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Original poster

how much reduction if any?

22 replies

noddyholder · 07/03/2006 12:13

We have just had the survey valuation back on our purchase and it has been down valued by 40k because the room in the roof is possibly not passed by building regs Ther seller has not verified this as yet although I now think it is true as the surveyor says the stairs would not pass current regs and there is no fire escape.I would be happy to still buy it at a reduced price and put the required stairs and fire doors etc in but how much to ask off?The actual valuation is very low as the alterations wouldn't cost that much but I don't want to buy somewhere that is not worth what we are paying.I am assuming that all surveyors will spot this and bring it up so am hoping he will still sell to us at a reduced price rather than us having to pull out.I am so annoyed with the agents as they assured us it had planning when we viewed it AngryWe will def lose our buyer as they are ready to go if we have to look for somewhere new.I thought things were going too smoothGrin

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katzg · 07/03/2006 12:15

the person your selling off will either have to have the work done to get the buildings reg certificate or reduce the price, any surveyor worth there salt would show this up.

Original poster
noddyholder · 07/03/2006 12:18

thanks I think him getting the work done would take forever tbh so am hoping he will drop the price I really love the house but dp says I have to think with my brain(whats left of it)and not my heart

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BettySpaghetti · 07/03/2006 12:22

Sounds as if they priced it in such a way that they counted this room as a bedroom (ie. 4 bed house rather than 3 bed with boarded out loft). If you deduct the price of a bedroom in that neighbourhood does that give a realistic price? Can you compare prices with other houses for sale in that area?
DP isn't here at the moment but I think he would advise you to get someone to have a look at the house with a view as to whether or not it can be brought up to building regs. without too much expense otherwise you might end up with a house that you can't sell in the future. Also what about planning issues? If you were to finish the conversion would it be covered under planning? Have they got planning permission for whats been done so far?
Sorry about just giving you more to think about!

LIZS · 07/03/2006 12:26

How much would you have been prepared to pay had that room existed ? Essentially you should consider it as a bedroom less than you thought originally and value it accordingly (but the EA's are also culpable since they should have checked this out before marketing it as a habitable room or used a dislaimer). At the end of the day either he takes it off the market and has the work done to meet the regulations or he risks coming up against the same problem with any other buyer when it would be devalued anyway, so youa re in a strong position. How desperate are they to sell ?

Original poster
noddyholder · 07/03/2006 12:26

thanks I need all the help as this needs to be decided fairly quickly.The surveyor has valued it as a property in that road minus a bedroom and it makes it quite low and I feel he may not accept it as people are crying out to live there and may just pay over the odds but I don't want to

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Original poster
noddyholder · 07/03/2006 12:27

He really needs to sell so we are in a good position

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Original poster
noddyholder · 07/03/2006 14:23

.

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katzg · 07/03/2006 14:39

people may be crying out to live there but most people would need a mortgage to buy a house and its the surveyors value that the mortgage offer is normally based on, so even if he readvertised it then another survey would show up this an not up to building regs.

Original poster
noddyholder · 07/03/2006 14:56

I agree the agents are being useless and I have just called them and said I need to know today and they have still not spoken to the seller!I am certainly not going to buy somewhere that is not worth what they are saying and I need to find somewhere quickly as we have good buyers on ours AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAhhhh!

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cece · 07/03/2006 15:02

If the loft does has not been signed off by the council and it does not meet with building regs then discount it as a bedroom. In other words it is not an official bedroom. Who would want to sleep in the loft without a fire escape or proper fire break and fire door???

Loft rooms also require the whole house (each level) to have a linked fire alram that is run off the mains electricity too. So it is more than just adding a door.... There are also lots of rules about stairs and the heights/widths required. If there is not space for the correct size stairs then this will cause further problems for you iyswim. Why has he put in the wrong stairs????

Would make me wonder what other jobs he has bodged if he hasn't bothered to do the loft properly iyswim.

Not meaning to put you off but...

cece · 07/03/2006 15:04

oh yes and the flooring on first floor also has to have extra layer of hardboard on landing to act as a fire break and all doors onto hall/stairs should have door closures....

Ahhh it is all coming back to me now!

Original poster
noddyholder · 07/03/2006 15:07

thankyou this is all helping my case enormously I have told the agent I am thinking of viewing other places and he says I am over reacting!

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Original poster
noddyholder · 07/03/2006 15:08

thankyou this is all helping my case enormously I have told the agent I am thinking of viewing other places and he says I am over reacting!

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cece · 07/03/2006 15:09

At the to of the stairs you should also have a landing of at least 1 metre - something to do with a firebreak.

You may have to rip them out and start again (stairs) - it could mean moving the doorway to loft and or walls.....

pesme · 07/03/2006 15:11

YOu can ask for a buildings control inspector to have a look at the property and tell you want is needed to bring it up to spec. I costs a minimal amount adn is definitely worth doing.

Original poster
noddyholder · 07/03/2006 15:13

The stairs look like a normal staircase but are very thin about a third less than normal There are no fire doors at all on the landing below and the stairs open straight into the room no door The room was there when he bought it in 1997 but as no one has managed to speak to him we are not sure if it was passed.Our mortgage co think it is unlikely to be official and have valued it as such

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cece · 07/03/2006 16:18

We didn't have a door at the bottom of the stairs but there was a 1 metre landing at top and then a door with self closing thing.

The stairs - There is a rule about a mimimum height from the first flight of stairs if the second flight is above them. Think it is 1.8 metres.

Fire escape nneds to be on to front of perperty - we had a velux one that opened up so you could step out onto the rescue ladder as required!

Original poster
noddyholder · 07/03/2006 17:20

There is definitely no velux on the front but there are 2 other windows

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cece · 07/03/2006 17:25

I think the fire escape needs to be on front so firefighters can reach you with their ladder.

Think getting council building regs expert in to look and advise is good advice!

Original poster
noddyholder · 07/03/2006 17:26

That is the plan now.The house is also in a conservation area so double nightmare typical me!

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cece · 07/03/2006 17:26

good luck - let us know how it goes!

MABS · 08/03/2006 11:55

good luck Noddy x

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