Am I being paranoid? Just coming up to exchange.

[JSBNYC]

We are just in the process of buying a four bed house in finchley, London. I have never bought a house before. The previous buyers of this house dropped out for personal reasons. They had already had the homebuyers survey and searches complete. We got the survey back and it identified some issues with guttering and extension roof which the vendor has now addressed. It also mentions the risk from an LA tree outside but that it didn't appear to have caused damage yet. The valuation survey also came back clear and we have our mortgage offer.

All seems good but I still riddled with get that there was some subsidence problem that has been missed. This is not based on facts just nervousness. Am I being paranoid? Would it make any sense to get for example a structural engineer in? I just feel v nervous as it is all our life savings. TIA

get back to the surveyor (who you paid to work for you) and express your concerns, see what he says.

I'm also now extra vigilant about trees in the gardens when viewing, as only recently on MN there was a thread of it causing all sorts of grief! I don't like that they said to you 'no damage YET'. Maybe a tree specialist is what you need? not sure what they are called as a profession.

Just wondering if anyone knows whether silver birches are seen as 'difficult'?if it's not very thick/large but tall.

We bought the survey off the people who were previously buying the property.

You could get an aboroculturalist report. Or if its reassurance you're after get a tree surgeon out and discuss its removal (it wouldn't cost you). Some councils don't allow tree removal 1st March to October due to nesting birds. Some require a planning application to remove anything with a trunk larger than 10cm. Usually you can find that out online via your councils website.

Its normal to have a few wobbles at this stage in a house move, I've moved lots. This is also the time to ask questions and get your head straight. The flip side is the seller isn't commited to sell to you until exchange and if they get peeved of with endless renegotiation and reports they may go back on the market.

Trees don't suddenly cause a problem (unless its a very high wind, no root situation). Its a gradual thing. If the surveyor essentially says its okay for now but deal in the next few years then get a quote for removal and decide if you want to add it into the negotiation melting pot or stomach the cost to get the purchase to go through.

I may be wrong about this but I believe it's important that the survey be addressed to you rather than the previous buyers so that you can benefit from the surveyors liability insurance should the need ever arise. When you say you bought the survey who did you buy it from exactly? If not the surveyor I think they usually can it it into your name but there will be a fee for this.

We bought it from the solicitors representing the previous buyers. Maybe I can ring the surveyors thought and get it addressed to us. I have rang an arborocultutalist and they have said there is very little they can do as the tree is on the street and opened by the local authority. Both said there is no point in having a survey. I think I am just getting wobbles- mostly because the survey was just homebuyers and we were the ones who instructed it.
Having said that it is a good price and I love the house so I don't want to drive the vendors away.

The authority will have an arboriculture officer - a (probably slightly alternative) guy who will come round to discuss with you any tree issues you think there might be - also if it is the responsibility of the council, they ought to be liable for sorting out any issues it has caused/does cause.

Don't quote me, I'm not an expert - but the council tree man was more than helpful here.

The house we're currently in had trees along a pathway at the back that were a potential issue. I emailed the county tree people and they emailed back next day saying they would be scheduled for winter work. My email was end of feb last year. They came out end of Jan. Removed alternate trees in the whole row and pollarded the others. I quoted my survey, that was enough for them to schedule action.

All very smooth and efficient really. If you have something in writing that this tree will be an issue they're bound to do something about it, if you evidence this to them, in due course.