Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

House relisted after poor survey, no change to price or description.

74 replies

GreenBeeSW · 13/10/2020 13:53

I'm feeling a bit miffed. We recently pulled out of a purchase after a survey on what appeared to be our near perfect property revealed a number of problems. These included quite significant structural issues. It was the only reasonable decision for us, but we are heartbroken not to get that house.

We sent our survey results to the EA, and explained we would not be able to proceed unless further surveys were done and the price reduced to reflect the necessary work. We've heard nothing back and the property has since been advertised at the same price with no change of details.

I'm so confused?! Are they allowed to do that? The survey cost us a lot of money, and it looks like they're ignoring the results. I'm sad to see "our" house back on the market, and also worried some other poor sucker will go through the same sorry business as we did. Are they not required to disclose information they know about the condition of the house?

OP posts:

JoJoSM2 · 13/10/2020 14:16

Is it a fixer upper? Perhaps some buyers won’t feel the problems are as serious as you thought and expected with a project property?

ComtesseDeSpair · 13/10/2020 14:20

Agents can’t mislead and if the agents are aware about a previous failed house survey, they are obligated to make that information available to other potential buyers. That doesn’t mean it has to be stated on the listing or that the price has to be reduced; and ultimately, what one buyer feels is a reason to walk away might not be insurmountable to another.

ComtesseDeSpair · 13/10/2020 14:23

To clarify; if your survey revealed something major and structural e.g. landslip or crumbling foundations and the agents are aware of this, they should disclose. They don’t have to state that you walked away because you felt it was more of a project than you wanted to take on.

Chumleymouse · 13/10/2020 14:25

Our last house ( Victorian ) , sold it on the first day of viewing for asking price, then buyers survey ripped it to bits, ( we had spent 15 years completely renovating it) They wanted a fair chunk off to proceed , I knew it was bull as we had done most of the work ourselves and I’m a bit picky.
We pulled out , put it back on the market and sold it again straight away, new buyers survey said everything was fine and sold with no problems.

I think a lot of surveys put buyers off getting the house they want .

theemmadilemma · 13/10/2020 14:28

@Chumleymouse

Our last house ( Victorian ) , sold it on the first day of viewing for asking price, then buyers survey ripped it to bits, ( we had spent 15 years completely renovating it) They wanted a fair chunk off to proceed , I knew it was bull as we had done most of the work ourselves and I’m a bit picky. We pulled out , put it back on the market and sold it again straight away, new buyers survey said everything was fine and sold with no problems.

I think a lot of surveys put buyers off getting the house they want .

Agree. A lot will mention tons of 'issues' just in case, to cover their arses.

Clymene · 13/10/2020 14:28

Did your lender refuse to lend you the money based on the results of your survey? When you say 'serious structural issues', what were they?

Original poster

GreenBeeSW · 13/10/2020 14:29

No, it's part decorated (shiny new bathroom etc but some rooms looking dated) but it was very much described as "all you'll need is a lick of paint". The issues are major e.g. the surveyor said that the brand new carpets may need taking up to sort out rot if it proved to be extensive, new joists etc. I presume the vendor was intially unaware, because they've done lots of tarting up, but ignored progressive problems. It's not necessary overpriced, because it's a desirable property in many ways, but it does seem wrong that they aren't disclosing issues that will require expensive and disruptive work.

OP posts:

MidnightFlit · 13/10/2020 14:30

We pulled out of a house purchase after the survey revealed about £150k worth of critical structural work not done on a barn conversion, beneath the lovely new kitchen and feature fireplaces. We dropped our offer by £120k (to show willing!) and were told to fuck off. It went straight back on at the same price.

Because I'm an obsessive grudge-bearing type, I followed it on Rightmove for the next two years as the asking price slowly dropped and dropped, did the rounds of the local agents, went to SSTC three times but stalled presumably at the survey stage, and eventually sold for £85k less than the bottom line offer we made.

I think the agents can advise but some vendors won't be told.

midgebabe · 13/10/2020 14:32

"May" so the survey says there may be serious problems? That's a bit vague isn't it?

Chumleymouse · 13/10/2020 14:32

Told to f@#k off 😂

boarboar · 13/10/2020 14:33

Did the survey confirm issues or recommend further investigation to look into potential issues?

Africa2go · 13/10/2020 14:33

Yes you said it was "the only reasonable decision for us". That doesn't mean its the only reasonable decision for someone else.

Africa2go · 13/10/2020 14:34

Sorry bold fail there, but you get my point!

Chumleymouse · 13/10/2020 14:36

How does the surveyor know there is rot under the new carpets. He can only see what you can see without taking them up .

That’s why on our current house I didn’t bother with a survey as they can’t see anymore than I can and I was going to rip it apart anyway so would have been a waste on money .

Original poster

GreenBeeSW · 13/10/2020 14:41

Sorry crossed post. Thats interesting and concerning, we're really upset to lose this house, but we feel we have to trust survey. Thought we were making right decision. The short version is extensive rot external and some internal, the roof has sagged because of timber rot and dodgey construction and the chimney stack is leaning after breast removal and no supports added. Advice was it would at the very least need structural engineer to confirm safety but was could need major roof work in short term. Long list of other stuff, which we would have been prepared to deal with but this is what worried us as we felt we couldn't afford the remedial work required.

OP posts:

Original poster

GreenBeeSW · 13/10/2020 14:54

@Africa2go
Yes I appreciate someone else may have more money to spend on it, so I dont blame vendors for trying to get as much as they can for it. But what I dont understand is why the description doesnt even hint at work being required!

@midgebabe
Some issues confirmed and some were "needs further survey". Best case scenario was an extensive list of "must dos".. Worst case scenario "could" have been terrifyingly expensive. Basically it's a risk....

House not carpeted throughout so rot was found in various other places. It's the extent that's unknown.

Worried we've made the wrong decision and it's not all that bad now!!

OP posts:

Africa2go · 13/10/2020 15:03

OP the survey eventually has a "the property is worth X" and possibly "a retention of Y is recommended until problems A, B and C" have been resolved. In the worst case scenario, I've seen surveys said that a property's value was NIL until serious issues were resolved?

Did the survey have those things included? If so, was the value in line with what you'd offered?

Bakeachocolatecaketoday · 13/10/2020 15:14

[quote GreenBeeSW]@Africa2go
Yes I appreciate someone else may have more money to spend on it, so I dont blame vendors for trying to get as much as they can for it. But what I dont understand is why the description doesnt even hint at work being required!

@midgebabe
Some issues confirmed and some were "needs further survey". Best case scenario was an extensive list of "must dos".. Worst case scenario "could" have been terrifyingly expensive. Basically it's a risk....

House not carpeted throughout so rot was found in various other places. It's the extent that's unknown.

Worried we've made the wrong decision and it's not all that bad now!![/quote]
The fact they didn't come back to you says your survey probably right....

They are hoping someone has a cheap "driveby" survey and doesn't notice the issues.

I had a friend who bought a house and as the plug sockets and consumer unit were new assumed it had been fully rewired (old house). No - just cosmetic - the old wiring (from the 60's) made itself known quickly. They had to pull the house apart to sort it.

Reedwarbler · 13/10/2020 15:16

Surveys usually take the worst case scenario so they can cover their backs. No, it might not have been as bad as indicated. The next logical step for me would have been to get a builder to have a look and price up the work. When we bought this house the survey ran to pages, mostly minor faults which were discountable or easily remedied, especially as the house was not very old.
As for expecting it to be mentioned on the ad. - come on! When have you ever seen doubts about a house's condition openly advertised in the description? Even tumble down auction properties are pleasantly and optimistically described. Buying a house is very much caveat emptor.
I am surprised you gave the survey to the agent. I would never do that. I might tell them the salient points, but it's info. you have paid for and now they have got it for free. I bet the vendors are pleased to have sight of that.

Original poster

GreenBeeSW · 13/10/2020 15:35

@Africa2go
Building surveys no longer value as standard and we didnt get as far as mortage valuation as it was all being pushed through at same time (EA/vendors request)

@Reedwarbler
Sounds like we've been naive. I felt it was important to let them know we had good reason to pull out and provide info incase they did want to make changes/negotiate. I didnt want to be dismissed as flakey by EA, because we'll be looking for another house now! We were advised several other surveys required, so although we did consider getting builders etc in it felt like throwing good money after bad when we knew even a best case scenario was a costly one. Of course adverts always sounds good but they'd usually hint at "needs some work"!

@Bakeachocolatecaketoday
Well this was my worry... I'm not a builder so I dont want the risk of massive escalating costs. But I'm gutted we've lost this house.

OP posts:

friendlycat · 13/10/2020 15:48

The short version is extensive rot external and some internal, the roof has sagged because of timber rot and dodgey construction and the chimney stack is leaning after breast removal and no supports added.

That is not good in itself and I would have pulled out because of that on the survey.

DespairingHomeowner · 13/10/2020 16:16

@ComtesseDeSpair

@ComtesseDeSpair: is this if you specifically ask? How could it be proven?

I suspect similar on a house I recently offered on, I asked if it had been previously marketed & think that marks me out as a troublesome buyer! It was under offer a couple of years ago then rented out so I suspect t issues esp as they were v v keen on a FTB

@GreenBeeSW: you’ve already done more than you had to in sharing the survey! I hope you find another house soon, this one sounds a lot more trouble than it’s worth

BlankTimes · 13/10/2020 16:21

the brand new carpets MAY need taking up to sort out rot IF it proved to be extensive, new joists etc

That's just the surveyor covering himself in case you find something whenever you lift the carpets and look. Go through his report and highlight all the IF, POSSIBLY and MAYBE and ignore them, then read the rest with focused attention, because that's the bit that matters to you.

Guymere · 13/10/2020 16:28

You couldn’t possibly get a builder to give you an accurate quote on putting right what’s in the survey. The rot needs full investigation and the roof needs to be designed by a structural engineer. Most builders simply cannot price on the info you currently have and may not have the expertise to know what’s required to put it right. If you don’t have the money (and it could be a money pit) you are right to move on. This house is not a lick of paint to put right. Other buyers will have the same faults pointed out to them and eventually the vendors might negotiate. It’s unlikely anyone won’t have a decent survey done if it’s an older house.

Asdf12345 · 13/10/2020 16:29

It’s buyer beware.

Our place had a savage survey report which we expected but was very much priced for the condition. It was notable that off the record our surveyors recommendations were very different to what his professional liability insurance would let him write.

The banks surveyor went mental, but after discussion with the bank they threw his report out.

We have now been very happily in for a year and have done none of the banks surveyors recommendations, and only one of our surveyors written recommendations.

Flip

1 2 3

Swipe left for the next trending thread