Buyer want to check for asbestos in skimmed plastered ceilings and walls

[windyWillo]

Hello, May I please ask your opinion please. Our buyers did a home buyers survey and an asbestos check on the artex ceiling of the downstairs toilet ( this is the only place left with artex). The asbestos check came back positive. Now the buyers want to check the rest of the walls and ceilings saying skimming over is just covering the problem. When I googled the advice on artex is to skim it over or leave it as it is. To check the other ceilings that are already plastered it needs to drill holes. We like to sell our house but I think this is bit too much and thinking of refusing the further checks on already smooth plastered ceilings and walls. Please what do you think?

In that case, tell them they have until COP next Wednesday to exchange (or substitute a more suitable timescale) and say it goes back on the market otherwise.

That sounds frustrating OP. Sounds like you need a raised selling price.

I'd be tempted to bill the surveyor for acting without your permission and contaminating your home.

BTW, in practice the 2000 cut off isn't safe as some builders IME loaded up on discounted/cheap materials before the ban and used them for years.

Good luck.

Glad you held your ground OP. So many people threaten to back out over small stuff like this. They are just trying it on and you were right to call their bluff.

WallaceinAnderland thank you,
The sad thing is I really liked our buyers before this and thought we have a good professional relationship. We allowed 5 viewings before their offer and 2 viewing after accepting the offer. They never mentioned about being worried about artex in downstairs toilet in any of these viewings. We offered to leave many things like all white goods and curtains and blinds behind for them as they asked for it. Then they pulled this stunt. Now we are not sure if we want to sell to them.

They are game players and you don't owe them anything.

We are going to get the ceilings of hall, kitchen and down stairs toilet removed and replaced with asbestos specialist with the certificate so that we don’t have to say yes to asbestos in the seller form. We are not liable to say Yes for all other ceilings that are plastered over before we bought the house. This is our solicitors advice.

If accepting the original offer on the condition of exchange before a date of your choosing like @MaJoady suggests means you can avoid all that, I’d go with it tbh. They’ve shown their hand re. their anxiety over mortgage affordability and you’ve demonarrated you’ll stand your ground if they start messing about. They have more to lose than you, so I’d accept if it were me.

5 viewings??

Fuck that

Don't reduce or do any work - As previous posters have said nearly all ceilings will have asbestos pre-2000. Your buyers either know very little about property or are chancing their arm (most likely!) I know of someone who was renovating recently and spent thousands on specialist reports for asbestos to find the asbestos content was less than 2%! Also worth noting that surveyors have to stand over their reports so are usually overly cautious to limit their risk of being claimed against in the future. The reports are generally worst case scenario - most make houses sound like they're ready to crumble! Good luck with your move but would definitely look for another purchaser if they try any of this again, especially if you're in a competitive area!

If they seemed nice before it may be that they were railroaded by some 'barrack-room lawyer' into asking for the reduction, and if they are backtracking maybe now they are 'back to themselves'- they may even be pretty cross with whoever persuaded them to make an issue out of it. FTBs can be very vulnerable to some idiot friend or relative telling them 'I'd go for a reduction, mate'. And I'd be considering having some words with the surveyor for doing destructive investigations without permission. Words that would include 'and of course you will be compensating us for that'.

Hello

Can you tell me more about the specialist who can drill holes safely in ceilings / walls where asbestos may be an issue, please? When I google this, it’s mainly others looking for advice. What should I be googling? Thanks

You say it’s a 1970s house and some areas have artex/had it when you moved in. It’s almost certain that the whole house was finished in artex originally and so it’s a reasonable assumption that the whole house contains artex. Were the other ceilings skimmed before you bought the house? Most likely it’s all been skimmed over which is a good thing to do. It is important to know as when remodelling the house precautions will need to be taken, and disposal costs are higher.

@Confuzzled19 Google asbestos removal. I
needed new spotlights put in. The asbestos guys that removed our ceiling gave options. - leave as is, they can come and drill the hole where needed for light fitting; skim ceiling and same thing re light fitting, or remove ceiling entirely. I only opted for last option as I also needed pipework access so worked out best.

Lots of 70s houses have artex and as long as it's not disturbed there's no issue leaving it alone. But asbestos does need declaring now on sellers forms.

Thanks, I didn’t realise the asbestos removal companies can provide a range of options, that should help with costs I imagine. Do you know if there are flexible options in the case of a rewire? I’m freaking out about asbestos management/ removal costs for a 60s home that requires new bathroom kitchen rewire and knocking through a wall.

This doesnt make any sense, if you know you had artex and now its been skimmed over while you have been living there, then by definition you know that its skimmed over artex???

This.

I guess @windyWillo meant the areas that were already plastered on when they bought the house.

presuming you'd still prefer to sell than stay I would go ahead at the original price you agreed to.

it'll save you the hassle & expense of getting the ceilings done.

tell the Agents you won't allow any more tests/visits/negotiations they want it as it is at the price it is or to get lost NOW.

you obviously don't have to sell, so just let it carry on & take things as they come. IF they should pull out later the world will keep turning & if they don't, happy days, no expense, no hassle, house sold!

thats how I'd see it anyway.

There’s asbestos and asbestos. The kind that was used to insulate boilers or fireplaces (blue or brown asbestos) is potentially very dangerous if disturbed and needs careful management. The kind in artex is different. It’s white asbestos which is the least dangerous form and generally used in tiny quantities - usually up to 4% of the entire ceiling would be asbestos content and often less. It’s generally well bonded and hard to release fibres unless you start digging about in it. I am a very paranoid person but even I am not stressed about the asbestos which is probably in the artex of my 70s house.

I agree with this. I’ve got a family member who worked with blue asbestos for many years and died of Mesothelioma. Asbestos in Artex doesn’t worry me though.
An earlier poster was saying you need to be exposed for years to be in danger, but that’s not my understanding at all. I realise the risks are small but a single incidence of exposure can cause serious illness according to articles I’ve read.
I’d do as another poster suggest OP and give them a deadline. I’m guessing they don’t have a mortgage offer yet though?