Homebuyers report-how much do you take in?

[Sweett00th]

Just received homebuyers report, feels like usual doom and gloom for my 1900 yr old property. How do you approach yours or do you ask solicitor in terms of checks like gas/electric certificates. This also suggests potentially having asbestos survey due to age of building. There is damp too but again to be expected.

Just wondering where I start

You go through it and ask your conveyancer to raise the bits you’re bothered about. Don’t just send them the whole thing.

Give the surveyor a ring (not an email) and ask them open questions. They should give you a sound idea of whether it's in reasonable condition and if there is anything you really have to worry about. That phone call is more useful than the survey in some ways - for any older house the survey will probably have to say it needs a rewire etc.

Personally, I wouldn't be put off by the potential for asbestos (there's a risk of that with any house older than about the 1980s) but agree that a survey for it is worthwhile - you don't want to accidentally drill into some!

As I understand it, checking for asbestos involves taking samples for testing - i.e. causes some minor damage, which is why it's not included as part of the survey you've already had. Also, if the vendors become aware of asbestos in the house, they legally have to declare it when selling. So for those reasons, they might be reluctant to agree to an asbestos survey. Of course, if they don't agree then they risk losing you (depending on how important an issue you think it is)