To find another house....

[000adviceplease]

Hi all,
I’m looking to purchase my first home 3 bed terrace close to amnesties etc. 15k deposit.
I’m Working in emergency services.
Found a place fell in love etc ...
Needs a little tlc but nothing a clean and paint wouldn’t sort.
Upon second viewing it came to light the loft had been used my the former tenants as a cannabis farm. Cannot find the electrics meter as possibly it’s been removed or bypassed to support the farm 🙄
I am worried about damp from the soil on the loft floor and also the fact the heating would have been on at 24 degrees; 20 out of 24 hours per day to cultivate plants.
There are not any properties in this area for the price I’m paying at this time but I need the place to be safe for my family
Please advise wise ones?

[BobBobBobbin]

Before you panic I would get yourself up there to have a look. More likely than not it’s a small scale operation that will make zero difference to you buying the house.

[TheDoctorDances]

I would suggest getting a fill survey and qualified electrician to check the wiring and fuse box. The way these things are often rigged up and bypassed is a fire hazard.

If it needs a rewire, renegotiate your price.

[000adviceplease]

Nope I couldn’t get up there as no ladder available (or else I definately would of gone up) I can’t tell the scale of the operation there was that foil thingy it was about 6 ft and some tubing and some other things I can’t remember ..

[midnightstar66]

Sounds like a small operation growing one or 2 plants rather than an actual farm from your description? I doubt it will have caused any damage. Did you not pop your head up to check if it have been directly on the floor? (This is unlikely)

[TheTeenageYears]

I would be asking for the current owner to cover the cost of the survey but instructed by you. I would also check that a survey is actually going to do what you need it to. I've had several full surveys where so many elements supposedly need checking by others (electrics, damp etc etc) that it almost negates the point. If electrics have to be checked by someone else for example how can it be classed as a full survey - in 2021 no one lives in a regular house without electricity so electrics should be part of the full building survey needs to be redefined.

[DeRigueurMortis]

@000adviceplease

Yes landlord who previously had dodgy tenants and just wants the house gone

Wonder why....

As pp's have said you need to get a more comprehensive survey - specifically to look at the loft.

If I was in your position I'd contact the EA and say you are not going to proceed without a loft survey and you will deduct the cost of the survey from the offer you've made.

If the vendor doesn't agree I'd pull out of the sale.

Hopefully the survey doesn't raise any concerns but if it does you go back with a reduced offer to reflect the work that needs doing to rectify and faults. The vendor may/may not accept this and re: the latter you need to decide if you can afford/want to fix the issues or walk away.

What not to do is "nothing".

The risk here is having the survey done, a problem being found and the vendor refusing a reduced asking price.

Survey is likely to be around £750 for a comprehensive look at one specific area. So not small change and you could lose it in the above scenario but compared to possibly risking thousands on fixing major issues it's a drop in the ocean.

[Houseofmirth66]

Don’t be daft - they won’t have put the soil directly between the joists. And aren’t most lofts crammed with tonnes of junk? How are some plants in planters going to have damaged the structure?

[notdaddycool]

If you didn’t want the full survey before it may be enough just to have a look up in the loft yourself - if you are worried about rot on exposed beams it will be obvious. Also with high temperatures it’s fairly unlikely I’d think. Maybe get an electrician to come with you if you have worries about the meter.

[Midlifephoenix]

I doubt they'd be growing directly in the floor, much more likely to be containers. But get someone to inspect it. I don't think the fact there was a cannabis farm affects the value, but structural damage does.
Unless you know about buildings always get a homebuyers or full structural survey.

[000adviceplease]

Yes landlord who previously had dodgy tenants and just wants the house gone

[crankysaurus]

Who are you buying off? Is it a landlord that's previously had dodgy tenants?

If you have any concerns about the electric meter or joists, have a chat with your solicitor. But you will find a building survey worth the money as you'll either be able to negotiate on price or walk away if there are problems, or have reassurance that's it's alright.

[Jillybons]

Hi @000adviceplease this sucks but don’t throw good money after bad. A full structural survey needed and also an understanding of your legal position. No idea on this (hence the lawyer) but are you sure the house can’t be seized as a criminal location? Will this show up on future surveys I.e make it more difficult to sell on? No idea TBH but questions you need legal and structure advice on!

[sunshinesupermum]

Most definitely more extensive than a homebuyers report which doesn't go into the detail you need. DO NOT EXCHANGE until you have the results of the survey and renegotiate the price if works have to be done. The seller must know where the electricity meter is!

[000adviceplease]

I have personally not been up in the loft so cannot see where plants have been grown (on plastic or in bags etc) the estate agent said via telephone when i requested for info
“The farm hadn’t been around very long” which does make sense as there was NO indicative smell in the property.
To clarify, there was no evidence of a farm upon the first viewing . It was only on the second one where I wanted to measure up etc that the evidence of equipment was dumped (quite frantically it would seem) and plant removed
Estate agents obviously knew but let me offer market value anyway 😢🙄

[000adviceplease]

So a more extensive one than the homebuyers survey ?

[Hankunamatata]

You need a full structural survey. And details of where the meter is.

[000adviceplease]

Yes they didn’t know they couldn’t locate it

[nimbuscloud]

This is the 3rd thread in a week about cannabis plants in attics 🌱
Did you ask the estate agent where the electricity meter is ??

[SimplyMarvellousDarrrrrrling]

Get a full survey, better to pay out now than to find out the damage later
Then negotiate if you have to

[pilates]

Get a home buyers survey if you’re worried

[PurBal]

You need a survey! Both are conducted by a surveyor but a survey and a valuation are completely different things. Brother is a valuation surveyor but he wouldn't conduct a structural survey.

[Forevernamechange12333333]

I’d steer well away.... personally. The house will most likely be linked on systems to the old tenant... that in itself could cause unwanted visits from the emergency services looking for people etc.

[annie987]

It is unlikely that soil would have sat directly on the loft floor. More likely in compost type bags. Additional heating would have been rigged up in the loft so the central heating wouldn’t have been on high for sustained periods of time. (I don’t have a cannabis farm on my loft I promise!)
It wouldn’t put me off. I’d just insist an electric meter was installed prior to exchange.

[ThatOtherPoster]

Just get a survey. It’ll be about £700-£900 for a full structural survey but it build save you tens of thousands later.

If anything bad is flagged up you could negotiate for a discount, or get indemnity insurance.

[TillyTopper]

I'd ask the original surveyor what s/he thought of the roof joists - because even with a basic survey they at least need to stick their head in the loft! Is the soil literally on the joists and rotting them which should be easy for you to see? or is it on plastic (I would think the latter) in which case once you have taken it all out it will dry out.