WWYD - fix damp or sell as is

[MyGranWasAManageress]

This relates to a property that belonged to my mum. It's in Glasgow for info. When the home report was done, the surveyor noted possible damp. The estate agent advised to get a timber specialist inspection done which I have. I'm waiting for the full report, but I've been told they estimate it would be about £800 plus VAT to do the required work. Estate agent is of the opinion to not get the work done, but to add the inspection report to the home report and let buyers adjust their offer accordingly.

I'm a bit worried it will put buyers off entirely. The flat is unoccupied and has been cleared of everything so it's not at it's prettiest IYKWIM. Although the area it's in is fairly popular, the market does seem to be dropping a bit. I'm the executor of the will and my DC are the beneficiaries so all the decisions are down to me. I live 400 miles away so it's not a quick visit if I go up to oversee this, but I do want to get the flat sold reasonably quickly, again, because I live so far away and I can't check on it very easily.

How disruptive is the work? I can imagine it would be easier to do the work while it's empty and you could decorate it afterwards.

I ask this because personally I would be put off buying a flat, moving my family and stuff in, only to have disruptive, possibly messy work done.

How quickly do you want to sell it? Could you put it on the market for a bit and see if you get a buyer and do the work if you don't?

I should also have said sorry for your loss

I have no manners

If it's a Glasgow tenement flat then they nearly always have some sort of damp. A buyer would expect it really and if buying as a doer upper, which sounds likely as is part of an estate and vacant, would want to adjust offer accordingly and do work themselves.

I am local and although market not as strong as was in Spring wouldn't really say it had dropped off much assuming o/o pricing sensibly for the area and condition of the flat. I would be guided by the local EA.

Sorry for your loss

Thanks StealthNinja & howabout

It is no offers, rather than low offers I'm worried about. It is a tenement flat, in Langside. She'd had the windows replaced and DH fixed a few other bits, so it's not too bad, but indeed of some modernization with things like the decor and a couple of carpets. The floorboards look like they could do with some attention too.

I've got the report and it says there is a possible issue with the bathroom (other side of the wall) having defective grout or plumbing. And then it says they are suspect of the condition of the concealed floor timbers due to the moisture escape.

My mum had the bath taken out and shower cubicle put in about a year ago. So maybe that work wasn't done properly. But the other thing is, my mum died in the shower. And I don't know how long the shower was running for as I had to get the police to do a check as she wasn't answering her phone. It could have been a couple days . I don't know whether it potentially running for so long could have caused the damp.

So I'm not sure what to do really. I think as it is suggesting there may be a problem with the bathroom plumbing etc that is another cost that would make a buyer wary, as that would need to be made good too.

First check with your agent if the types of buyers who are looking at this sort of property have the money to do the work..... it may be that by not doing the work you are excluding a big group of buyers.
Secondly find out if renovating could add significantly more than you spend. In which case find a great builder to do everything including new kitchen and bathroom and then have a contemporary carpet and paint choice everywhere.
In the past I have also renovated communal areas to get the best price- once I spent £3k on decorating the hall and a new stair carpet but added £10k to the selling price.

Thanks Jonathan1972. The agent's advice is not to do the work - just add the report to the Home Report. But that was before they'd seen the full report (They arranged the specialist for me) so I'll see if their advice has changed.

I'm not in a position to fund any significant improvements. Even the damp stuff will be a bit of a stretch tbh.

Also do your own research as the agents advice my be motivated by getting a faster commission or simply trying to get it in the market because of a lack of housing stock.
Consider if the cost of borrowing money for work could be substantially compensated by an increased price on a renovated property.
If you do decide to bite the bullet and get the work done the goal is to get it done well and quickly (rather that cheaply which often means slow and lower quality).

To put it bluntly , I'd be getting in to debt so my children inherit more at 21. There isn't enough cash in the estate to claim back significant expenses, and I'm not permitted to make deductions from the sale of the flat.