Damp - how do we negotiate after the survey comes back?

[LizLemon]

I had a quick chat with the surveyor yesterday who has two big things, both of which we were expecting: the bay window masonry has cracks, most likely due to the goddamn awful overgrown hedge at the front sucking water out of the ground, and the kitchen has damp, which you can see has penetrated the kitchen units.

The kitchen was done in the late 80s & we knew we wanted to do it anyway, so we're not phased by having to do the work. We're not sure it's rising damp, because they took out the chimney breast and laid a concrete floor so the room can't breathe, but obviously we'll have to do something.

Once we figure out what and how much it will cost then we negotiate but honestly, I haven't got a clue how - what kind of tone we strike, do we do it by email, or phone call with supporting email? Do we factor in the cost of replacing the kitchen or is that cheeky? Is there some kind of unofficial protocol? Ask for two thirds? Half?

The vendor pushed our offer up and up, turning down our first two, so maybe they did that knowing we'd come back for a reduction. I'm a bit rubbish about asking for money but I don't want to pay more than we should, so hoping the collective experience of mumsnet can give me a backbone.

allow me. :-)

you work out roughly what it would cost: ask the surveyor for guidance. You then knock that off the price and go to the estate agent with your revised offer and reasons. The vendor takes it or leaves it.

you offer what the place is worth to you.

Good advice above.

As an aside though, you say you were expecting the surveyor to mention these two issues, so you made your offer knowing that there was going to be work to do. Was this house cheaper than similar houses to reflect that work was needed? You say the vendor pushed up your offer, but is the overall price you are paying too much compared to other similar houses in the area or is it a good price? How popular is the location and do houses sell quickly? Is the vendor motivated to move?

Won't the surveyor's official report detail exactly what needs to be done? Eg. chemical damp treatment/survey needed.

You can then get a damp company round for a survey and they'll let you know which walls need to be treated, and give a quote.

I'd then submit a revised offer to the vendors, with the cost of the damp treatment (although prob not new kitchen) deducted.

You don't factor in the cost of a new kitchen if you knew you were going to do that when you made the offer.

It depends. I think you can't expect any deductions based on placing the kitchen. As for the damp, first of all, it depends how bad it is. I said this on another thread last week that in some types of houses, damp is probably expected (although obviously it can be more of an issue in some houses). I would have expected, if it is was a real issue, the surveyor would have recommended a specialist damp report. Does his survey suggest getting an expert in?

If I were concerned, I would then establish what exactly is the cost by getting a specialist in.

I would then look at it as part of the overall transaction. Was the house priced lower than comparables? How much interest was there (i.e. is vendor likely to be desperate for the sale to you to go through)? How much do you want this house? For instance if the cost comes back at £3k and your offer is more than £3k less than the asking price, the vendor might say the cost is already covered? He might also argue he priced the house knowing that there was some remedial work to do.

It all depends who wants the sale / purchase most and the strength of the negotiating position.

I wouldn't go in expecting any money off after a survey

Most houses are priced accordingly to sell, so the damp is likely obvious and there for you to see not a hidden nasty

If you can back to me in this market and started bartering down I'm afraid I would show you the door

Thanks for the advice. We haven't had the written survey back - this was just a chat over the phone, so yes, it will have costs/suggestions once we have it, but we don't have that yet.

Our original offers were made on the basis that the work needed doing, and if we had those accepted we wouldn't be asking for a reduction tbh.

As for the kitchen, of course I wouldn't have mentioned it if it was just a case of cosmetic reasons, but the surveyor basically said if we have to have a damp course (and the mortgage provider might insist) then we have to strip the kitchen back entirely and knock all the plaster off the walls, but I appreciate this would be seen as cheeky .

The vendor had put it on at the same price as a house on the same street in much better condition and with a bigger garden, so yes, we got it at less than asking price, but he'd admitted his asking price was over the odds, and didn't expect to get near that. We were the only offers after a month on the market - or the only people at the dance as the agent put it - and we'd offered the price he'd said he would accept, only to have it rejected.

I would ask for money off after the survey. Damp can be an utter nightmare to deal with so don't underestimate that, especially all the pain of your having to live there while the treatment happens. I would get a damp specialist in and get a decent quote for the treatment, then take it off your offer.