To not know what to do.

[fancybiccies]

Long story short, we bought a house a year ago. Needed some work, but ultimate plan was to do it up, make some money and move back to near family.
We have bought the house, gutted it and done everything. New kitchens, bathrooms, carpets, decoration, landscape gardens etc.
We had a survey (just regular home buyers survey) when we were buying and everything came back fine. No issues with structural/damp/anything.
We have a buyer and are due to exchange in a week.
They have just paid a surveyor to go over the entire property over the course of 3.5 hours. It was the most comprehensive survey you can buy.
They have come back with so so many things they are saying is wrong.
They say that the garden is sinking and needs digging up and re landscaping, the loft is apparently covered in mold, the garden walls around all 4 sides are twisting and need knocking down and rebuilding, the drains are blocked. They want to knock £50,000 off the purchase price a week before exchange.
Our survey done a year ago shows none of this. Just garden and walls satisfactory, they have moved slightly when settling but this is deemed as old and the property is now 20 years old.
Builder friend says that items in the loft often get covered in mold. The items up there aren’t even ours, I think they’ve been there 20 years. It’s a few old Santa sacks and a box of cuddly toys.
What would you do?

We have a house 200 miles away that we are due to exchange on in a week and if we take a £50,000 reduction there’s no chance we can move.

Well you just tell them no of course. They might pull out, or they might not. They might try and negotiate a smaller reduction and you decide whether you can live with that.

I have heard of people doing this right near exchange. You can't take the hit so say no
Has your solicitor seen their survey?

You say no. They are chancing their arm.

No. No one has seen the survey. Apparently it’s not been written up yet, but they accompanied the surveyor when he did the survey and he had verbally told them all of this.

Yes...say no!

Just say no.

But if you've gutted the house and done everything, why are there 20-year-old items from previous occupiers in the loft?!

Tell them that's to expect some problems in an old house. And they have until the end of today then you'll put itbck on the market

Tell them no, especially as your solicitor hasn't seen the survey.

Ha Ha Ha - did he verbally tell them Santa was real too?

No - the answer is no. Worst case is you lose your buyer. Its a bloody nuisance but not the end of the world. Most likely though they are scamming your arse and looking for a quick last minute discount.

Say no - ask to see the full report, rinse and repeat.

The stuff is still in the loft as I thought I better check with the estate agent from when we bought whether we can chuck it or not. Elderly couple here before and not sure if they forgot to take stuff in the loft. It’s only one box.

say no! do not give them any reduction at all until you see the survey. I would imagine they are massively exaggerating.

They're playing a devious game, say no! X

You haven't even seen their official report yet and how convenient it's a nice round figure they want off it too! Tell them there will be no discussion and certainly no discount on price until you've seen it.

Sorry not sure where the x came from! 😂

Funnily enough the £50,000 off is the same price as their first offer 🙄

a regular home buyers survey wouldn't show as many things as a comprehensive survey so may not of been in the report when you moved in.

Can you get indemnity insurance to cover anything?

Just say no, find a new buyer. It's a pain. My parents have had this happen twice with older but perfectly sound properties. Later buyers had no issues at all. It's an intentional tactic and pretty poor form in my view. I wouldn't be feeling too generous....

Looked at indemnity insurance and don’t think it would cover anything.

You own the house, you own whats in the loft you dont have to ask anyones permission to put in in the skip. They have had time to come looking for it and obviously haven't.

Agree with others. Say No. Bloody chancers.

We had this with the sale of our flat years ago. I went with our buyer over a cash buyer. She was looking for money off everywhere. In the end we gave her till the end of the day to sign. She did. We would have put it back on the market and refused to entertain any offer from her. The stress she caused.

Dump the box of items - you have every right to if its been there for years and it should of gone when they moved out and they should have paid you to get rid or collected it within days.

They are cheeky beggars and if you are at point of completion have forgotten their deposit is at risk if they pull out now so you will either get their deposit or a sale...

NO NO NO!

They are just chancing it. Talk to the estate agent and tell them you don't think they are serious buyers and to put it back on.

op they have probably spent about a grand on that survey, or thereabouts. They've probably instructed solicitors etc, they probably stand to lose a bit of money here if they pull out. Hold strong and say no, they will probably just pay what they offered in the first place.

As if anyone thinks you'd take 50 grand less for the garden bloody walls anyway!

£50k? They are beyond cheeky.

You haven't even seen their official report yet and how convenient it's a nice round figure they want off it too! Tell them there will be no discussion and certainly no discount on price until you've seen it.

^This. Give them a time limit otherwise it goes back on the market