Buyer's survey report - major problems found but they won't disclose to agent?

[AlanBstardMP]

So we had our buyer's homebuyer survey done last week and although the surveyor obviously couldn't discuss any of it with me, when he left I admit I was feeling quietly confident. We have no structural issues with our house, nothing I was aware of that could possibly be brought up in a survey - although it is an old house.

Buyer received the report this morning and rang the estate agents in a panic - apparently the survey has come back with all sorts of major issues including damp (none that I was aware of), slipped roof tiles (I'm definitely sure there isn't any and the surveyor didn't go on the roof so he can't have seen anything I didn't), and bulging walls (????) among others.

Buyer has refused to allow the estate agents access to the survey so currently all we have to go on is their word at the moment. The estate agent sounded quite exasperated when they spoke to me earlier. They're sending an independent engineer over tomorrow to have a look as a neutral party and I'm going to be present as this now has me worried.

Estate agent believes that as buyer is a first-timer they may be taking too much literal interpretation of the homebuyer report but its impossible to tell without them seeing it. Thoughts?

My buyers report mentioned damp too. In a bone dry House. She'd had a 2nd viewing with her brother who owns a building company so they both came again for another check. He even brought a damp testing thing and found nothing. The house had been empty and unheated for 6m so any damp would have been very obvious.
They put standard stuff in these reports to cover themselves. Turns out my buyers said 'there MAY be signs of damp where floorboards meet the walls'. The house had solid floors!

The estate agent said that surveyors will put standard things to cover themselves too. I guess now we wait for proof that these problems do or don't exist?

I had this too - surveyors can be shocking. The survey report is confidential to the buyer so you can't ask to see it. What you do is invite the buyer round to talk, ask him to show you the areas of concern and point out that they aren't there.

It is exasperating OP - on a previous house sale in 2011 our buyer's surveyor noted an asbestos water cylinder (a brand new, non-asbestos variety!), a chimney stack that needed repointing (had recently been done!) and a woodworm infestation (that amounted to three holes!).....

Not only that but he entered a build date of 1938 for a house that was originally built in the 16th century.....possibly because it had been moved and rebuilt in 1938.....doh!

Fortunately our buyers brought the survey round to discuss with us and we were able to put their minds at rest by showing them the surveyor was wrong. No price negotiations ensued.

The surveyor spent in excess of 3.5 hours doing a homebuyer's report and an absolute age staring at the roof through binoculars from a ladder, yet he failed to spot slipped tiles.....

Fucking rubbish!

Hope you get it resolved OP......

we've just had a survey and there were huge amounts of work. some that does need doing , New roof etc, but some bits we're taking with a pinch of salt.. we shown a copy to their agent as you can't renegotiate otherwise.

Well I'll see how the visit from the engineer goes tomorrow. I'm not willing to haggle on issues that can't be proven - we've had a lot of interest in the house and aren't part of a chain so nothing is currently riding on this for us. It's more annoying than anything. It makes the house sound like a death trap, maybe we shouldn't be living here

Well good news on an update - engineer found only minor condensation in 2 places that he said isnt really an issue. Report is out tomorrow so we'll see where the buyer wants to go in the meantime.

We didn't have a survey done when we bought our house - 200 year old so we knew it wasn't new!

Surveyors reports are just a waste of money. Surveyors are all about covering their liability so they put down anything that might be a problem.

I went with a builder round the house and yes there were bits of damp and the odd cracked slate but that is normal in any house that needs proper maintaining.

We knew the work needed doing and so that was reflected in the price we offered.

There is no point in arguing with the buyer. Try and deal with the stuff yourself that they are worried about if it doesn't cost much to do or negotiate on price if it really is a genuine issue that will cost a lot.

You do need to find out what the issues are though

I think you've been sensible and spent your money getting a neutral report. Your buyer should now come clean with his report and you can compare them. If not, walk as your buyer is wasting your time and energy and focusing your Agents thought on him not getting new buyers.. The independent report you have done is an excellent negotiating tool for near to asking price offers.

Thanks guys. We took the house off the market for this buyer so I'm half tempted to tell the agents to put it back on again - we could easily just be wasting time with this buyer when another might be out there. But I dont know if thats hasty or not at this stage.

They may be trying it on to get a reduction in price? I would state very clearly that unless they disclose the "major" problems so that you can verify and deal with them, using your independent report, then you will put the house back on the market. Be firm and give them 7 days before you remarket.

A slipped tile or two is not a major problem. A bulging wall is what the Structural Engineer should be looking at - not damp! My DH is a structural engineer and when he was called in, it is usually because the surveyor has no real knowledge of the structure of buildings, although many will say they do. When the going gets tough,they cover their backsides with a structural engineer. What did the SE say about the bulging walls? This is the major problem - if they are actually bulging!

Walls are not bulging and the buyer has backed down a bit now saying they're only interested in the report about the damp. Which we're still waiting for. But sounds a bit more positive than it did the other day.

Our buyer just pulled out because of ‘roof issues’ on the survey. We have the cctv footage of the surveyor arriving without a ladder and the loft was locked! We’ve had 2 builders around who have both confirmed to the estate flagrant in writing that there are no issues at all with the roof, it’s structure or felting!