Surveyor recommended damp and timber, am I screwed

[Solost92]

I'm selling my house. Original asking price was 100000, the market has just been so hard and I've accepted an offer of 75000. Other houses in the area have sold for 90. I don't know why, it's clean, tidy, new kitchen and bathroom, just everyone says it's small which it is.

Anyway. Buyers mortgage surveyor said she saw evidence of damp, mould and woodworm in the floor joists you can see from the cellar and advised a damp and timber report which will be done Monday.

Is there any chance he'll just say "yeah it's fine"? It's the cellar of a hundred year old house. Of course it's damp. Would it be wise to go put a dehumidifier in there and spray the joists for woodworm or would that look suspicious?

If he does say its fine are the lenders likely to accept that and move forward?

It is standard in an old house for the initial surveyor to recommend further reports.
We had it when we bought our current (Victorian) house, and there has been no woodworm damage in the 25 years + we've lived here. They are just covering themselves.

However, even if there were an issue, it seems you have already taken the hit on the price.
£75K seems a really low offer to accept if you can cite other similar local houses selling for £90K

It’s an old house. This is normal and to be expected. Do not reduce it anymore. From what you say no work needs to be undertaken. Your only issue will be if the surveyor coming out is actually a sales person wanting work.

walk away from the sale if you need to and re advertise with some new photos and a new agent.

Agree with above. Survey showed 'damp' readings in the external walls of our Victorian terrace. Nothing that caused an issue like peeling plaster or whatever just cold walls. Buyer commissioned a survey and when the guy came round he said this always happens. Meter picks up reading, surveyor has to report it, buyers panic, call him, only to be told it's totally normal and expected for a house of that age.

Don't back down!

The thing that concerns me is that my buyers lender could refuse to lend them money.

The surveyor coming is independent and doesn't do any other work so I feel like he's my best chance.

Would it help to put a dehumidifier down there and treat the wood just in case or would that look like we were hiding something or trying to "beat" the test?

Sounds like slapping a plaster on it and being dishonest. Do you really want to mislead someone so you can sell and have the money. It’s about being ethical as well.

Absolutely not, thats my point. But I also don't want to be stupid and the surveyor ask why we didn't bother putting a dehumidifier on. You might usually wear joggers but if you go on a first date you wear something nice. We put our best impression on. And I'm kinda annoyed with myself i didn't make any attempt to prepare it for the surveyor. I didn't even put the bloody heating on or open the windows!

It's also frustratingly probably to do with the tome of year. In summer it's arid down there!

It's an old house. Some buyers are familiar with buying old houses and what their surveys are like and some absolutely are not.

Sounds like you have the latter sort of buyers, hopefully they will calm down.

They’ve already got 25% off so they wouldn’t be doing too bad!

OP lender survey will likely focus on location, general condition, square metre-age and comparison properties sold.