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Original poster

What to do about damning video on house we are buying?

33 replies

Shadowboy · 11/02/2017 09:01

Randomly doing some historic research on the new house we are buying and came across a YouTube video of a tenant (left in 2015) who recorded a goodbye video.
It shows some pretty bad aspects of the house and I'm not sure how to take it?
Do I believe what's said And walk away? Or is it an aggrieved tenant trying to spoil the sale? I can PM people a link if they are interested in seeing it.

OP posts:
Garnethair · 11/02/2017 09:07

Oh how intriguing. Are they structural issues? Or problems with neighbours?

WhisperingLoudly · 11/02/2017 09:11

What sort of issues?

Monkeypuzzle32 · 11/02/2017 09:11

It would depend how old the house is for me, just because a tenant is complaining about issues with the state of the property doesn't necessarily mean it's not worth buying, may just give you dome negotiation power/knowledge?

JoJoSM2 · 11/02/2017 09:24

It very much depends on the content of the video - how big the problems are and if they can or have been fixed.E.g. Having a bit of damp can usually be easily sorted but there a cost attached so you need to make sure it's reflected in the price and you can afford to do it.

Celaena · 11/02/2017 09:27

like pp say, it depends on the items they are talking about
if its this paint colour is rubbish, then dont worry, but if its 'this wallpaper is covering a giant hole in the wall' then check it out

what are the specifics?

Original poster
Shadowboy · 11/02/2017 10:17

That there was a fire in the basement, and the house was 10min away from going up/ that the fuses kept going with the electrics/that the boiler was held together with parcel tape (same boiler but no parcel tape anymore) that the windows didn't shut properly (they do now but we couldn't get them to open as they were painted shut-sash windows) that the dining room was nicknamed the freezer because it was so cold. And that the land lord (ie seller ) was nick named Flick-knife due to his reputation.

OP posts:
Original poster
Shadowboy · 11/02/2017 10:18

Oh and that there used to be leaking in the master bedroom from the roof but we couldn't see where so they must have sorted it.

OP posts:
orangepudding · 11/02/2017 10:20

Speak to the landlord. First ask for an up to date boiler check. Then point out that you had seen the video and would like to know if there's any truth to it.

Original poster
Shadowboy · 11/02/2017 10:22

Well this is where it gets odd- seller claims it's been a family home since 2003 and not tenanted.... we asked the agent yesterday before seeing the video if it had ever been an HMO

OP posts:
MrsNuckyThompson · 11/02/2017 10:23

Sounds fishy. However - surely the best evidence is from a full survey if you are worried? It doesn't really matter who's lived there or what happened in the past provided it is structurally sound now, surely?

Aderyn2016 · 11/02/2017 10:27

Have you had a survey done yet? If so, I would forward the video to the surveyor and get their thoughts.
Yy, to getting up to date boiler and electrics check.

JoJoSM2 · 11/02/2017 10:29

Exactly. The survey will tell you what state the things are in. Also, is the house priced as newly refurbished, doer-uper or something in the middle? If it's a doer-uper then replacing boiler and electrics would be expected anyway.

Monkeypuzzle32 · 11/02/2017 12:01

well that could be the case for any property so just get a survey and have a good look at the areas mentioned, sounds like the landlord is selling to recoup costs. What a tenant wants and what a potential buyer want are 2 different things so I'd think of it as insider knowledge and offer accordingly.

NotDavidTennant · 11/02/2017 12:06

The fact that the seller was lying about it being a family home would suggest to me that he is not trustworthy. I would assume that the faults listed in the video were still present unless established otherwise.

dudsville · 11/02/2017 12:09

How does what the video says tally against when you experience, what your survey says and what the seller says. I suppose I wouldn't dismiss it, but it's not a common thing to do and I would wonder if it was an attack on the owners for some reason that had nothing to do with the house.

Formerpigwrestler9 · 11/02/2017 12:12

Sounds like very bad ju ju

ijustwannadance · 11/02/2017 12:12

Full survey. Is house cheap? Can you afford to fix any issues? X x

user1484830599 · 11/02/2017 12:18

It is definitely the same house?

Time to do a bit of detective work - advanced google search type in the street name and to rent and then tell it to search rightmove only. This should bring up any previous rental listings on rightmove. You can do the same for Zoopla too.

user1484830599 · 11/02/2017 12:19

PM me a link if you like, I have a few google tricks that have helped me track down hidden property listings before.

RedAndYellowStripe · 11/02/2017 12:21

You knew do so some detective work there as buave a VERY string survey of the house done.
I would also ask the surveyor to check thepinst raise in th video in particular.

What you can't know s if this video is telling the truth or if someone has beein trying to get back to the owner for one reason or the other (and that it is all a pack of lie)

RedAndYellowStripe · 11/02/2017 12:22

Could you ask the neighbours if the house has been rented in the past?

amysmummy12345 · 11/02/2017 12:22

Damp can be disguised with fresh paint temporarily, especially on the ceiling, are there areas that look freshly decorated?

Pogolphin · 11/02/2017 12:45

I would walk away!

ScoobyDoosTinklyLaugh · 11/02/2017 13:35

Flick knife Grin

I think I'd walk away tbh - sounds like bad vibes.

specialsubject · 11/02/2017 14:00

You could see if those things are true with a visit.

Sash windows painted shut? Not good.

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