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

I would be furious.

four or five viewings??? .....I'd be surprised if they go through with the sale...once you get over three they are usually dreamers and timewasting.

I'd be insisting on details of the surveyor, and alleged qualifications.

You are right to be furious though.

@LaurieSchafferIsAllBitterNow

I did think it was weird
They are local to the area and these houses go within days
They have all the deposit mortgages in place and solicitors have sent my solicitor the enquiries
I think they are genuine but to being to keen and excited - I’m being generous 😂
But I think that’s what they did arranged for a builder not a surveyor
Or if he is a surveyor the needs to go back to school

I reckon this 'surveyor' had it in his head (or was maybe told by the buyers) that it's a doer-upper, so it's all being taken back to the bricks anyway. Probably also one of these people who doesn't understand history and period features and just sees them as 'old and worn out'.

Completely ignoring the fact that not only would the buyers probably not 'repair' features that don't need repairing but also that it isn't their house yet.

What an appalling level of presumptuousness and disrespect for other people's property; as well as very poor workmanship skills. It would have been bad enough if he'd carefully removed a single tile or floorboard, but he's just gone in with his hammer and chisel and ripped away. Disgusting - make sure he doesn't get away with this.

Sounds more like they have told a builder to have a look.

That's a builder who has gone in for works estimation.
I would be claiming for damages to be repaired and would also be getting the EA to respond to why they are letting people unaccompanied into your property.
I always stipulate that any access must be supervised.

Yes I’d put money on the fact that he was a builder doing quotes for them.

I’d tell the estate agent that you’re livid and to ask why they allowed their “surveyor” to damage the property. I’d also tell the buyers that you’re very upset, will not be allowing any more visits because of this, and are thinking about putting the house back on the market. They might be over here excited new buyers, but they need to wise up!

That is shocking :(

Christ that is awful.
But try to remember that the ultimate aim is to get it sold.
Definitely document all of this, issue appropriate threats through your solicitor but use it as a good bargaining position that they need to complete and quickly.
Don't let anger make you act hastily or tell them to stuff it. Rant and rave until you are calmer and then hope it is their problem not yours.
Oh and check the bin for the tile. That would have me incandescent but ending up in a position of trying to sell it again with the damage and the stress of suing them means you need to play the long game... even if you want to strangle them!

This is crazy when we purchased our house our surveyor on hiring gave the disclaimer that the survey would be just on what could be seen visually and they had no rights to move anything ....we got told couldn't fully inspect bay window as there was a Christmas tree in the way

A builder makes sense.

He's pricing a job and doesn't want to under bid, particularly with the price of materials at the moment.

When we were getting worked priced AFTER we had closed, we had builders doing comprehensive checks as it was a whole house being renovated.

He's a real CF, as are they.

Mind you lifting a carpet in a corner is one thing, snapping tiles and ruining flooring is another.

I bet they told him they plan to gut the place so he hasn't given a damn about what he damages as he investigates.

Absolutely unbelievable.

That is outrageous.

Sorry OP I don’t have any advice to add but I’m raging along with you.

I hope you get a satisfactory resolution to this, @Iamthedom! We have sold three houses, all period properties, and have never experienced vandalism like this - I wouldn’t blame you for contacting the police.

The EA should have attended the visit if it was a builder not surveyor, I’d start there.

Omg!! I'm spitting feathers on your behalf! What an absolute pi55 taking CF!!! I'd definitely be stamping my feet on Monday morning! I can't even imagine what he was thinking. I had a homebuyers survey a couple of months ago & my house was not left in this condition. Absolute shocking! 😶

This is just awful and as others have said it is criminal damage. I’d be livid too OP.
Unusual I know but I think I would be asking the buyers to attend to the property on Monday with their solicitor the EA and you to advise what THEY are going to do to put right damage to YOUR property.
I’d also be threatening to pause proceedings until it was all rectified. Nobody should be able to get away with that, it’s just awful, and very upsetting.

That is terrible!

@notangelinajolie

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.

@notangelinajolie I'm pretty sure on Homes Under the Hammer they film the auction first and then go along to the property once the purchaser has agreed, and presumably rip wallpaper / move floorboards etc with their permission as it's going to get ripped out anyway. And film the first interview with them at the same time as the pre-auction intro by the presenter.

Otherwise they'd be filming lots of houses in the hope of the purchaser agreeing to be on the programme!

@Iamthedom

He lifted one floorboard in the bedroom didn’t put it back

He ripped up laminate flooring in the front room under the bay window
I’ve attached a photo

Bloody hell. I'd be fucking furious!

It doesnt matter how excited they are. They do not own the property yet so they cannot send a builder in for a quote when that builder has been told to go to town on the place.

If they pull out, you could lose money on the damage to the original tiles if anyone who views it says they wanted to keep those and need to source a replacement.

Hopefully you get a full explanation on monday plus a solution; the sale gets pushed through without any loss to you or they fix the damage.

The fact we’ve decided he’s a builder and pricing the job up doesn’t fill me with confidence that they are going to restore your traditional house…. It’s going to be grey and shiny!

Thank you everyone
I’m thinking of asking my estate agent to tell the buyers to put a certain amount of money with my solicitors so that should the sell fall through I get that money to fix the damage
If the sale goes through then I don’t give a fuck and I will get my dead mother to curse the house 😂
It’s the only thing I can think of that Is fair to me so that I don’t get stuck with having to fix a damaged house

@Isthisprivate
Grey shiny and glitter
Maybe I will leave a few glitter bombs

That's shocking!

@Iamthedom with lots of quotes