Found out devastating news about house we are about to buy, Should we pull out?

[Welikethemoon]

We were all set to move, got everything in place, went for second viewing to show our daughters thier new house for the first time. Owner was there so I asked her about the flood risk which has come up as surprisingly high on the survey. She looked shocked and said she thought we knew it had been flooded twice in last 10 years but flash flood rain water run off and also before she moved in. She had instructed estate agent to tell everyone who viewed. We have had the offer accepted since April, estate agents just told me, sorry they "forgot" to tell us. Now don't know what to do. Thus was supposed to be our "forever" home, that had everything we needed. I have a very specific list of things I wanted and this ticks all the boxes, there us nothing else currently on the market that comes close. It's a significantly bigger mortgage than current place. I don't want to move again after this. Seller has said she has put in extra drainage since the last flood, but it hasn't been tested in similar conditions since so no guarantee it would work. Plus with climate change its more likely to happen.
Husband still wants to move, I'm not so sure. What would you do? AIBU to pull out now, risk losing our buyers and wait for a better house to come on the market?

If its been flooded you're need to declare this on insurance quotes which will push the price up. Did it not come up on your search?
I would start looking while you decide

Ooh what a lucky escape.
The Environment Agency website is good for checking flood risk. And it's easy to forget in the excitement that the agent works for the seller, not for you.

If you've not had your searches back yet it doesn't sound like you're that far along.

Another option is to amend your offer on the grounds that the information was held and it will cost you more to insure if you love it that much. If they have found somewhere they will probably still want to sell to you. Knock off 5/10k and give them 48hrs to decide if they want to sell at the lower price or you pull out

No way , definitely pull out. Your solicitor should of found that out, but the Estate Agents are out of order not telling you but no doubt all they are interested in is their commission. Also if you need to apply for a mortgage and insure the property you may find unmortgable and insurance if you could get it would be extortionate. Cut your losses, the right house will be out there .

Absolutely not a cat in hells chance I would buy. I know it’s hugely disappointing but another house will come along, honestly.

Our friends have been flooded twice in the last 7 years. Devastated them as a family, completely ruined the downstairs, had to move out to rented property for 9 months whilst it was renovated (took ages to dry out even with all the equipment). Had everything redone and then flooded again the following year. The house is uninsurable and unsellable. Cut all the emotional attachment to this house and buy something else. If it happened before, it will most likely happen again. Are you prepared to live with the consequences?

It’s a horrible shame, but imagine all your furniture downstairs being wrecked-sewage came up from the downstairs loo?! Horrific, just no. Next time you find a house, please check the flood plain website.

I understand your frustration with posters giving advice, but much easier to suck it up as you say you’re an ‘inexperienced housebuyer’ rather than being waspish and bragging about your Science degree. I’m unsure why you felt that needed mentioning. People on social media will give you all sorts of answers. Just ignore those you don’t find helpful.

I wouldn’t do it sorry. I’ve been put off lovely homes for exactly this reason.

Not bragging, just making the point that I'm pretty comfortable looking at graphs and charts and data, but even I didn't grasp the full significance of the environment agency map with the blue lines as being surface water flood areas, and if I hadn't asked the vendor about it, I was close to dismissing it as not a big deal. I have now learned! I did say "I'm and inexperienced house buyer" several times, much to some peoples annoyance! Don't get why it its not OK to admit I didn't know something about a major transaction with massive amounts of jargon and paperwork and take advice on it 🤷

We had a house that flooded once - don't risk it! Pull out now before it's too late!

It's a shame but when you see people flooded just before Christmas It's heartbreaking and with young dcs it's the last thing you need.

I'd have words with the EA, as no doubt will the vendor as clearly they wanted buyers to be informed. Also even if you got insurance you may have found that you had to pay a very large excess. But the EA's do make it clear that they don't guarantee details

I would take the offer off the table. If you incur costs related to this then I would bill the solicitor who conveniently 'forgot' to tell you, no doubt hoping that the deal would be completed before you found out.
He wasn't just remiss in that instance, he wasted your and the sellers time and money.
I would want compensation.

No chance I'd be moving knowing that.

I guess it depends on what damage it has caused in the past but any amount will cause stress plus having to move all your valuables upstairs, worrying about it if you’re away on holiday etc.
I live in Whaley Bridge where the dam nearly breached. Whenever there is a lot of rain now, I get so many flood warnings from the environment agency - text, email, house phone and mobile and it makes me so anxious. Insurance will be high and you will struggle to sell if you decided in future you wanted to move. So sorry it’s not as perfect as you first thought 💐

Definitely wouldn’t buy as your insurance will be through the roof and you’ll probably struggle to sell it. Also, even if this property does not flood but surrounding area does causing traffic diversions it can cause you huge lifestyle inconvenience.

We moved a couple of years ago and found a beautiful town adverting property in The Sunday Times with gorgeous reasonably priced houses. I knew it was a flood plane having lived nearby in the past, but nothing in the press indicated this. DH needed some persuasion but a few online photos were available showing previous flooding in the area.

Run whilst you can!! Good luck 🤞

Don't buy, I appreciate it'll be hard but insurance will be expensive, if you can get it, and you'll have huge problems selling.

So sorry to hear that you've had to pull out but you've done the right thing. Hope you'll find another house you love soon, perhaps your buyer will be prepared to wait.
Good luck.

Pull out.

Only only thing I'd say here. How would you fare if worse case scenario you were flooded. Would you be able to afford lots of new things / temp accommodation before insurance paid out? Can you afford what is probably going to be a hefty monthly insurance premium especially with the cost of living going up? Only saying this as you'd already said you'd mortgaged up to the hilt x

It feels far along because its taken 3 months already, and The buyers of our house were pushing for completion in the next 4 weeks, so we were gearing up go fast and to do a short period between exchange and completion. But maybe you're right, it isn't too late to stop but suddenly putting the breaks on hard has sent us into a bit of a spin. We are coming to terms with the situation now. EA has asked for a telephone call tomorrow to try to "resolve the issue" but no amount of money off or apology will make this better for us now. So we will use the opportunity to tell him to stick it. I feel sorry for the lady who is trying to sell the house, its not her fault, it's a lovely house, but we've lost confidence now.

The estate agent is required to make potential purchasers aware of any information about the property that might affect any offer they would make and even whether they view the property. Mention the Consumer Protection regulations in your conversation with him tomorrow and see what he says…

I would wait for another house to come along.

PULL OUT NOW! Save yourself misery and heartache.

You cannot afford this, and the fact that the realtors didn't tell you should be a big RED FLAG!!! They "forgot" to tell you? Oh, no, the scumbags DELIBERATELY failed to tell you. And if you have incurred any legal obligations to purchase, their deliberate concealment of the truth about this property should be your ticket out.

That's a deal breaker!