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Original poster

Asking for reduction

29 replies

iamdashi · 08/08/2021 14:15

I never thought we'd have to consider this as I'm against the principle of it, but our structural survey has revealed some issues, and I'm considering asking for a reduction.

A number of issues were identified, including boiler needing to be replaced, repair to roof, weak plaster work, etc. It's a house built around 1900, so this was to be expected, to a degree.

BUT they've also identified lead pipes, which is a major health and safety issue, especially as we have little ones. We're trying to get quotes for remedying this.

Would it be reasonable to ask for a reduction? There was no offer for the house apart from ourselves, and we got a small discount on asking price. But the seller was quite firm in their negotiation.

Any advice would be welcome. Thank you! Daffodil

OP posts:
MilduraS · 08/08/2021 14:26

Most houses of that age have lead pipes and it's fine. We had similar issues with roof, chimney, fences etc on ours and didn't renegotiate, mainly because the market was moving quickly at the time and they could have had new buyers in a heartbeat. The surveyor was covering every possible issue but we're 5 years in and so far we've replaced the fences, replaced the flashing on the porch and had the boiler repaired. Our chimney is still in one piece and unlike my previous house, I still can't hear the roof tiles moving when it's windy.

Original poster
iamdashi · 08/08/2021 14:48

The roof, boiler, etc. I can understand, but lead pipes are not fine. It's a serious health and safety issue, I can't just ignore it - as in we'll definitely get it fixed ASAP when we move in.

Our agent says it's reasonable to ask for a discount. I just can't work out what to do.

OP posts:
insancerre · 08/08/2021 14:50

Find out the rough cost of sorting out the lead pipes and reduce your offer by this amount

Hothammock · 08/08/2021 14:52

Pretty common for houses that old to have lead pipes. I only replaced our lead water mains because it was leaking. In reality it would have been so full of limescale no lead would have been in our water.
These sound like common issues for a house that age which you should have factored into your offer. Whether or not the seller will be willing to renegotiate for these issues is something you will only know by asking!

Original poster
iamdashi · 08/08/2021 14:54

Thanks hammock - did you do some investigative work to find out it was covered by limescale? I've not come across this issue before, despite having bought other period properties.

OP posts:
Hothammock · 08/08/2021 15:55

No i didn't but I live in the south east where the water is super hard and this is common knowledge. Plus most of the housing stock is victorian in my area and this just isn't an issue.
Which pipes are lead? Is it your water mains connection?

fellrunner85 · 08/08/2021 17:33

Lead pipes are totally normal in houses of that age. I'm very surprised your EA has supported you in asking for a reduction, as they should know this.
Our buyer asked for a discount when she bought our house, as the lead pipe issue came up in the survey and she - like you - thought it was something to be concerned about. After advice from our solicitor and the EA, we told her to jog on. She went ahead and paid the asking price, as previously agreed.

The other stuff you've flagged also sounds very normal for a house of this era. You can ask for a reduction but I doubt you'll get one.

jackstini · 08/08/2021 17:42

I would say fine to ask for a reduction based on the issues found. They will likely have received the report and possibly be expecting it
Find out how much to replace leas pipes and boiler and ask for that reduction

They might agree, come back with a smaller reduction or worst can only say no

Is there a cost to fix stuff that would mean you walk away? Get that in your mind first

Original poster
iamdashi · 08/08/2021 18:13

Are lead pipes really very common? The survey says mains and some other pipes - it wasn't very clear, and we plan to clarify with them.

I wouldn't ask for a reduction for the boiler. That wasn't a surprise to me, but the lead was.

OP posts:
fellrunner85 · 08/08/2021 18:54

Yes, it's extremely common (about nine million properties in the UK still have a lead inlet pipe, iirc) and I'm surprised your EA hasn't told you this.

Obviously it differs from area to area, but United Utilities reckon a third of properties built before 1970 in the North West will have a lead pipe:
www.unitedutilities.com/help-and-support/your-water-supply/your-pipes/lead-pipes/

This was why when our buyers asked for a reduction due to the lead pipe, we politely pointed out that they would most likely have the same issue with any Victorian property in the area.

Bathshebahardy · 08/08/2021 18:59

I have mostly lived in Victorian houses and lead pipes are definitely not common. In my area it is expected that they would have been removed at least 20 years ago. I bought a house in late 90s with lead pipes and was quite shocked it was all still there.
The only lead pipe that is more common to still have is the one coming in from the public main water supply.

Geekygeek · 08/08/2021 21:58

Living in a 1930s semi which had partial lead internally as well as the mains feed. Cost £800 to install a new supply and replaced the internal lead pipe work and our local water company provided a £500 grant in support (we would have proceeded without this)

Lead is far from ideal, but not a “major health hazard”. Many many houses in the UK still have lead supply as generally only replaced if it leaks owing to the cost. We replaced as it was leaking and we were having various other changes made.

Chumleymouse · 09/08/2021 00:26

Lead mains water pipes as others have said are very common in old houses. If you’ve ever removed one ( I’ve removed a few ) and you cut the pipe to look at the inside, they are coated in limescale that is black.
The water never touches the lead pipe because of this.

I would change it , not because you think your drinking lead contaminated water ( your not ). But because the inside diameter of the pipe is so small that it will be reducing the water pressure to your house.

Change it for plastic and increase your pressure.

Chumleymouse · 09/08/2021 00:31

If someone asked me for a reduction for a lead pipe that has been there for a 120 years with no problems, I’d just say if your not happy with it you can change it when you own it 🙂

AngelaChasesBestLife · 09/08/2021 00:46

Lead pipes were identified on our survey, which we assumed would be ok just as others have said is typical of a house of that age.

When we completed and had moved in my partner phoned the water board to ask them to test our water for its lead content to be on the safe side. Our water board does the test for free. To our utter horror, the results came back that our water lead content was well above safe levels!! We had to get the lead pipes removed, some water companies apparently give grants for this, ours didn't. We had to get a contractor off their approved list to do the work which was a nightmare. It was pretty disruptive and cost about £3k in the end. Until they could do the work we had to run our taps for two minutes every time we wanted a glass of water or fill up the kettle. We used to fill up multiple bottles at the beginning of the day and before we went to bed.

Ironically we had asked for money off for other stuff on our house, all of which was refused. If I'd realised the pipes were going to be the issue they turned out to be, I'd have pushed much harder for a reduction!

Original poster
iamdashi · 09/08/2021 02:34

Thanks all - such mixed stories. I hadn't realised the water company might offer a grant, or test the water. I assume it'll be Thames water in our case as we're in London?

I'm not interested in just assuming it's covered in limescale and moving on. Lead can lead (!) to all manners of problems and I have to be responsible to my young children.

OP posts:
Geekygeek · 09/08/2021 09:35

www.thameswater.co.uk/help/water-quality/lead

Livingintheclouds · 09/08/2021 10:17

If you ask for a reduction, for any reason, it's common to negotiate half. After all you are benefitting from it, not the seller. But you have to have a quote to negotiate from.

AngelaChasesBestLife · 09/08/2021 12:57

Just to add on my original post, it's not just the cost of replacing the pipes, it's also the disruption both externally and internally which may incur on costs depending on your layout and furnishings.

For example in ours the installation of new pipes meant our flooring downstairs had to be removed and in part replaced. We also had to pull up fitted carpets and part of the roof covering to run part of the pipe. We now have exposed pipe work in part of our house which look awful and we are going to have cover up.
We also needed to install a new stop cock.

NewHouseNewMe · 09/08/2021 14:08

Where is the lead pipework?
Almost every house on our street has a lead inlet pipe and many have lead pipework around the tank and boiler. The indoor pipes are normally copper though. I've just replaced mine as part of a bigger job.
If it is the same for you, I'd be tempted to suck it up and stick to the agreed price.

BlueMongoose · 09/08/2021 15:49

@Bathshebahardy

I have mostly lived in Victorian houses and lead pipes are definitely not common. In my area it is expected that they would have been removed at least 20 years ago. I bought a house in late 90s with lead pipes and was quite shocked it was all still there. The only lead pipe that is more common to still have is the one coming in from the public main water supply.
Quite. If there are lead pipes, they ought to have been replaced long before this. Apart from the health hazard (which varies according to how hard the water is, but is never a Good Thing) the pipes, which don't have a huge internal bore, may well be so furred up so you may struggle to get adequate water pressure for some devices. And if it's lead, it's old lead. Old lead pipes can 'pinhole' and cause a lot of mess.

If you have a big run to the road, that could cost you a fair bit- we had a quote of well over a thousand for ours just for the bit in the drive, which didn't include doing the bit breaking through to the house. Luckily, it was just the inlet pipe that was lead for about a foot, so it only cost about £150 to have a new pipe drilled though, but our plumber is very reasonable in price and we dug the trench, which had to be several feet long, removed the old lead and copper piping, rebricked the old hole and the new one, made good inside, and refilled the hole.
It was an awkward job, and we might have considered leaving it as the lead bit was so short, but it was right next to the electricity supply, and water and electricity don't mix. Also, the plumber told us it was only a matter of time and luck before it pinholed and we could be facing an expensive decorating job, as well as it being an emergency, so best to get it done when the kitchen was already stripped out for a refurb.

BlueMongoose · 09/08/2021 15:51

@iamdashi

Thanks all - such mixed stories. I hadn't realised the water company might offer a grant, or test the water. I assume it'll be Thames water in our case as we're in London?

I'm not interested in just assuming it's covered in limescale and moving on. Lead can lead (!) to all manners of problems and I have to be responsible to my young children.

Absolutely, children are more vulnerable than adults. The more disruptive replacing it is, the more necessary it is to factor in the costs. If it's covered in limescale, that's not a mitigating factor, because you might end up with a pressure problem.
Original poster
iamdashi · 09/08/2021 19:22

We have now procured a £20 lead test kit you can test the water with yourself. We figure that's a good initial assessment.

The local water company will come and replace the external pipes. We are going to get a plumber to assess the internal, and make a decision from there. We are going to get a new kitchen and new bathroom fitted, so it's a good time to get this sorted too.

OP posts:
Whammyyammy · 09/08/2021 23:10

I dont think an old house is for you. Look for a new build

Timperleybell · 10/08/2021 08:25

@iamdashi

Thanks all - such mixed stories. I hadn't realised the water company might offer a grant, or test the water. I assume it'll be Thames water in our case as we're in London?

I'm not interested in just assuming it's covered in limescale and moving on. Lead can lead (!) to all manners of problems and I have to be responsible to my young children.

Check carefully Thames supply the majority of the city. However, Affinity Water and Sutton and East Surrey supply substantial areas. In some streets properties one side are Thames and the other side of the street 1 of the statutory companies.
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