apart from open the windows. I suspect their insurance was void as it was empty. Hopefully, in your case the owners are taking swifter action to dry it out pending repairs.

I think I'd walk away. You say that the owners were out of the country so it could have been flooding for days before anyone noticed. It doesn't take long for water to cause damage, included unseen damage.

Not the same, but a house a few doors down from me caught fire and they had to run industrial dehumidifiers almost constantly for over a month to dry out the water from the fire hoses. That was before they could even start to repair the house. 😔

Of course you could always go back and try to negotiate a huge mark down but if I were the seller I'd tell you to go away!

I think you will need more information from their insurers about how long it will take to out everything right. Definitely don't commit until you know. If it's going to be a long time and you will need to shell out on air b&bus you might be better yo start looking. Anything else on the market in your budget?

Should have said that the hoses were going for maybe an hour. Admittedly they are very high pressure but if an hour of water can do that much damage...

I'm in a similar position but hopefully there won't be too much damage. I discovered a leak over the Christmas period at the house we have an offer in on. Sue to exchange very soon. Fortunately the burst pipe seems to be in the crawl space underneath the house and hadn't risen to the ceiling so hopefully won't impact on the actual house.
We are going to insist on repairs being done before we complete.

Why do people keep going on about the flood risk? OP said in her second post it was due to a burst pipe!

Of COURSE you must pull out. Can't believe you even have to ask.

If it was just a burst pipe and the owners were away I’d continue but in the contingent that all repairs are completed and a full survey done to confirm no further damage

I still wouldn't proceed, despite the fact it's 'just' a burst pipe. I think if you ask to view the property as it currently is then that would probably help form the decision.

It was some years ago now but one of my parents bought a home where there had been a burst pipe and subsequent 'repairs'. All looked brand new and fantastic at the move in and then a few weeks later the water damage started coming up through the floor where it hadn't been dried properly and new floor had just been laid over the top. I think there were also some issues with plasterwork for similar reasons but can't recall exactly. They had to take out the kitchen to deal with the damp sub floor and replace bricks that had taken on water in part of a wall as they weren't fit for purpose but had been plastered over to make good the appearance.

It may well be that some of it pre-dated the flood, who knows, but it was a god awful pain and cost thousands.

Why?

This is what I'm worried about!!! Thank you.

Back out don’t even go there you’ll be worrying about future flooding insurance etc.