To be fuming - house sale fallen through due to lying tradesman

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Is it possible to get the buyer back on board?

Oh god I'm so angry and upset. I agreed to sell my house to a young woman before Xmas who was desperate to buy it, for a bit less than we wanted (even tho the busiest period for house selling is just after xmas).

We agreed a sale in the area we are moving to. Delighted that we would be moved and settled and DS would be in right location to start school in Sept. Its been a long, hard process getting this far.

A couple of issues were highlighted on the surveyors report for the house we're selling, nothing major. Seller gets a builder out for one issue (all fine) and a roofer out who doesn't know his arse from his elbow. Completely incompetent and clueless, talking a load of rubbish. At this point we hadn't seen the surveyors report so he asked us what the problem is and we say we didn't know. So he saw an opportunity to make some cash. He said there was a job they could do for around £600. Or he could do a big job for £3500. By the time he spoke to the buyer this has turned into 'defo needs a whole new roof for £4000'.

We got a highly recommended (but previously unknown to us) roofer out for a second opinion who really knows his stuff, really professional. Said there's nothing major wrong with it but could do a few jobs for minor issues for £750. If we wanted to make it tip top again it would cost £1500. Defo doesn't need a new roof. Other guy blatantly lying and is a cowboy. If we were to get a new roof it would cost well over £4k anyway so he's clearly on the make.

But despite me providing the second roofers details the buyer hasn't rung him and has pulled out of the sale!! My whole world is turned upside because one lying cheating bloke who probably isn't even qualified has tried to make a few quid.

I've texted her to ask can we discuss before she makes up her mind but shes not responding!

What do I do?

@Potkettlexx Not a red flag. Just 'a bit of a warning flag'. If you combine it with getting in contact multiple times I'd assume a nervous / unsure / not entirely committed buyer.

On it's own I probably wouldn't think anything of an offer just below asking.

It might have been genuine (and not unreasonable) concern on the part of the buyer, or it might have been a ploy to negotiate a lower price. The fact that she initiated personal contact suggests the latter. It doesn’t really matter - you’re right to get the roof fixed and put it back on the market.

We recently bought a house, the survey said that the roof would need replacing in time (not in danger of collapse). We bought it and had the roof done at our convenience a couple of months later.

They have decided that they don't want to buy. I would fix the issues with the roof, have this available for another buyer to look at and move on. Easter is the prime time for house sales not Christmas which is usually dead.

How bigs the house and where abouts are you? Tbh 4K struck me as very Very cheap for a ‘new’ roof, if this is to include roof trusses, batons, felting and all tiles plus any chimney stack and insulation. Sounds like bullshit actually.

How bigs the house and where abouts are you? Tbh 4K struck me as very Very cheap for a ‘new’ roof, if this is to include roof trusses, batons, felting and all tiles plus any chimney stack and insulation. Sounds like bullshit actually.

"New roof" is probably just lifting off the tiles, replacing the felt, replacing the battens and re-laying the tiles replacing any that are broken. Plus any leadwork that needs doing.

The need for an actual new roof from the rafters up would be rare - unless someone has done something stupid in the past like replacing slates or pan tiles with concrete tiles - although that's not uncommon, and once someone shows you what to look for you can see it everywhere.

The problems with roofs is that unless it's fairly new or newly re-done there's always something that will need done - slipped tile, missing pointing, etc. And whether an older roof needs to be re-done now, sometime in the next few years, or "it'll last a while yet" is a judgement call.