Length of survey report

[maybeshesawomble]

Hi everyone. Our buyer has reported that he is unhappy that the building survey (as opposed to homebuyers) on our 125+ year old house runs to 28 pages. There’s nothing major in there just a litany of warnings about future wear and tear/problems, and a couple of very small items that should be looked at in the near future (not immediately).

Buyer is trying to use the length of the report, not the content, as a negotiating tactic for a reduction on an already lowball offer!

Is 28 pages excessive? Has anyone seen the tactic?

Our buildings survey was very long. Nothing much wrong with the house, they just reported on everything (even if to say it was fine). There were lots of different sections and it was very thorough.

Your buyer sounds bonkers.

Buyers being ridiculous! Did they have a full structural? Survey reports can be long but doesn't mean there is anything wrong.

Yes - full structural as it’s an old house that’s been extended on three occasions over the years. Completely bonkers.

The structural survey on the old house we didn’t buy ran to 80 pages! The length of the report may be substantially increased with the addition of photos.

If there’s nothing major needing immediate works he’s tacking the mick.

Content is the only thing to worry about on a survey not length
Length could be down to the size of the house, the way they set out reports, the font, a rambling surveyor or them checking through many points and finding nothing wrong.
If they are concerned then they should be able to find specific building concerns to discuss rather than the amount of paper used. Those concerns should really only relate to things that are only discovered within the survey not things that are immediately obvious or mentioned in the particulars.

The homebuyers survey we had done on our current house was 84 pages long! And not anything to worry about, so agree that it is the content that is key, not the length.

@maybeshesawomble have you decided on a tactic for dealing with the buyer?

We have told them that we won’t be budging from the offer we accepted. We have time on our side as the house we are hoping to but isn’t ready until early next year so we are moving into rented so if they walk away it’s not the end of the world for us, and they are unlikely to make the stamp duty holiday on a different property.