Bad survey report and estate agent threatening with guzumption

[Tash18]

We have recently received a surveyor report back which shows a number of issues with the house we are trying to buy, including a hole in the underlay of the roof, no completion certificate, potential subsidence and potential asbestos. It feels like the ground beneath us has just sunk as none of these issues were visible and the house needed work but this is a lot more. We are in the process of writing a detailed email to the ea explaining this but my husband is so busy at work in surgery we probably won't get to finish it until the weekend. Ive said to the ea we will share everything together but he insists for more info now and is also threatening us saying that previous buyers were offering to exchange recently, which vendors rejected as they are going with us, but if there are issues to be concerned with then the vendors need to know asap to review their position. We cannot proceed without further tests for things like subsidence (and don't know if it's our surveyor being cautious or the previous buyers that missed it). It just sounds like the ea is going to push us out at one point or another and is making it so stressful....we don't know if what he is saying it true or dirty tactics to add extra pressure....I'm scared to say anything to the ea now and don't know what he might just do!

I’d advise them that you won’t be in a position to know if you’re going to proceed or not until you’ve had time to digest the survey results. Suggest they contact your solicitor if they would like confirmation that there were indeed serious issues identified in the survey and that you aren’t just trying to pull a fast one. If the vendors aren’t willing to wait for you then that’s their prerogative. It’s unlikely they have anyone else ready to exchange, presuming the buyers you were selected above won’t have even begun the process yet.

I absolutely wouldn’t be pressed to exchange contracts without looking into this but equally you do have to pull your finger out and be seen to explore the issues and try to reach a resolution as quick as reasonably possible. I would be setting aside an hour this evening and getting the email over ASAP. The key thing if you really like the house is to make sure you look committed and that you’re progressing things. If I was the seller and had another offer on the table I might well start to consider it if I thought you were delaying/ procrastinating. What is the evidence of subsidence? If it’s a few dodgy cracks then it may well be fine. If it’s a whole wall moving/ windows breaking then less so. Have you asked the estate agent whether they are aware of any structural issues, or if a sale has fallen through after survey before?

God I hate Estate Agents. They are just trying to needlessly push you as they want to get you to exchange and completion as quickly as possible to secure their own commission.
Of course you want to consider this survey. Have you actually spoken to the surveyor who conducted it as that would help? But realistically you do need to respond to the EA ASAP and make this a priority.

Talk to the surveyor and then instruct any further examinations that you need and keep the EA in the loop of it all. Always remember that if your survey has shown this you have to presume that a future survey will also bring up the same points. Or if another potential previous buyer had a survey, their own survey would have highlighted these same points.

(The last time I sold my London home my own EA was being so aggressive that they were actually making me feel quite ill with it all, and in the end I had to remind them in writing that they were acting for me and not my buyer.)

I agree with @ComtesseDeSpair. Refer them to your solicitor if they want to verify that the survey has thrown up major issues. Don't feel you need to share with any vendor or EA as they will immediately start rubbishing it.

Of the list, the one that stands out is subsidence and no completion certificate but the certificate wouldn't have been found through the survey. Did the solicitor flag that to you? If so, leave that to your solicitor to discuss with theirs to see if it is missing or just a final step skipped. But if not there at all, then yes it's a problem.

On the subsidence front, what did the survey say? Almost all say something like "Some old/no evidence - make your own inquiries etc.". If it's not in that league and specific issues have been raised, then you'll need a specialist structural engineer.

Do you really want this money pit?

I'm not sure you should be sending your email to your EA - why not your solicitor? They can then raise the useless and ask for documentation and so on.
I would really doubt someone else was in the wings ready to exchange- would they have fine searches, survey and have all enquiries asked and answered? Who are these 'previous' buyers - were the gazumped by you?
The hole in the underlay is no big deal, asbestos - depends on the context, subsidence - what evidence?
But I would give feedback to someone soon. Especially if you need to commission further reports with tha som of renegotiation or if
you are at risk of pulling out.

end of the month, possibly of the financial year, and the agent wants their targets. Not your problem.

speak to the surveyor, you didn't pay for a report hedged about with 'possibles'. The survey is confidential to you (it probably says so on the front) and you make your own decisions.

Do not allow yourself to be bullied by this EA and ignore the threat fa buyer waiting in the wings. Your solicitor should be dealing with the EA and pointing out the reasons why you may not proceed with this purchase.

It sounds like a long list of problems....step away

Subsidence is the only one that leaps out as being of really serious concern, and it's very difficult to assess whether it is historic movement or ongoing without monitoring the affected area for a period of months.

A hole in the underlay could be pretty minor.

No completion certificate - more info needed, but hardly unusual.

Asbestos - more info needed, but loads of houses have asbestos in them somewhere. Depends on type and where it's located. Normally the advice is do nothing.

Thank you for your responses - our solicitor is up to date with everything, but my understanding is that they don't get involved in the tests? Also solicitor said she thinks we should send the details to EA too. I cant email the EA today because my husband is literally getting home so late and it's important we are both happy with what we send, and we are planning to speak to the surveyor tomorrow to confirm the seriousness of some of the things, though we will need to get the tests done either way.

Previous buyers had their chain fall through and draged the vendors on and on for months apparently until they were fed up..when we bid I confirmed that the sellers were happy to switch and wouldn't go back because I didn't want the extra stress of another buyer, the EA confirmed that. I have tried to move things so fast but the survey has slightly stalled us and the EA is quite aggressive about it....I don't know how to reassure him if he might just use whatever I say against us, so I'm afraid to say anything until we have spoken to the surveyor and are both comfortable to send the email.

Are you borrowing a mortgage to buy it? If so , what does your mortgage lender say about the survey findings?

We are borrowing, our solicitor hasn't shared it with them yet though but said they will either ask us to check the subsidence or do it themselves

Just to say a hole in the felt is no problem, a lot of older house don’t even have any.

I don't know much about roofs but we shared some pictures front the survey with roofers and were told the entire roof needs to be redone - I have to listen to the experts but what you all are saying makes me think some of these issues aren't really issues?! It's difficult to know what is an issue other than believing the surveyor and the builders!

Roofs needs replacing, potential subsidence? I’d walk away from this house if I was you.

The house sounds like a nightmare but the aggressive estate arsehole would be the reason I would walk away.