buyer wants to accompany gas and electric safety checks ... normal?

[thereinmadnesslies]

We are selling our childhood home as a probate sale. We accepted an offer just below asking price a few weeks ago from a first time buyer. The buyer had a home buyers report done which suggested that the buyer should arrange gas and electric safety checks. When the estate agent called to arrange this, she casually dropped into the conversation that the buyer intends to accompany the professionals doing the gas and electric safety checks (2 separate appointments, each of 2hrs).

Is this normal for the buyer to do this? I feel uncomfortable, especially as the house is not in 'viewing' condition because we are in the middle of sorting out 30 years of stuff from the loft. We've been given 2 days notice so we don't have time to tidy up, and one of the times the buyer wants to come we will all be at the house trying to get on with clearing out.

The buyer is pushing for the sale to go through as soon as possible. Obviously we want to be helpful but I feel like the buyer will be intrusive and is looking for fault. Should we allow the professionals to inspect but push back on the buyer accompanying them?

how hard for you all.

In all honesty, I would try to accomodate. I have no idea if it's usual or not but the buyer may just want another look around the house....which is understandable.

I would, re the mess, throw sheets and other covers over the top of it and perhaps send a message to the agent asking that the buyer does not disturb anything as some of it is precious and personal.

thanks user, it's good to get a view from someone outside the situation

I'd feel uncomfortable too. Until the contracts are exchanged it's your house and not hers. You can invite her, but it's entirely up to you. Why does she think she needs to be there? Surely the gas and elec checks are done by accredited professionals who will give her reports on the safety etc. Does she not trust them to do a proper job without her being there?
I'd check with the EA to find out what her reasons for coming are then decide whether she comes or not

I wouldn't worry about it. If she's there and something crops up then she can ask questions of the specialist. I doubt there's anything more to it. As for your mess from the sorting - well I certainly wouldn't worry about that and what she thinks of it, it's a necessary part of clearing a house. You could always insist the estate agent accompanies them....

She is making a huge purchase and so wants to get as much info as possible. She won't mind about the packing - it is a good sign, shows op is serious about selling. No need to cover up, just get on.

I wouldn't worry about it. Maybe the buyer wants another good look around, plus maybe to take some measurements, etc. Ordinary viewings really don't give much time at all for what is after all a huge purchase. You can take more time just buying a car.

Just carry on as before- if the buyer wants to do checks they'll just have to work around you and your packing/sorting. My only advice would be to make sure the estate agent (or someone from their office) is 'escorting' them and /or their tradesman whilst they're in the house.

When our gas/electric checks were done at the house we have just bought, they flagged up all sorts of issues that would have been easily and quickly resolved if we had been there for the explanation from the tradesman instead of having to wait for the check to be done, given to vendor, sent to her solicitor, sent to our solicitor, we read it over, we called tradesman to discuss, we went back to our solicitor, who passed message to vendors solicitor and then to vendor. What could have taken an hour and a quick discussion, actually took several weeks because the elecs were classed as 'unsafe' and it delayed things by weeks because we were not prepared to proceed until we had an answer. If you're selling an older house it would likely not be up to current regs, so having the buyer talk directly to the electrician who can quote on the spot will definitely keep things moving.

All good points, thank you. I guess what worries me is the letter from the buyers solicitor requesting the inspections states 'buyer will expect price reduction if surveys show any defect' so it feels like he will be asking the engineers to find fault.

I suppose they can ask for a reduction of it needs major work, you don't have to agree. We were surprised at the low cost of our electrical work, we had the whole upstairs and landing rewired and earthed and a few extra sockets added for £900. It wouldn't have been worth delaying things and amending our mortgage offer for that so we never asked for a reduction. If the electrician speaks to the buyer directly he/she will quote there and then so buyer will know exactly what's involved. If it's an older house the buyer would be very naive indeed to think that there was nothing needing doing.

I don't think the buyer will be asking them to find fault, that's a bit of a funny way of looking at it. They are professionals so they will be looking for faults, that's what the checks are for. They are governed by the law, they are legally liable for what they say. They aren't likely to make stuff up. Maybe your buyer wants to understand what they will put in the report.

We recently bought a house, and hadnt had an electric test. It turns out the electrics are dangerous (the previous owner had put it all in himself). The report is quite difficult for a layperson to understand. We have had to go through it with the electrician, looking at what needs doing, what's nice to be done.

It's cost us a fortune to rectify and I really wish we had had it inspected.

They can expect but price is up to you.

^^
What special subject said

If there's work that needs doing then that's fine

You can point out the bargain they have already secured by your accepting their low offer.

If they're not happy then "thank you come again!"

Definitely ask for them to be escorted by estate agent and answer any questions you can but I would refuse any price reduction they've already had that.

It's a good idea to accompany the surveyor or similar when buying a house.

The reports are usually couched in protective language which can make them sound very negative. Our surveyor was much more relaxed talking informally, and took me through what was really essential (getting the electricity board to repair the main cable into the house) and what was not. (Lots of scary sounding damp which was in fact typical for a 300 year old house.) He also said the house was quite hard to value as it was unusual so he would be conservative but he thought the price we were paying was fine. Similarly on remortgage visits surveyors have asked me what value I needed suggesting they would do the best they could if I was borrowing to the max.

The buyer is paying. It's not unreasonable for them to want to know as much about the house as they can. I would be far more worried if a vendor did not let me accompany. A house is a huge purchase.

Don't worry about the mess. Be welcoming. It is also a chance for you to hear early should the expert spot a significant problem, and get their view on how much it would cost to rectify.

I have no idea why you would insist that an estate agent was there.

Yesterday our estate agent took the buyers (who haven't yet exchanged due to their own delays) around my parents' house. The buyers fiddled with something they couldn't recognize (why? It's not their house yet) and set offf the panic button on the alarm system and called the police out. I am extremely unimpressed! I do think that prospective buyers need to be reminded that it's not their property and respect and caution are in order.

Are they an experienced buyer? Home Buyers survey always suggests additonal checks, basically to remind you that you only paid for a Home Buyers survey and not a full one. Not everyone will go ahead and actually get the checks done - if you want all the checks you would commission a full survey in the first place.

However totally normal to try and negotiate the price down further if you find new issues on a survey.

I have no idea why you would insist that an estate agent was there

Well for a start because the house is the OP's property, she doesn't know the buyer from Adam, and the property is still full of her parents belongings.

I don't know about anyone else but I don't allow complete strangers access to my property unaccompanied.

The buyer is a first time buyer and apparently he's super cautious because his parents bought a house that turned out to have defects which cost thousands to put right. But maybe he should be buying a new build if he wants perfection.

I think he's also struggling to understand it's a probate sale. I've not lived in the property since I was 18, therefore I have no idea where my mum purchased the bathroom tiles in 2007. I think I'm reasonable, he thinks I am being evasive.

Bobochic I would be furious if that happened!

Not surprised he is a first time buyer - he's skimping on the survey, but then has misunderstood its standard advice, hyper-cautious to the point he's pissing off the seller and so on.

Even if he bought a new build there's no guarantee there won't be loads of stuff wrong with it looks at local estate famous for building mistakes

Ha! As the proud owner of a newish build, I'm well aware that new builds are shoddy not always perfect

It's not just OP's family's stuff there, there is always the possibility that the buyers or tradesmen may damage the property intentionally or not. If you can't be there then get the EA to be present. Mine said, oh we'll let them in and lock up later. Err no, what do you think I'm paying £12k in fees for?