Help Needed: How Much Should I Negotiate After Survey Findings?

[Gabaru]

Hi everyone,
I’m a first-time buyer, and our offer on a property (1930 Single owner) has been accepted. The conveyancing process is nearly complete, and we’re approaching the contract exchange stage. However, we recently had a Level 2 Survey carried out, which flagged several issues requiring urgent attention.
Key Issues Identified in the Survey

1. Chimney Stack
2. The mortar between the bricks (pointing) has eroded in places and requires repointing.
3. Roof and Outhouse Roof
4. The flat roof covering the rear bay is worn and nearing the end of its life. Replacement is recommended to prevent imminent leaking.
5. Tiles to the outhouse roof are damaged and need replacement, and mortar bedding on certain hip tiles needs repointing to prevent water ingress.
6. Windows
7. The property has single-glazed timber windows on either side of the front door, which could be replaced for better insulation.
8. The double glazing in the kitchen and outhouse side door has failed ("blown") and is misted over, requiring replacement.
9. Outhouse side Doors
10. The outhouse timber door is in poor condition and needs replacing.
11. Loft and Insulation
12. Loft insulation fibre has been laid between the ceiling joists to the floor of the loft, and is laid to the required, minimum thickness of 270mm in places, but not throughout the loft. This results in lower energy efficiency and therefore higher energy bills. We would recommend a thickness of insulation is increased to ensure that it meets the required thickness throughout the loft space. .
13. Woodwork
14. The door between the porch and hallway has glazing that does not meet modern safety standards and poses a hazard. Replacement is recommended.
15. Electricity
16. Switches, sockets, and fittings are dated, and modernisation, including rewiring, is likely necessary.
17. Gas/Oil
18. A gas-fired back boiler may be present in the chimney breast, and if so, it should be removed.
19. Certificates for the gas system and fittings were not provided, and an inspection is recommended.

Questions

1. How much of a reduction would be reasonable to ask for based on these findings?
2. Are there any specific issues (e.g., electricity rewiring or gas boiler removal) that might warrant higher negotiation?
3. Is it common to negotiate a price reduction this close to the exchange of contracts?

I’d love to hear your advice or experiences on how best to approach this negotiation. Thanks so much in advance for your help!

None of those are "Must do now's", and you would either be able to see them as you walked round (eg outhouse timber door is in poor condition and needs replacing) or would expect them on a 1930's house (eg Switches, sockets, and fittings are dated, and modernisation, including rewiring, is likely necessary)

This is just exactly what you'd expect (in fact I'd say better condition than average) for a house of this age. There's nothing to negotiate on I'm afraid

All of that sounds like perfectly normal stuff you would expect from a property that age with an elderly owner/probate property. There is nothing seriously wrong with the structure or main roof, no evidence of subsidence or serious hidden damp issues, which are the kind of thing you could ask for a reduction to cover.

I presume the house was priced to reflect that, or at least the price you agreed was lower than it would have been for a fully modernised and renovated property, so I don't really think there is anything to demand a reduction for there. If you were naive enough to offer way above asking price or market rates, then possibly.

I think every first-time buyer reading a survey on an old house is likely to panic, but really, they all sound like that!

I would agree with this. I would expect the sellers to get a gas inspection or whatever else is recommended, but all of these are to be expected.

Agree with the others, there's nothing here that warrants a reduction. This is all normal stuff for a house this age sadly.

Agree with everyone else, that reads like the survey I had on my last house which was a 1930s semi. Nothing overly concerning and exactly what you would expect from a house of that age. I do remember panicking massively over the survey of my first house because they always sound so gloomy, so I know how you feel, but really I don’t think there is anything here to negotiate down with.

Do you have any red flags in the survey apart from health and safety testing of electric, gas and heating?

that looks pretty good to me. I bought a 1940s house and the survey showed possible dry rot, asbestos in pipe work amongst other things so we negotiated down but that all looks pretty standard and liveable with/ fixable

Nothing, they are all things you would expect to do buying a property of that age. Unless you are paying top dollar.

I can't see anything that would warrant a reduction. But if you go ahead, I'd get the glass in the porch /hallway door sorted with safety film straight away.

Did your surveyor comment on the valuation?

When I bought my house it needed lots of the works you mention here but I used the estimate cost to formulate my offer below asking price, which was accepted. The surveyor said the sale price was good value and not to try my luck any further.

Now this was the same surveyor who advised me that an another house I was going to buy was worth at least £50k less because he identified multiple building regs issued. And so I walked away. And afaik this one has never sold (I’ve never seen it sold and I am extremely sad and always on Rightmove).

So in my very limited experience a surveyor will tell you if they think you need to cut the offer price.

Following this thread closely tho as I’m also seeking advice on what may come up in a survey that would merit further negotiations.

That sounds quite normal for a property of any reasonable age.
Remember that the surveyor is paid to carry out a thorough survey and report but nothing on there would make me think I should be able to negotiate a reduction, in fact much of it (and the general condition of the house) should have been evident at the viewing.

40Yrs ago I was a FTB and bought a 1930's house and it is very fair (and expected) to say that it required more maintenance to the fabric than the 1970's house I bought 3yrs later.

You made your offer based on what you could see which covers much of that survey. These are all pretty normal things.

My parents are buying a house currently. After their offer was accepted ( subject to survey) and even before Solicitors were instructed they organized a level 2 Survey. It's just come back and has very similar things to your report. But one big one is the boundary wall is leaning and a danger so advised to repair/rebuild urgently. We've gone to the seller and she said she is going to read the survey report and let us know tomorrow. We mentioned no amount.
Solicitor kind of is ready but not started anything as we don't know if we will be going ahead at the price offered ( full asking price) and do not want to pay Solicitors fees.

At the end of the day you can ask them for money off according to works but it seems fairly non urgent. Also you should always try to get a survey right at the beginning so you can finalize the price.

What needs to be repaired is the chimney and double glazing. The flat room might last 6 months or considerably longer. I notice it’s only over a bay window?
With the electrics, are there enough sockets to keep you happy? Did the surveyor mention the consumer board?
I think as others have said, (apart from the chimney/bay roof) the rest was evident on viewing and the house seems in good order.
Was the house priced accordingly?

You could try to get a discount on the chimney repointing and bay window flat roof.

Agree with above. All minor issues and none massively urgent.

I'd probably ask them to clarify if there is a back boiler so that I could be prepared to remove it.

None of those findings warrant a discount. They are all perfectly normal status for a 1930s house. The house wasn't described as being in newbuild condition was it? The price it was advertised for reflects the condition of the property and it would be reasonable for any vendor to assume that the offer you made and they accepted was made on the assumption that you are aware that the property is 90ish years old, and were perfectly capable of seeing during viewing the details of eg old bits of single glazing.

First time buyers are often scared by their first view of a survey. If it's not revealing critical issues like subsidence damage or a garden infested with japanese knotweed it's all fine.

This is fairly standard stuff for a 1930s house, unlikely to discount.

Very similar to my recent survey. I didn't ask for any reduction, as I just felt it was stuff to be expected really. Similarly I need a new roof for outhouse/lean to and the house roof has never been replaced so will need replacing at some point.

I’m going to go against the grain here and say I would ask for a reduction. Whilst perhaps nothing too major, that is quite a long list of things to sort. It suggests the owner hasn’t been very good at keeping up with maintenance.

i bought a 1930s semi once and hardly anything was picked up on the survey.

I'd be getting an electrician to check the electrics. If it needs a rewire that's very messy and will cost thousands (we were quoted around £4k for a small 3 bed)

And if a buyer hadn’t noticed these things when viewing and made their offer based on the viewing, then it suggests the buyer carried out the viewing with their eyes closed!
OP, you could ask for a reduction, the buyers could tell you to sod off.

Worth given it to your solicitors to pass on and ask what they are rectifying before going eg roof or safety certificate- don’t ask you don’t get

I’m surprised that the consumer board was not brought up in the survey.
You are right, a rewire is extremely disruptive and usually triggers the whole house being decorated, retailing in the kitchen, etc.
However whether it needs rewiring is doubtful.

Apart from the chimney repointing and missing tiles issues all of this should have been easily visible at viewing and thus accounted for in your offer. They are basic things you are expected to research and look out for, not hidden and not serious or urgent issues.

Chimney repointing is a common issue, maybe about £1-£2,000 to fix and roof tiles depends on the amount (hard to say without seeing) but maybe £170 for a few tile replacements done via ladder... your survey should quote an estimate price for the job.

All these are marked as immediate attention in survey report. Rest are all looks fine or minimal