Significant amount of repairs flagged in survey

[Usernamedownunder]

I still want to pursue the purchase but the seller is being evasive about quotes for repairs to renegotiate the price. Who is responsible for arranging these? The estate agent is being really difficult about this and I can't find advice on this online. It seems to be a split between buyer and seller book them in.

I could hit check a trade and find a load of people to go in but I don't have access to the sellers availability to let them in to get the quotes, who is best placed to arrange these?

If you want quotes you have to arrange it

It's far more common to use ball park average estimates from thensurvey through - I can't imagine the seller being keen on having multiple trades people turn up with the expectation that you will then try to get the price down

So list all the things and people will tell your roughly what they might cost

And also be conscious that the repair costs will be taken into account when valuing the house

Thank you. None of the work I'm negotiating on was visible on viewing, it's all things flagged from the survey so wasn't taken into account with the property valuation (which was in line with better quality properties that had recently sold in the area).

I too would have been evasive about letting in tradespeople if the sole purpose is to knock down pricing.

The seller facilitated a survey. It wouldn't be the norm to allow trades to come in and do quotes to allow you to gazunder.

What has been flagged up? Surveyors do have to cover themselves so may suggest the roof needs replacing but with a few repairs it could last another 10-15 years. Have you spoken to the surveyor as they can be helpful over the phone and explain in more detail.

Me too - I don’t know why you’d expect otherwise.

do bear in mind that surveyors will generally put the worst case scenarios on those reports, to cover themselves. It will need to be significant and urgent repairs for the seller to consider a lower offer.

You lawyer might be able to help about how the work should be done (eg you can do it and there is a retention) but just because something came back on the survey doesn’t mean that the buyer should automatically do it.

what has the survey actually highlighted?

A lot of what came up on the survey I was aware of so doesn't concern me, the issues I want addressing are significant and no one in their right mind would want to buy a property with these issues without some form of a contingency on repairing them soon after taking ownership.

Surveyors are not plumbers/gas engineers/electricians so to cover themselves here they’ll always put heating/electric systems in red.
They’ll usually worst case scenario a roof if it’s anything but brand new.

Just things to consider

We'll say what they problems are and someone will be able to give you a lucky estimate

What you are asking is unreasonable and I don't know many people who would want to go into a house and give a quote to someone who doesn't even own the house . Any quote the owners give would not likely be transferable to you either

Surveyors are notorious for highlighting things which really don't need immediate attention.

For the house we were buying, the survey flagged up possible woodworm in the beams in the loft. The sellers were happy for us to get a woodworm specialist to go round to take a look, which he did and reported back that there were none. We contacted the surveyor to ask exactly where he saw the woodworm holes, but he claimed he couldn't remember where they were, nor how extensive they were!! It was clearly just a "copy and paste" paragraph.

He did similar with a couple of other issues that weren't issues at all when we investigated them. 26 years later and neither the "woodworm" nor the other issues have been a problem at all!

Take what they say with a pinch of salt.

They're just "signposting" potential problems which usually don't need any (or much) attention, unless it's something obvious like subsidence, lead piping, dangerous electrics, etc that you could see for yourself and don't need to spend a few hundred pounds for someone else to tell you the blindingly obvious!

The issues are structural relating to a party wall and very badly fitted window frames that have caused damage. I've ignored the electrics and gas because they don't test those, I've equally ignored the "we can't discount there might be japanese knotweed in the garden" and "there are signs of damp in the bathroom" (because the signs of damp are from where the bathroom just hasn't been cleaned!)

I want to find out how much it's going to cost to repair and if it's not a huge amount then I'll buy as is otherwise I'll want the work doing or discounting from my offer. Neither of which are unreasonable requests.

The seller is happy for someone to come in and assess but equally has taken several weeks to agree to this. I've commented on a previous thread I'm the 3rd buyer to get to this stage, others have pulled out before me.

Badly fitted windows in what way?
It could be fixed with silicone, extra plastic strips, or whole new windows?
What’s wrong with the party wall? Is it just a chimney breast removed and the chimney left intact?
You’ll have to be more detailed if you expect help with the ball park pricing.

I would be VERY cautious if two buyers before you have pulled out as a result of their survey results. Don't be duped in to overpaying in a falling market where your not sure of the full repair costs. Is the property an ex btl by any chance ? I would suggest after previous failed attempts to complete the vendor is vulnerable now to some hard negotiations. Do your research carefully and offer appropriately. Or find something else if they make it difficult.