Level 3 survey report - subfloor ventilation

[Okaay]

FTB, purchasing 1930s terrace, would be grateful for some guidance in regards to the survey results. My two biggest concerns are:

Floors - inadequate sub-floor ventilation. The rear extension floor is partly solid type and there are no air vents visible externally on that side (unobstructed air bricks at the front). Door to the garden has some decking that might be concealing these air vents.

Garage - of no value as it’s in very poor condition and poorly maintained. Drainage issue so damp walls inside, roof on its way out and heave to the floor that is beyond repair. Demolition and reconstruction is apparently the most realistic option.

How big of an issue is the subfloor ventilation? The EA has told me the sellers have all the paperwork for the rear extension, would the existence/location of air vents be recorded in that? I can always take someone in to check under the decking, I suppose.

Really miffed about the garage. I went to see the house because it had a garage and I need a garage. I didn’t see inside it, as EA didn’t have a key but was told it was in good condition!

Same with the ‘driveway’ tbh, found out it’s illegal to use the hardstanding without a drop kerb so not technically a driveway but that’s another story.

How do I obtain all the paperwork and sort out the sub-floor ventilation/garage? Would I be unreasonable to request they sort out the sub-floor ventilation (if it needs sorting) and negotiate based on the condition of the garage (by how much)? I like the house and, ideally, would not want to pull out.

Any help/information would be massively appreciated!

I would be very surprised if there was no under floor ventilation, it’s been a building reg for donkey’s years. Can take the form of side by side plastic pipes ran through the oversite/slab to new air bricks in the extension. They will be indicated in the plans.
They are not supposed to be obstructed, and if they don’t exist you should walk away. I don’t know if only one behind the step would be adequate, your surveyor would answer that, but it’s unclear in your post if the decking is just by the step or the width of the house. Get the vendor to send evidence, don’t get involved yourself.

Garage, ask here the cost of demolition and removal. One day with a jcb and truck. Also ask about cost of new garage ( brick, concrete slabs, or brick construction).
Ask the council about the dropped Kerb. They may deny you anyway.

@C4tastrophe Thanks so much for responding! I was pretty surprised about the lack of rear ventilation too but had a chat with surveyor and he said these things can get missed on BR approval. The decking takes up about half of the back wall. I’ll ask for the paperwork and go from there.

Didn’t even factor in demolition and removal of old garage, bet that’ll cost a couple grand.

I don’t think the council will give permission for the drop kerb though. There’s a tree blocking one side, can easily get onto the hardstanding but I feel like they’re going to count it as an obstruction.

Do they have any bills and pictures of the hard standing being built? If they left the garage go to pot, they may have skimped on other things.
with regards to the air bricks, if there are 4 at the front, there should be 4 at the back, etc. If only half the wall is covered, I would expect to see at least one in the exposed half.

@C4tastrophe I’m not sure if they’ll have the pics from the build but I can ask - the hardstanding was there before the current owners bought the house. The previous owners may have passed on all those things to them.

Re airbricks: there are actually four in the front so that’s worrying.

We plan a conservatory which will obstruct a couple of the original underfloor vents. We are considering getting active ventilation in the original underfloor if it means that there isn't enough through draught in that area of underfloor. There are companies out there that will fit this for you, according to our surveyor whn we bought here (at that time many of the underfloor vents were blocked with all sorts of rubbish, he suggested active ventilation if unblocking them didn't work, but it did).

How did this end up?

I'd recommend asking the vendors to allow a damp/timber survey. As I was completing, vendor told me on the telephone she'd 'overwatered a plant' in the back bedroom and damaged the carpet, I thought it was odd at the time as it's dark in there. I've just had to pay out £15K to get all the floors replaced, they were all rotten.

A surveyor doing a house for us turned up to find they had shampooed all the carpets just before he arrived. It didn't do them any good, because as a result he said to me- 'so therefore I conclude the house is damp'.
He told me the shampooing ruse is one blokes tend to pick up at the pub. Sounds like 'overwatering an plant' is the female equivalent.
I hate these nasty, dishonest ruses. People who do it disgust me. The whole basis of contracts of any sort, in property or business, is that people are honest. Being honest requires a lot more than just not telling outright lies.
We didn't buy the house, BTW, not just the damp or the dodgy doings, but other stuff as well.

Thanks for the tip BlueMongoose, wouldn't have occurred to me.

The mould affected both me and my pets, and I was so very sad both of them died, I've only just lost my beautiful sheltie. The vet said it wasn't the mould, but it didn't do any of us any good. I'd never have concealed such a major thing and realise now she was deliberately acting in a nervous way during our 'lockdown' visit to avoid me asking for a second viewing.

Didn’t realise I was still getting responses! Thanks for getting back to me everyone.

@C4tastrophe I asked the solicitors about BR paperwork, they said they’ll formally request it but won’t check for anything as that’s my job. Spoke to the EA who was pretty dismissive about the sub-floor ventilation issue and completely minimised it (so I didn’t even bring up the condition of the garage or the lack of driveway). He said that the mortgage offer isn’t dependent on those things so nothing to worry about. Spoke to an architect friend who said to ascertain the location of vents in the paperwork then verify with my own eyes. I’m just waiting for the solicitors to get back to me.

@BlueMongoose thanks for the info. I’ll keep that in mind. I did hear that you can get sub-floor ventilation retrofitted but it costs a bomb. Plus, it's massively disruptive.

@Salome61 ufff that sounds awful! I can’t believe how shady people can be. Feel so deflated by this whole house buying business, why can’t the EA be upfront and transparent with me. I’ve now spent near to 4K on all the fees so really don’t want to walk away.

On top of which, can’t help reading the doom and gloom about a potential drop in house prices - not that I’m looking to move out quickly but you never know what life brings.

Just paid £10k here for all new flooring and joists underneath due to dry rot!

The company we paid to do it was able to drill in and put a camera beneath as part of their survey.

We would have bought the house and done it regardless but would have been nice to know first

So sorry RockAndRollerSkate. I was really really angry when I found out and stuck a lot of pins into a doll :) I was in rented when I bought, if I'd known I'd have stayed there until it was done too.

Just one thing about concrete floors, when I was investigating mine I did discover there are 'periscope' airbricks, they are shaped like the periscope on a sub. I was poking a bbq skewer into mine and hitting something hard and googled and found them, but sadly mine aren't, I was hitting the concrete. My concrete floor isn't ventilated through to the wooden floor, the airbricks are for show only, another cowboy job.

If there is a sub floor void and you just need extra airbricks/ airbricks replacing then that is not an expensive job. It will only be bad if all the floor joists are rotten too.

My decorator came on Friday - I've got green mould growing on the new skirting boards in the front bedroom, which had wet/dry rot and woodworm. The company gave me a 20 year guarantee and I've emailed them. So depressing.

Update: I’m still none the wiser about the airbricks, or their location, but have taken the vendors word for it that there’s adequate ventilation (as they have a BR completion cert). I’ve dropped my offer by 10k (about 3.5% less than what I originally offered) due to the garage, rotten velux and no driveway. I’ve also found out that a load bearing wall have been moved by a meter and that both the downstairs chimney breasts have been removed without any paperwork - they claim it’s all historical and before their time. I think 10k is more than fair considering all the above but the vendors will only consider a 3k reduction i.e. replacement velux and cost of demolishing the garage. I’m fed up as the EA keeps sending me ‘similar’ properties that sold for more. I have already spent 4K on all the conveyancing (it’s a shared ownership scheme so costs are higher) but am aware that that type of thinking is just a sunk costs fallacy.

Don’t want to drip feed so here goes… my landlord has asked me if I’d like to buy property I’m currently renting. It’s a little small for myself and the kid but I could easily pay it off in the next 5-10 years. I’m seriously considering pulling out of this one and buying that one.

Any advice?

How long have you been in the current house and do you know/think there are any issues with it?
Do you like the area/neighbours and will it do for say 10 years (as your child grows up)?
Personally, if you’re happy enough where you are, see how much the landlord wants for it.
Bear in mind prices are dropping, and you are a great buyer as you’ll pay rent up to the day of completion so no 3 to 6 month void for them.

@C4tastrophe We’ve been in this house for four years, no issues with damp or anything structural (other than the hallway wall, part of which has been removed). It will need redecorating and a bath put in, the windows are single glazed so have to be replaced, plus some minor work to make more room as my new job requires working from home. Neighbourhood is great! Big community feel. Diverse, which I like. Neighbours happy to keep an eye on the kid when I need to run errands.

Landlord is asking for a premium for the house because people will pay it (very popular area). I haven't heard back from the EA/vendors so I’ll let him know I’m interested and see if he’s open to negotiation.

Thanks, will keep that in mind!