Building surveyor damaged property

[Iamthedom]

My buyers arranged for a building survey yesterday
I’ve just gone to the property to collect any mail and he’s done the following
Tried to remove a period tile and had broken it in half
Didn’t leave the tile anywhere
Ripped up laminate flooring under the bay window - obviously to check for damp but the flooring can’t be replaced
Removed a kicker and not replaced it
Ripped wallpaper of the bedroom wall to check a crack
Removed a floorboard didn’t put it back and left nails sticking up
No idea if he has done in
I’m furious and upset .Yes the house is old and is a dooer upper but it’s being sold as such

The period tile in the entrance hall can’t be replaced its been there since 1870s so can’t exactly get it from B & Q
What do I do
Im sending a email to my estate agent with photos and I have spoken to them and they were really shocked and said this should not have done this

Removed a tile from the entrance hallway
It’s been there since 1870 and absolutely no need to remove it

@Thecazelets

My mouth was open with lots of WTF
I’m fucking fuming and honestly I feel like going round to the buyers house and asking them WTF were they thinking off
If they ask for a penny off they can get fucked
And I’m not pulling out so if they pull out it will cost then money and I will sue them for the damage
Honest I just can’t get my head around this

That is absolutely disgusting behaviour!

Bloody hell op. I don't actually know what to say just wanted to post to say I'm not surprised you are shocked. It's really bad

Did you give permission for the estate agent to give him access unsupervised?

It might be worth checking the RICS codes, too - We sold & bought at the end of last year and the surveyor wouldn’t visit unless one of us was home. The same was true for our vendor. It wasn’t an issue for us, but our vendor was away and was happy to give access, and the surveyor refused (we asked ours if they would do it alone incase we could go to the house we were buying, IYSWIM.) Both companies said it went against the RICS code.

I’m not sure the buyers will have had any control over what the surveyor did, though. They’ll have just left him to it, like you did. Hopefully he’s a genuine surveyor and insurance can somehow fix this… but I’d be pretty annoyed at your estate agent for allowing this, too.

Also fuck me; look at those photos. What was he thinking?!?

This is out of order. I would be furious. Who let this person in? Surely the estate agent was there? I would be holding the estate agent responsible for this if they were present.

I doubt a professional surveyor has done that, sounds more like a builder or property developer.

I don't know if you have ever watched Homes under the Hammer but quite often the presenter will rip wallpaper and lift up floor coverings on empty properties that need work doing on them. I am always quite shocked when they do this.

Oh my god!! Surveyor sounds dodgy as fuck and probably not even qualified / insured!

The buyers will be mortified!!

@TakeYourFinalPosition
I just had an email from the Estate agent saying this
Just to let you know that the buyers have booked in the independent survey for next Friday (21st).
When I spoke to them they said it was for a buildings survey so they could see what needed to be done

Oh my god, this is the first time I've been opened mouthed at a post. Those photos! What the hell was he thinking. Glad you have emailed your solicitor, that is criminal damage. I'm shocked.

@Iamthedom

Removed a tile from the entrance hallway It’s been there since 1870 and absolutely no need to remove it

looks like he has damaged/scratched the tiles below as well.

Jesus, that's awful, OP. I'd be raging. I cannot believe he's destroyed a centuries-old tiled floor. I can only think the buyers told him it was a doer-upper and they'd be re-doing the tiles and flooring so he should check thoroughly for underlying issues. But it's not their house yet, you can't just go round ripping stuff up like that!

And PP are right – it's criminal damage.

Why did your estate agent leave this person alone in the property ?

Fucking hell
We purchased a period home last year and had a comprehensive survey with timber and dry rot check done and the surveyor managed to check everything without causing any damage at all. There is no need to cause that level of damage. The tiles in particular would have me raging, they are irreplaceable. How the surveyor is going to justify that I'd love to know.

@MrsTrumpton
I think that’s what they probably said
Apparently they are very “excited “
I’m almost tempted to pull out and sue the idiots I don’t care if it’s cost me the estate agent fees and surveyors fees
But I won’t I will leave it to see if they pull out as that way it won’t cost me anything

That’s criminal damage. I would be LIVID.

When directing your anger try to remember that the agent did not do this and the buyer did not do this.

If the sale goes through asap I guess the damage becomes the buyer’s problem, but if it doesn’t I’d be reporting the criminal damage to the police and also suing in the small claims court for the cost of repairs.

I would be amazed if that was a real qualified surveyor, my guess is a cowboy builder they’re asking to quote for work.

[quote Iamthedom]@MrsTrumpton
I think that’s what they probably said
Apparently they are very “excited “
I’m almost tempted to pull out and sue the idiots I don’t care if it’s cost me the estate agent fees and surveyors fees
But I won’t I will leave it to see if they pull out as that way it won’t cost me anything[/quote]
I wouldn't pull out either but I would threaten it for a few days next week and also threaten to report the surveyor for criminal damage. They do need to understand how much they've overstepped here and then once you "relent" hopefully they'll be contrite and pliable for the rest of the process.

Wow

Have you got a very inexperienced buyer? Could they have inadvertently paid for a a full structural survey? Those do come with a caveat that they are invasive and will require taking back flooring, lifting tiles, lifting floorboards, peeling wallpaper, etc and potentially causing damage. But usually surveyors are very reluctant to do them unless they’ve got absolute approval from the vendor to potentially cause damage or someone (buyer or vendor) has accepted costs for making good.

That is shocking!!
I can understand your upset/anger.
I would definitely look to be recompensed for the damage.

Fucking hell!! That's worse than I imagined it could be!

Bloody hell, the tiles alone would make me cry, why in God's name would you do that? I would hit the roof

@ZealAndArdour
They are 1st time buyers and have had about 4 or 5 viewings so very excited according to the estate agent so they may have done something like that
But I certainly didn’t agree or sign anything saying that I agree to anyone doing anything like that

I’m not sure how I would get compensated
If the sale goes through then I’m ok as it’s not my problem

But if it doesn’t then I’m left with damaged house
I would have no problems in taking them to court for this as I have there name and address where they live atm