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Original poster

Buyer's demands after survey

98 replies

kittlesticks · 08/09/2020 19:48

Hi all
Any advice welcome. We have sold to a cash buyer and are stretching ourselves to buy a slightly bigger place. Our buyer is asking us to fix quite a few minor things that came up in the survey before we exchange contracts. We haven't done this recently and I suppose I am fairly naive about what to do next.
None of the things being asked for are (in my opinion) actual problems for our house right now. For example, replacing the radiators that are old but working perfectly well.
In total we think all these small jobs would probably cost about 3 grand to complete. We don't want to spend this money, we need every penny at the moment.
There were lots of people interested in the house which sold within only a few days, so the market in our area is moving fast, but we've found our lovely next house and don't really want to lose our buyer as that will put the sale at risk.

OP posts:
Fightthebear · 09/09/2020 14:14

I’d speak to your EA about getting back in touch with other interested buyers today.

Reductions after surveys are for when they find something wrong with the property that wouldn’t have been known when agreeing a price.

Workmen will take ages to come around and quote, then you’ll have yet more haggling.

You could offer them a £1k reduction to get the deal done but otherwise put it back on the market tomorrow.

sunshinesupermum · 09/09/2020 14:27

House was sold 'as seen' - there is nothing on the survey that indicates a problem. If your EA has other interested buyers I'd put your house back up for sale ASAP if these chancers don't back down.

NewHouseNewMe · 09/09/2020 14:48

This is where your estate agent needs to step in and call bullshit.
I agree with this comment.

Your EA is hoping that this will go ahead, but I suspect he knows this are jokers. I would refuse to engage and say that it's sold as seen and give them 24 hours to confirm they're going ahead.

After 24 hours, I'd have the EA put it back on Rightmove/Zoopla.

These are the type of vendors who are going to ask for a price reduction/pull out on exchange day. They're looking for excuses not to proceed.

Africa2go · 09/09/2020 15:04

Maybe go back (via estate agent) and say you're happy to allow 1 workman in to see the property so he can quote for works - but only after exchange of contracts.

TreestumpsAndTrampolines · 09/09/2020 15:12

your buyer is mad - why on earth would you replace all this minor stuff, when they can do it to their own satisfaction once they've moved in. If you replace the taps (for instance), what are the chances they decide they don't like them anyway?!

Stay firm OP, they're being ridiculous.

OffForARun · 09/09/2020 15:14

@Africa2go

Maybe go back (via estate agent) and say you're happy to allow 1 workman in to see the property so he can quote for works - but only after exchange of contracts.
This is what I'd go with, you'll know if they're serious then and they can't try and fuck you over by leading you on and on then reducing their offer last minute.

You have all the balls in your court, stand firm.

PaternosterLoft · 09/09/2020 15:46

Are they looking to rent it out immediately - like the week after you complete - and therefore want all this stuff doing without losing any rent while its being done?

ladybirdsarelovely33 · 09/09/2020 15:53

I would tell your EA, who works for you, to say you want them to exchange as it is or to start showing the house again. Your EA should be getting a back up buyer.

BiddyPop · 09/09/2020 15:59

Our house is now 35 years old. When we moved in (17 years ago), we were warned in survey that the boiler was " at the end of its life" - we just got it serviced every year (and listened to the grumble about parts every year! - but the different engineers always managed to find what they needed in their vans!). And it literally gave up (having not been serviced in anticipation of replacement) on the day before the builders arrived to do a major extension 9 years later!! So "end of its life" was a bit misleading.

Our radiators are mostly the originals (except in that room which was extended - rad on external wall had to be replaced and moved when wall was knocked).

And lots of other structural elements are the same - it is up to the buyer to fix anything cosmetic they want to, and the house is always valued in the state in which it is presented. So they agreed the price on what they had seen - there is nothing structural in that survey (as you have explained it) to cause a negotiation to reduce the value.

Original poster
kittlesticks · 09/09/2020 16:16

No it's not going to be rented out as far as I know. That's what is strange, it's as if they imagine we are going to 'do it up' just for them to move in... we will have our own new house (which is older!) to fix up.
Thanks for all the help. It's a shame I can't just read the damned survey report. Back to the estate agent I go, with the message as you've suggested.

OP posts:
notapizzaeater · 09/09/2020 16:34

I can't believe they asked you to change taps etc - I'd change the, and out the bloody price up ! CF's ....

OffForARun · 09/09/2020 16:39

Keep repeating, there's nothing structural that is an issue and their demands are all cosmetic. and ridiculous

They are taking CF to a new level.

Murmurur · 09/09/2020 17:06

I think just go back and say that house was already priced to reflect current condition. There's hardly anything on that list that wasn't visible when they viewed. They offered based on how your house was, not some mythical future version of it after someone (whether you or they) have spent a few k on it.

FartingInTheFence · 09/09/2020 17:43

Tell them to fuck off.

And then tell them that if they want another "fuck off", then they have to pay YOU for it.

Clymene · 09/09/2020 18:09

The only tradesperson I'd allow in is if your property needs rewiring or something major. If it's crap like taps and not brand new rads, tell them no.

Seriously, the housing market is pretty buoyant at the moment because of the stamp duty holiday so stand firm. If you give them an inch, they'll clearly take a mile!

And if you do sell to them, make sure they never know your new address!

Ideasplease322 · 09/09/2020 19:46

I am correctly doing my house up to sell it. I am doing it before it goes on the market to get a higher price.

If I chose not to do the work it would go on the market at a lower price. I would not then be doing the work (which is largely cosmetic) beciase the buyers wanted me to. The lower price makes up for this.

Henio · 09/09/2020 20:09

So they basically want you to pay for all the little updates they fancy in the house... cheeky! I'd say no and take the risk of them pulling out, especially if your house sold quickly and you had interest

Ideasplease322 · 09/09/2020 20:22

Currently not correctly! Sounded a bit judgemetal sorry😂🤣

AmandaHugenkiss · 09/09/2020 20:32

We’ve had exactly the same. We’ve had some quotes done, and offered reductions accordingly if they agree to get on with exchanging. One job absolutely reasonable and the rest quite cheeky. Currently waiting to hear if they are happy with that or if they are going to walk. Good luck OP!

mrsmummy1111 · 09/09/2020 20:33

I'm absolutely flabbergasted at the CF-ery here.
If you don't like the door handles and taps - REPLACE THEM YOURSELF!!!! Unbelievable.

OP - do not do a single thing unless it's essential maintenance that affects the value of the house.

Personally I'd tell them to piss off

Grobagsforever · 09/09/2020 20:35

Speechless at their behaviour!

positivelynegative · 09/09/2020 20:36

Tell them to go and pay a premium for a brand new house. Twats

GU24Mum · 09/09/2020 20:53

I'm all for being pragmatic when you need to it these buyers have every hallmark of ones who will mess you around. You can almost guarantee that they will try to price chip late in the day.

If they'd said at the outset that they were hoping to do an extension and could they get someone to come and do some drawings, I'd let them in. If there were something on the survey which needed checking (dodgy chimney stack/damp), fair enough. If they were sensible and proactive buyers who wanted to show round Aunt Doris as they loved the house so much, again I'd say yes. Yours are none of these so I'd say no unless they could come up with a very good reason.

Hope it turns out ok but don't be pushed around unless the new house is literally one in a million!

SuitedandBooted · 09/09/2020 20:55

These are the type of vendors who are going to ask for a price reduction/pull out on exchange day. They're looking for excuses not to proceed.

100% the above ^

If they want a house that is perfect, they need to buy a new-build. I think that surveyor was looking for a way to justify his fee (if he DID say those things....).

Houses are priced according to their perceived and described condition. If I offered on a seemingly A1, all done-up house, and it turned out that the chimney was dangerous and unusable, I probably would ask for a reduction, as the fault was major, and unknown when I offered. Everything they are asking for is cosmetic, and reflected in the price.

It's really not hard to understand Confused. I live in a rural 1920's house. I would expect to sell it for more than the one next door, even though they are identical, as mine is OK, and next door is derelict!

ApolloandDaphne · 09/09/2020 21:00

They are CFs for sure. Hold fast OP and tell them no way to all their ridiculous demands.

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