Thoughts on asking for money off post-survey

[Sengah]

Going through the conveyancing process for an Edwardian property. We've had a full survey done which brought up loads of things that are potentially worrying and costly - from old plaster ceilings, to electric loos, sections of roof needing repair etc. However, most are to do with the age of the property and I think are part and parcel of the purchase. However two bits of info are giving us pause because they are more about a state of (dis)repair - the surveyor found a lot of the windows are painted closed (and missing their sash ropes) and the roof of an attached outbuilding is not fit for purpose and needs to be attended to immediately. When we moved into our current property we ended up spending £15k on new windows and are keen to avoid this kind of expense immediately. The roof for the outbuilding will be much less pricey than windows but it is annoying that it is urgent work. Thoughts on asking for money off or for the work to be done before exchange?

How does your offer compare to similar properties in the area? The price may already reflect the work needed.

House was definitely was priced too high - EA suggested realistic selling point was £100k below asking and we went £30k above that suggestion (5% off asking) so we feel we have paid over and above what we were advised it was 'worth' although less than asking IYSWIM. As to how it compares to others in the area, it is definitely very dated relatively to others - kitchen & bathrooms unchanged for 25 years etc. (so we do expect to have to update, but it isn't a refurbishment situation) but it was priced similarly per sq foot.

I’d revise the offer and see what happens. Would you still want the property though if they say no. I wouldn’t ask for the work to be done beforehand as you could be waiting a very long time.

I think we would still want it - but not 100% sure as it seems there is a lot of work potentially and we are already making a lot of compromises with it, so it would give us pause.

Windows- sash cords and painted shut are a pain but not too difficult to fix. The roof is more of a concern. Can you get a quote for the roof repairs and use that as a basis?

What I mean is, sash cords and painted closed wouldn't necessitate entirely new windows? Things like old ceilings are quite ambiguous too. What type of survey did you have? You could get a second opinion from someone that deals with old buildings? They tend to be more realistic?

Why are you paying a similar price compared to other properties that needed less work? It sounds like you are significantly overpaying to start with anyway.

I would absolutely try and get money knocked off for the windows. I'd get a quote for them to be brought back into working order and ask for that to be taken off the price. For the roof, it depends on how obvious it was - if it is clearly sagging etc then I would say that you should have known it needed work and put your offer in accordingly.

Whatsthecomingoverthehill I guess we paid similar because in the absence of significant work repair being obvious at viewing, we were basing it on square footage costs. That is mostly how things seem to be priced in London, unless it is a refurbishment job or in a state of serious disrepair. I think it is a good suggestion to get the work costed. The roof wasn't obvious to me or my partner but we are not that experienced which is why we went for the survey.

OliviaBenson - ok so if restoring the windows isn't that costly do you think we would be petty/risk the purchase if we ask for the money off? I have no idea the cost of refurbishing them so will ring a few places this afternoon. We had a full home survey and the comments on e.g. the ceilings (as with most of the rest of the property) were that as they are lathe and plaster (i.e. original) they now have limited life expectancy (so redecorating will entail careful prep work and there is a need to repair and renew) etc.

I don't think you'd be cheeky to ask in respect or repairs no, I think you would if you costed up full replacements! Ventrolla are a national company but try local joiners too.

Ceilings- I live in a Victorian house and they are all lath and plaster and they are all fine. No need to replace at all (no cracks visible etc). I think use common sense in that case- just because it's old doesn't mean it's going to need replacing soon!

Get a roofer to look at the roof situation and quote on that basis.

At the end of the survey, it will say what the value of the house is. What does it say (in comparison to your offer)?

Thanks for these suggestions - much appreciated.

Namechangedtoday15 'the purchase price is generally satisfactory'... but they 'recommend that competitive estimates are obtained for essential repairs listed above prior to exchange of contracts so that you are fully aware of your liability before proceeding in order that you are able to negotiate a reduction in the purchase price should repairs prove to be more expensive than anticipated.' I guess this is a standard clause but it does make me think they think the repair costs might be high.

I'd argue that means - it's a fair price for what you're getting, despite the repairs listed. If the costs of remedying the items listed is the standard price for those items, then the price is reasonable. If the quotes turn out to be much more then you may want to consider asking for a reduction.

As a seller I would want to see a whole copy of the survey before I started to negotiate. With that wording I wouldn't be looking to agree a discount unless you can show me a) it's something that needs doing urgently and b) it's going to cost significantly more than the standard cost of carrying out that repair.