AIBU?
Private home vs right to buy purchase ..
000adviceplease · 11/04/2021 07:35
Hi all
Brief overview ...
Looking to buy private home from the open market 3 k below market price 120 k due to the tidying / decorative works needing doing ( house was previously let to tenants who turned loft into cannabis farm . (Plz read previous thread)
Could not locate electric meter etc however vendor has agreed to complete safety electrical check at there cost. I have attached some pics of loft as I am really in two minds on how to move forward.
As an aside I have a second option. I currently rent a housing association property and have done since 2010. I am eligible for right to buy 3 bed house. Value 69 k with discount However I haven’t persued this Avenue for a number of reasons.
Kitchen - incredibly tiny would have to extend out
Bathroom - needs full refit think 80 s suite In situ
Neighbours- noisy with 2 large dogs which bark in house all day and night
Poor sound insulation I can hear neighbours receive a text / break wind/ stack plates
Damp- mould permeated all over property ha will NOT repair this
Is especially bad In child’s bedroom
I need some guidance moving forward
I really want to own my own home time is not on my side however if this sale falls through there is nothing on open market I can afford ( care worker)
Plz wise ones guide me through this ❤️Tia
Am I being unreasonable?
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MiaowMiaow99 · 11/04/2021 08:04
I'd get a survey (second level) on cannabis house as I'd imagine they've messed with the electrics to allow the huge increase in usage those farms need.
Has vendor agreed to also pay for remedial work to fix electrics?
3k under market value is not alot of discount for ex cannabis farm.
Didicat · 11/04/2021 09:09
The big question is do you have the money to fix it if the electrics are indeed unsafe/need work? Would you want the vendor to fix the uncovered problems or would you want the price reduced so you can instruct your own electrician to fix it?
Cosmetic things you can live with for a surprisingly long time, however electrics, plumbing roofs etc a small problem can lead to very big problems if not dealt with.
It doesn’t sound like you want to stay where you are and need lots of work anyway.
000adviceplease · 11/04/2021 09:42
It’s in NW uk Merseyside
HA adjoining house is bought since 2005 and yes they will always have dogs - the last lot of dogs they had died 4 years ago and they went and got two more 🙈
There is scope financially for the price to be dropped and I purchase any necessary works
LadyEuphemia · 11/04/2021 10:03
3k off won’t pay for the re-wire I suspect it will need. Not to mention installing an electric meter, I was quote 1k to move mine from one side a wall to another. Get your own electrician in there to go over it, it’ll cost you a little and save you thousands.
You also need to check that all the moisture in the loft hasn’t caused any rot or mold issues up there. That could be expensive to fix as well.
In all honesty I wouldn’t buy either, just wait for the right one to come along.
LadyEuphemia · 11/04/2021 10:59
Well if you really, really want it. Get more negotiating power to get price down some more.
What’s the rest of the house like, kitchen, bathroom? Ceilings etc? I’m wondering if damage was done to the upstairs ones because if the plants being grown up in the loft.
Electrics are probably your biggest problem though, I’d get full quotes for the work that needs doing. That includes if any wall channeling needs doing and the replastering to follow. And get it knocked off the price of the house. If it was cheap the landlord would probably do it himself and just re-rent it.
Speakuptomakeyourselfheard · 11/04/2021 12:08
I've just read this which would definitely put me off:
( www.idealresponse.co.uk/blog/is-your-buy-to-let-being-used-as-a-cannabis-farm/ )
Restoring your property:
As mentioned earlier, restoring your property once it has been used for cannabis cultivation can run into thousands of pounds. The property is highly likely to be suffering from mould due to high levels of moisture, along with cosmetic damage such as flaking paint and wallpaper.
Walls are often knocked down, meters bypassed, and a strong odour left even once all the plants have gone.
I think if I were you, I'd do a bit more research on Google about buying a house that's been used for cannabis growing. Oh, and I certainly wouldn't commit to buying your current home, as although it's a step on the ladder it sounds like it might be difficult to sell later on if you want to.
If you're really desperate to own your own home, why not consider moving to a cheaper area, you can still buy lovely properties for under £120k in Wales.
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