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Original poster

Homebuyers Report - to get or not to get

31 replies

RosiePosies · 18/02/2019 17:20

Hi,

We have just had an offer accept on a house and everything is moving quite quickly - no chain either end and we are looking to complete within 8 weeks (we are also due a baby in 8 weeks so may be slightly mad)

The house is 25 years old and in a very large cul de sac of similar houses.

We could really do without the £400 of a homebuyers report. The house isn't that old, is beautifully looked after and we have seen it twice and see no signs of any problems.

Would it be really stupid not to get the report done? One minute I think we could easily just go round with a checklist and make sure it's all ok, and then the next I think just get a professional in as maybe we don't know exactly what we're looking for.

Am feeling very torn - saving £400 would really help us with a new baby!

OP posts:
Original poster
RosiePosies · 18/02/2019 17:22

*that should say, we could really do without spending £400 on a homebuyers report

OP posts:
Sillybilly1234 · 18/02/2019 17:27

Until something goes wrong!

Mosaic123 · 19/02/2019 01:07

Please get the report. We puked out of a house after a survey. The upper floors were sagging.

HeddaGarbled · 19/02/2019 01:24

Actually 25 years is about when things like boilers and plumbing systems and roof repairs can get expensive. We’ve just paid £5000 for a new boiler and some central heating repairs on a 20 year old house. £400 is small change.

WarpedGalaxy · 19/02/2019 01:34

Get the report. Honestly, you’re making the biggest purchase there is in most lives and you’re cavilling at a relatively small sum to guard against possible nasty and expensive surprises? It may look beautifully kept but when was the last time it was rewired, how old’s the boiler, what’s the plumbing like, are there subsidence cracks or damp patches concealed beneath a freshly painted surface?

Here, USA, we’re quite lucky because often the sellers get an independent home inspection report done and make it available to buyers, it’s a good selling point and buyers who choose not to get their own on the strength of it still have comeback against the sellers and their inspector if they find anything outrageously wrong afterwards.

Lilmisskittykat · 19/02/2019 08:09

I wouldn't skip it

We've just had our done and the things it flagged up - we thought the house was ok - turned out it needs new windows and doors (amongst a host of other things) and the conservatory needs to come down - we knew it was all wooden but didn't think we'd have to replace them.

CallMeSirShotsFired · 19/02/2019 08:15

Proper surveys are one thing, but homebuyer reports are really just lip service.

They don't move furniture, or check structures or anything.
What they do say is usually to totally cover their arses, so it'll be "the windows were installed in 2006, they may need replacing in future" (well, duhhhh!). They can make a perfectly habitable home sound like a deathtrap.

And it's all caveated with "do your own research".

Original poster
RosiePosies · 19/02/2019 15:10

@callme That's what I was thinking

@lilmiss was it a homebuyers report or a full survey?

OP posts:
Ariela · 19/02/2019 15:58

Don't bother with a homebuyers, spend a bit more and get a full structural survey, that's worth its weight

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 19/02/2019 16:34

Depends what it consists of/what you're paying for.

A proper structural survey is one thing, but what they used to call a Homebuyers' Report can be a waste of time and money.

I once had one done on a shabby, run-down flat I was buying.

All it told me was that it needed complete renovation, new k and b, complete redecoration, new flooring, etc. - all of which I could see perfectly well for myself.

Money down the drain.

Mildura · 19/02/2019 17:19

What most people seem to be calling a 'structural survey', or 'full structural survey' should really be called a buildings survey.

A structural survey has a very narrow brief specifically investigating whether the structure of the building is sound.

A buildings survey is a much more general inspection of the entire property, identifying areas for further investigation and future maintenance, and to hopefully confirm what you are buying is in the condition you think it is.

flirtygirl · 19/02/2019 18:50

I wouldn't get a home buyers report as not worth the paper its typed on.

Get a proper building survey usually 4-800 pounds, I would not buy without one of these.

roley · 19/02/2019 18:55

We just pulled out of a purchase as our survey came back as incomplete until a full buildings survey was carried out. Sellers paid for that and it came back with masonry cracks, subsidence and leaking drains!!! Didn't look that bad on viewing so get the report!! £400 will seem like a drop in the ocean compared to what you might have to fork out if you don't get the report done

Lilmisskittykat · 19/02/2019 21:52

@RosiePosies going against the grain here but got a homebuyers... it was very thorough in my opinion... maybe he was bored that day and only had one survey to do ?!

longearedbat · 19/02/2019 22:24

Get a full survey, not a homebuyers report. Don't spoil the ship for a ha'porth of tar, as they used to say. Just because it looks okay doesn't mean it is. What price peace of mind?

ErickBroch · 19/02/2019 22:46

We got homebuyers, FTB. House built in 1991. We just felt it would be sods law that if we didn't do it, we'd move in and the wiring would be a mess or the boiler would explode.

It was very useful, and made us aware of some things and we negotiated a small amount off of the price.

Beebumble2 · 20/02/2019 07:21

Never skip a survey, DH is an Architect and we always have a survey, even though he knows what it will say! On odd occasions, due to the report we have then used specialists such as Structural Engineers and Asbestos surveyors.
Not having a survey can be very costly in repairs and worst case scenario, leave you with a property you can’t sell on.
Building society surveys are so that the Mortgage company can be sure that the property is worth the money they are lending and they can reclaim it, if they have to.

CallMeSirShotsFired · 20/02/2019 08:31

We got homebuyers, FTB. House built in 1991. We just felt it would be sods law that if we didn't do it, we'd move in and the wiring would be a mess or the boiler would explode.

No homebuyers I have ever seen has had anything useful in that regard - just content like "the boiler is x years old and may need replacing in future", which is not even informative, let alone worthwhile. And certainly would not get into the state of the wiring of the house. They usually won't even move an armchair to look behind it (I later found out why the previous owners had a massive sofa along one wall...!)

Are you sure you are not confusing a homebuyers with a full building survey?

AntiHop · 20/02/2019 08:34

I'd go one further and get a full survey. You'd be foolish not to. The solictors can carry on with the paperwork in the meantime so it shouldn't delay things, unless the survey brings up issues that need further addressing.

ErickBroch · 20/02/2019 13:25

CallMeSirShotsFired yes, that is what we had, 3 months ago. I am not saying the full structural isn't better, just gave the OP an answer...

whiskybysidedoor · 20/02/2019 13:34

It’s generally accepted it’s foolish not to get one done, but I’d go for a full buildings one. If nothing else, you have no come back if something awful goes wrong.

Having said that I think they are generally a bit of a con. The cost of them isn’t comparable to the work you get. Also as I said we had the full one done and still ended up replacing the boiler and fixing various windows that were all fine in the survey. And they will always put in enough jargon to wriggle out of being liable if anything goes wrong.

So bit of a contradiction really!

ContinuityError · 20/02/2019 13:51

The Homebuyers report is pretty basic and full of caveats. We had to have one done for the house we were selling and we ended up correcting so many factual errors that it was quite pointless - even more so because the surveyor missed things. About the only issue it would pick up that might not be fairly obvious to you is damp.

I would go for the Building Survey if you have any doubts about the property.

Original poster
RosiePosies · 21/02/2019 00:10

Those saying full structural survey - the house is so well looked after, with a brand new boiler and is only 25 years old. It would just feel so silly to get that done!

I'm getting the impression that it's a bit all or nothing.

OP posts:
WBWIFE · 23/02/2019 09:32

I'm going against the grain here...

We're byjng our third house and the last 2 houses we didn't have a survey done..

First house was 1950s, we knew the electrics needed doing, it had a back boiler and we knew we would change to a combi and relocate. We have friends who are roofers and builders so we had them come round and have a look instead.

Second house, 1950s again and had a new boiler already, our electrician friend said they electrics were fine. We knew the windows needed doing etc.

Third house were moving into and this is the house I'm contemplating maybe getting one done as it's 1930s.

Btw my sister had one done on her 1970s house, a homebuyers one and it was pointless. They don't move things they literally just look and write down. The bloke himself said anything after 1950s for a homebuyers is a waste of time as you can see it yourself 😂 he could have just been having a bad day though.

We know everyone in every trade so we've always had friends pop round to check the main concerns. My OH and dad are both plumbers and gas engineers. His best friend an electrician. Uncle a builder. Uncle a roofer. I work in the water industry so know we have lead pipe that we should probably change on the new house. We will be getting updated windows anyway and it's a bungalow so no floor sagging.

I personally wouldn't get a homebuyers report I would get the full whack if we were going to get one.

NRPDad · 23/02/2019 16:30

IMO if you really can't afford to spare £400 on a mid level survey then you're probably pushing your budget for the whole house a bit far. Do you have any other savings you can dip into and then put back in over a couple months?

I had a Homebuyers report done on an 18 month old house and he spotted a lot of stuff I'd have missed. The vendor got the constructor to sort it all out under the 2 year guarantee they had.

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