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I don't know what to do following survey

13 replies

Charlottemh · 29/09/2021 13:33

So we've finally found a property and had our offer accepted. It is a recently renovated maisonette (5 years ago), and on the face of it, it appeared very nice and modernised. As such we agreed what in my opinion was a high price - it will be the most any property has gone for on this road.

The vendor from the get go said there was a couple of leaks from the roof and that she would fix them, she made it sound very minor and we appreciated her being open about it.

I went round the property with a builder (a colleague who has no vested interest in exaggerating) and he advised that the leaks require a fair bit of work to fix, and also found another roof leak which the vendor didn't mention (and may well didn't know about). He said there's about £15k worth of work.

Anyway I emailed the agent just to make the vendor aware of the extent of works and seeking assurances that it'd all be fixed and covered by some sort of guarantee.

She came back quite bluntly saying the two leaks have already been fixed (I guess in the two days that have passed since I went round with the builder...) and she won't provide receipts or any guarantees.

So I don't know what to do now - obviously I will go round again and check what she has done, but I don't believe £15k worth of work has been done in two days (in fact one of the leaks she said just needed some re-sealing, which my builder did not think would resolve the issue). And I get the impression she hasn't even looked at the third leak which I made her aware of.

What can I do? Insist on receipts at the very least? Am I making too big a deal of this? I guess if I thought I'd got a good price for the property I wouldn't mind so much, but I am paying top dollar for something which I now fear will come with unresolved roof repairs.

OP posts:
Tellmewhat · 29/09/2021 13:34

Walk away sorry.

PantsandBoots · 29/09/2021 13:49

Agree - walk away

titchy · 29/09/2021 13:53

Walk away or reduce offer by £15k.

titchy · 29/09/2021 13:54

Actually given that you've offered over the ceiling price for the road, I'd reduce by more than £15k.

MintJulia · 29/09/2021 13:56

Walk away. It's not worth the grief

lachy · 29/09/2021 13:58

Walk away. Absolutely 100%

HarebrightCedarmoon · 29/09/2021 14:00

Ask your mate to check the work done, but be prepared to walk away if she refuses.

Almaisnormal · 29/09/2021 14:04

Walk away..the seller is a cf

Charlottemh · 29/09/2021 14:16

Wow I thought everyone would tell me I'm overreacting and to get my act together!

I will go around again with the builder, and then decide what to do. I guess if she hasn't done a sufficient job then I'll ask for a reduction. I just feel from the tone of her email, she won't agree to it and then we'll probably have to walk away :(

OP posts:
Tellmewhat · 29/09/2021 14:17

I wouldn’t trust that she has done it at all.

greedygut · 29/09/2021 14:39

I don't know what part of the country you are in but here in the sunny south east roofers are costing a fortune if you can actually find one and even then the wait is horrendous -hardly likely she has found one in that short space of time who has been out to do the work

I would be thinking more in the region of offering a reduction of nearer £40 k as roof repairs often escalate once you uncover in your case 3 I think there are likely to be more , possibility a new roof - with the onset of winter weather and a wait for roofers and materials to do the work I don't think this is too mean a start to negotiating a reduction

All this negotiations should be done via your solicitor who will request proof of work done but much better to reduce purchase price and get it done yourself then you know it has been done not bodged

Charlottemh · 29/09/2021 15:22

OK great I think I have a plan of action! I will go round again with my builder friend but to be honest, and after reading everyones comments, its highly unlikely she's fixed all the issues with the roof in two days. I'll then get an actual roofer round to properly price up the works that are required. Then I will negotiate a price reduction, or walk away I guess.

Thank you so much for all your help, its so great to have a sounding board like this!

OP posts:
KleineDracheKokosnuss · 29/09/2021 15:53

Walk. I’m facing roof repairs on a purchase but I’ve already budgeted for it. If she’s this evasive, she’s a problem.

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