Buying a survey off a buyer who's pulled out

[Treboaris]

So, buyers pulled out after 16 weeks apparently due to survey. Been told its possible to buy the survey from them if they're agreeable. Would want to do this to identify what was flagged up to be able to put things right before next buyer comes along.

Anyone done this? How? Worth it?

You could organise your own survey?

I'd be a bit suspicious they're trying to recoup their costs spent on the house purchase and the reasons from the survey will be relatively minor.

Also, when did they have the survey done? 16 weeks seems a very long time to wait for this - I'd expect survey within a few weeks depending on surveyor availability (ours took 3 weeks, then a week to get the survey back to us), then into negotiations about price, getting builders round to quote or pulling out.

I've heard of buyers buying a previous buyer's surveys. Not a seller, though I suppose it makes sense. It's only valuable to you, so only offer a small amount.

Pretty sure whoever did the survey will have made it clear that their only liability was to the client that instructed it. So, if you do buy it from the previous buyer, buy the house and then find an issue not picked up in the survey you’ll have no comeback at all. I wouldn’t be looking to save money on something like this on one of the most expensive purchases you’ll make!

edited to add, even more so given the other buyer pulled out because of problems with the survey.

Just to clarify, it's my house that's for sale and that the survey was done on. My buyers (who pulled out) had the survey done. I'm possibly wanting to buy the survey off them to see what's been identified as wrong with my house, not with a view to making any future claims against the surveyor

When our buyers pulled out fairly far down the road stating survey I just asked for it and they sent it over. It was helpful to see what might come up and address the issues we could.

Can you ask the agent to find out what come up on survey? That wouldn't be unreasonable. Whatever it is, must be something that's hidden as most of us know if we've got damp, roof problems, structural cracks.

Oh well in that case I’d ask them for it without any offer of payment and see what they say. If they are unwilling to give or sell it to you then it likely indicates there was nothing in the survey to worry about but it was a convenient excuse to pull out. And if they won’t give but will sell then you are the only buyer it’s of much use to so just depends how much money they think they can recover from you