House purchase - vendors refusing access

[workingmama]

Sorry, this is slightly obscure but I was just wondering whether anyone had come across similar problem to us when buying a house: we're close to exchange and the vendors are refusing to give a damp specialist access to check whether there is any rising damp (surveyor thinks yes, specialist firm instructed by estate agent thinks no and surveyor has advised us to get independent second opinion). We're not going to exchange without it but just wanted a sense check if possible. Are we being unreasonable??

Be careful.
We had weird house sellers like this. Wouldn't let us in for three months becasue she was 'stressed' at her father's death,then suddenly wanted us to move fast!!!

They wouldn't let us come with an architect friend to discuss ideas for renovatoin so we said we'd pull out.They relelnted,architect friend came and then pointed out loads of probs. so we pulled out anyway.

We had this too. We moved on 16th December, into a freezing cold house with wallpaper hanging off the walls, filthy floor, no carpets in the bedrooms, no bath side panel, filthy toilet and countless other cosmetic but very unpleasant problems. The cow who sold it to us didn't let us have a key until the night before the removal van came, because she was so upset about having to sell her father's house after his death. It had been empty, cold, filthy and neglected for several months, but she found time to come and take all the nice plants out of the garden, leaving big gouges behind.

I was so angry and upset at the vindictiveness of it that I was in tears. Dh and I ended up working from the moment we got the key until 5am on the morning of the removal, so that we could move our children into a bedroom which had been painted and carpeted and cleaned, a clean kitchen and living room. The vendor was told that a young family with two toddlers were going to be moving into this house a week before Christmas, and she still wouldn't release a key even if we promised in writing not to do anything except hoover and clean it. The miserable old bag.

Greensleeves - that's awful, poor you. Especially just before Christmas. I really wonder how people like that live with themselves.

I am a bit scared that these people are nasty enough not to take particular care when moving their things out but I don't think that they will maliciously or vindictively damage anything. I have asked the damp specialist to have a good look around when he goes though, just in case.

Evesmama: thanks for the suggestion - yes, the specialist is going round first thing in the morning. Really hope he comes back with the all clear...

great..when are they going?

any good news???

greensleeves- it was obviously hard work for you when you moved but to be honest I would never release a key to a purchaser prior to completion date. You'd be amazed at how many sales falter at the last minute. Annoying as it may be I expect you got the house cheaper than if it had been in great condition.

thanks for all the advice. specialist's verdict (having finally been allowed access) is that there is a massive amount of rising damp in the property that is likely to cost around £20,000 to fix. Vendors don't want to negotiate price and, even if they did, we don't think we can face living with the works so we've pulled out. Bit of a nightmare but better to know now than after completion I guess. I also shouldn't be surprised - the vendors refusing access should have sent the warning bells ringing...
Back to the drawing board...

Oh dear, well it just wasn't the right house in that case. Stupid vendors though. Good luck with the hunt!!

oh no..so sorry honey..its better knowing though although that wont make you feel better right now..pack of bastards arnt they..and id have serious words with agents surveyor too..waste of space!