Isn't it normal to negotiate after the survey?

[BewareOfTheToddler]

Would you negotiate on price after a survey?

I thought this was normal where the survey throws up issues not reasonably anticipated at the point f offer. Our buyers did this - originally asked for total cost of all works, but we settled on half of their share (it's a flat). So reduced by about £2.5k.

Just had survey back on house we're buying, and it has highlighted a host of smaller issues (to be expected in an older property) and a couple of major ones (one relating to structure but fixable).

Valuation (not mortgage-linked) says we're paying about 3% over the odds (which is a five-figure sum, just). Total cost of work likely to be around £12k (roughly amount we'd be overpaying by).

We revised our offer to the new valuation, and the vendors have basically told us to do one and offered a few hundred off. We went up a bit, they huffed and said one of the issues is irrelevant and they're not negotiating on it (it's definitely relevant and expensive to fix). So I've asked them to make us a reasonable counter-offer.

Am I being wildly unreasonable? Would you risk losing a sale by refusing to negotiate on issues not reflected in the asking price but which you knew about?

I'm a bit confused by the "five figure sum". Five figures is £10,000.

Is it something essential to fix immediately (like unsafe chimney stack or subsidence) or something that needs doing at some point in your ownership (like new roof) ?

If the former, I would expect to negotiate on price and if the vendors didn't accept then I'd withdraw my offer because it never makes sense to pay too much for a property. If the latter, well you can ask ...

Nothing for second hand carpet! Fixtures and fittings are normally included in the offer price if they are listed on the documentation. Let them have the hassle of removing it

Our original buyers tried to reduce their offer by 2k but we said no. Sold it fir 3k more in the end.

Nothing for those fixtures and fittings I wouldn't want. Then I'd insist they were removed and the subsequent 'making good' was up to scratch.

I'm a bit confused by the "five figure sum". Five figures is £10,000.

Why confused? OP said later it was £12k.

They want what, in my opinion, is a ridiculous amount of money for some of the curtains, blinds and one carpet. We will be telling them to jog on. They're clearly trying to recoup the cost of what they've spent vs what they've inherited from the previous owners.

Sorry, I misread, thought it was the asking price of the house!

To be fair OP I do wonder if it's them being deliberately difficult because you've renegotiated and they're upset about it and ill minded to do you any favours. I bet they don't actually want the carpet and might leave it anyway as it's hassle for them to get rid.

Oh no, sorry, I wasn't clear - our solicitor has had the list for a while but only just sent it through, it was compiled at the point where we were paying asking price

I think it is unusual to take carpet? Whatever they are proposing to remove, I would let them get on with it. Very often, sellers will try it on by putting prices on items such as curtains that they don't even want themselves. You may well find that they will leave items like that behind anyway if you decline to pay for them.

The survey is to flag up what might be wrong. Of course you re-offer if it is something big. If the vendors refuse, walk.

Just say you don't want to buy anything from them!

We didn't want any of our vendors old light fittings or dishwasher (which they kindly offered to us for £1500 ) but we made the mistake of not insisting that they were cleared from the property. So they were all left for us to get rid of! We gave the dishwasher to the people who had bought from us.

The thing is, it's purely negotiation. Anyone can ask......there is no right to insist the price is changed - the seller can say an outright 'no' or can negotiate about a price reduction or agree to what is asks for.

I don't think the question 'is it normal' is actually that relevant. It's like asking 'is it normal to negotiate on price at the start' - some people do and some don't. The whole point is that a price has to be agreed between buyer and seller at the start and everyone knows that there might be renegotiation along the way - this could arise from surveys or searches or information about leases. There is no wrong or right about it, simply 2 people negotiating and both are free to ask and reply as they choose.

Re surveys, I would say that most people know that surveys throw up all kinds of small things. Most people will accept those and expect that at some point into the future they will have to pay for some works and the property won't be perfect. But exactly how much people are prepared to accept and pay for out of their own pocket varies according to individual view and financial position - there isn't a wrong and a right. For some people, paying the agreed price is a massive push and they won't have any money spare at the end and if they then have to fork out for expensive works they will be bankrupted....so they negotiate on price following the survey which reveals work need doing. It's always fine to ask....but you have to know you aren't entitled to a 'yes'.

I think us British find the negotiating all very embarrassing and don't like it. With property purchase and sale though, we have to be a bit more hardy. We need to know its fine to look at a property and to consider the conditions of the local market and negotiate on price at the start and through he process if needed. We also need to not take massive offence as sellers if people ask for a changed price.....simply consider what is asked, also consider the property,notate if local market and how keen you are to sell and then answer.....be prepared to negotiate and meet part way if necessary rather than just say yes or no. And sometimes you need to walk away.