Property Survey - Renegotiating Advice

[Banks26zilla]

We are in the process for buying a 3 bed semi, we have recently had the survey report back. The property is 20 years old but the report has thrown back various issues, the main ones being:

• legionella concern due to open header tank in loft (unaware of tank in loft when offering)
• damp in walls and floors of both the kitchen and conservatory due to blocked/broken guttering
• previous leak of pipework (needs further investigation)
• all radiators need replacing
• window seals need replacing
• leaning chimney
• trees in too close proximity to the front of the property (need removing)
• mice in loft

It is worth noting that the property is currently empty and has apparently been empty since December 2024.

When offering we knew the following needed replacing:

• floors
• kitchen
• bathrooms
• front door
• new boiler

Taking this into account we agreed on £25,000 under asking price. Do you think it is now fair and reasonable to look to renegotiate the price, seeing as more issues that were not visible have been flagged by the survey?

The EA is very reluctant to renegotiate the price due to use offering under asking to begin with. The EA seems to over value properties due to previous properties we had viewed with them of a similar condition. They are going to raise the mice and guttering issue with the vendors, but are wanting us to commission a specialist damp report before talking about negotiating price. The agent keeps ignoring our concerns over the legionella risk too.

Any advice on our next steps?

Find a different house. If you already offered £25k under asking I doubt they are going to be willing to reduce further, especially if the agent is trying to shut it down. They're obviously not in a hurry to sell if it's stood empty for so long.

It depends too, on the percentage that 25K was. You can ask for a further reduction, but is it worth it, for the amount of work you need to do. You’d already identified some costly renovations and even allowing for surveyors caution, the report has thrown up a lot more. The legionella risk would worry me too, especially as the agent isn’t responding to queries.

He wants to get the sale over the line, because it’s hanging about and he wants his fee. I’d walk away..

25k is just over 7% of the asking price, our issue is there are currently no other properties that we like on the market...

Any house could get mice, so I don’t think you can get a discount for those.

Surveyors are always cautious and the legionella ‘risk’ is just a risk not definite.

It sounds as though the house has been poorly maintained though if they didn’t fix gutters to prevent that much damp etc and hadn’t repaired the signs of an obvious leaking pipe, I would worry what else maybe an issue.

Has it been a rental?

It is a probate sale, appears to have been someone elderly in since it was built. But as you have said routine maintenance doesn't appear to have been upkept.

Guttering shouldn't be a big job or window seals so I wouldn't argue over that.

Why would radiators need replacing? unless they are rusted through which you would have seen.

Your big issue is the chimney (normally a fair thing to negotiate on) and the water tank given you couldn't see it on viewing and didn't know it was there or a risk.

Mice and trees you can try, Im not sure what the outcome might be.

Legionella is really serious health risk though, I studied medicine and our uni had a 'high risk' tank and we weren't allowed to use it which mean we couldn't use water in multiple labs due to risk to health and contamination. I'm not sure how easy to fix the tank and remove the risk would be but it being a risk would put me off.

That's an awful lot of stuff for a 20 year old house. Radiators and leaning chimney. How big is the tree? Just that it will keep growing or is already causing damage. That's on you to remove if it's still a reasonably small size but if a giant tree I would ask for that to be done prior to moving in especially if it's the reason for the damp

I would ignore the tank - take the opportunity to put in a combo boiler and get rid of the tank completely.
What's the reason to replace the radiators?
Windows are expensive. I take it the seals are gone so there is condensation between the glass panels. Its probably sensible to consider replacing them all rather than doing the seals.

All in all, I'd be looking at your budget and whether you can and should be buying this house. How much of it can you live with while you change things gradually.

• legionella concern due to open header tank in loft (unaware of tank in loft when offering)
• damp in walls and floors of both the kitchen and conservatory due to blocked/broken guttering
• previous leak of pipework (needs further investigation)
• all radiators need replacing
• window seals need replacing
• leaning chimney
• trees in too close proximity to the front of the property (need removing)
• mice in loft

You could see the trees when you offered so you can't ask for a reduction for those.
I don't think you can ask for one for mice either because they aren't really part of the building. They may only be there because noone is in the house and without a pest survey I am guessing that all that has been seen is some mouse poo? Which could have been in a loft for ages.
As others have said, why do the radiators need replacing? That seems odd.

I would ask for a reduction for the wonky chimney, if it is dangerous and maybe a bit towards gutter repairs and what is the deal with the leaky pipe?

The tank legionella thing is just them being cautious. It sounds like a header tank for the cold water for the bath and to flush the loo. In which case you won't be drinking it anyway?

I would ask for GBP 1k off per mouse found on premises.

Blimey lots of houses in this country have a header tank in the loft to feed the bathrooms and hot water. The fact this is described as a Legionella risk is a very strong statement to make. Tanks in loft normally have some sort of covering and you wouldn't expect people to drink from the bathroom taps.

Wow that house has aged badly considering it’s only 20 years old!

Are you sure there aren’t better houses you could buy that haven’t been completely neglected for 20 years?

You knew it was a badly maintained property in need of full refurb. All these things are classic issues if no one has done anything for 20 years.

I would stop mentioning the water tank “legionella risk” 🙄 it undermines any validity to your negotiation. Millions of houses have water tanks. It’s perfectly normal and you don’t get a discount for one. Especially a refurb house when the obvious first step is removing it when fitting the combi boiler. It makes you look inexperienced.

Has probate been granted? Who is executor of the will? Family or a hired professional?

Leaning chimney: what else do they say? This is the concerning item as it’s structural (unless it’s a typo and you mean “leaking” which is far less serious).

Trees: unusual to suggest complete removal rather than maintenance. Can cause heave and is usually a bad idea. What further info is given? What kind of trees?

Probably could do with a rewire too - have you budgeted for one? You’ll certainly need a chunk of cash for a new consumer unit etc as it will need to meet current code for your bathroom/kitchen.

Knock 5k off and see what they say 🤷‍♀️ I wouldn’t accept a revised offer if I were the seller. But lots are desperate or in a hurry.

I would really think about the financing of this project. Refurbs always cost more than you think, always run into costly unknown problems and aren’t for the faint hearted. Your fixation with the water tank makes it clear you’re not comfortable with the practicalities of the project.

Also, the chimney might be flagged by your mortgage provider anyway. You need a structural engineer for that - it’s much more critical to get a structural survey than it is to delve into damp. Damp surveys are mostly provided by people peddling damp proofing solutions and should be avoided. Do not be guided by the EA. They don’t work for you.