Buyers asking for a 3k reduction

[cared]

I’m selling my bungalow, and the buyers want a discount because there are no fensa certificates. My uncle, who’s a builder, replaced all the windows and doors 3 years ago. I offered to cover the cost of indemnity insurance to finalise the deal, but they declined and are now asking for a 3k reduction instead. The house has had a new boiler, rads, windows, front door, french doors at the back, new bathroom, flooring, guttering, a new driveway, and a few other minor updates. While it’s a small amount in the grand scheme of things, I feel like they’re already getting a good deal considering all the work I’ve put into the place, and honestly, I think they’re just taking the piss. AIBU to call their bluff?

And I'd let them do that - the time for asking for a reduction is when you put an offer in - after that is poor form.

While I understand the sentiment, when I have put in an offer on a house it’s on an assumption that the vendor has adhere to all regulatory requirements and has the certificates to prove it……

Why not just do this? Tell the buyers you’re doing it and it may delay things but that’s what you’re doing. Then if you lose these buyers, at least you’ll have a certificate for the next buyers

I agree with this approach - a deficiency has been discovered, and you as the seller are sorting it out - knocking £3K off the price still does not address the deficiency.

Getting building control to undertake regularisation is a sensible approach that would cost way less than the £3K.

Most likely worth getting it done anyway, whether for this buyer or another.

So that's £438 rather than £3K, so the op would be wise to simply apply for the certification - whether she proceeds with the buyer or not, seems like money well spent to me.

If she decides to keep going with the buyer she can simply tell them its being sorted, there will be a slight delay.

yes, she can look up what her own council charges and may be in for a pleasant surprise.
But until she does she can expect her buyer to continue "demanding" (a made up number) as that is what a buyer should do in the circumstances of no building regulations sign off

I don't think demanding a made up number is the correct approach, especially as the number may be too low if the council says the instal is wring and its got to come out.

They should be asking for it to be sorted, if that's what they are concerned about.

Just asking for cash is not sorting the problem, and we know full well that the FTB's will not be using that £3K to get the council out to check the windows!

I mean the house might not blow up but if your trapped by a fire and realize the windows and doors weren't safety compliant thats far to late to realize to doesn't open fully or it opens the wrong way or it isn't fire safe or doesn't open onto an escape area... thats literally life and death.

Doors and window are the BIGGEST safety regulation for that reason.

Yes lots of old houses don't comply, I kept emergency glass hammers in our old house because of non opening windows but we couldn't change that as a rental. One of the first things we did before we even moved in was find the fire escape window (most windows don't open except the top flap but as per the rules of the time we have one that comes apart in a multiway opening to fully open onto the lower extension roof. The extension is completely separated and fireproofed, the main house and that extension wouldn't burn through together unless someone deliberately burned both) in this house and plot the evac routes.

Where is your fire safe window?
Does it open on to a safe access area?
What is the fire burn times of your doors, windows and walls?
What is the smoke/oxygen abilities to slow the spread?

Why should they just take your word for it that your uncle who is not qualified just knew the importance of these things and 'says' it ok?

@cared buying the house with no FENSA certificate is the equivalent to buying a property where the windows were installed pre FENSA regulations. If I could see the windows were decent and the survey hadn't highlighted any problems imho it's a bit of a red herring to make an issue of it given that a reduction had already been given.
Basically you're not selling the house with a warranty for the windows.
I'm with you on this one. Sounds like a great buy for first time buyers.

Interesting plan.

Fail to get one fairly simple regulatory task done, so instead take on another thing that involves regulation coming out of your ears.

FWIW I think they are not unreasonable wanting the certs, but are unreasonable demanding the 3K (from what other people suggest).

If you have confidence in the quality of the windows and the workmanship, then it should be relatively little effort to regularise them ?

Completely agree. Good luck 🤞🏼

precisely why I put demanding in " "

remind them they got the house for 5k less than asking and split the difference.

That is not likely to happen now though, which is why caution is advised when pissing off buyers. I suspect they are working themselves up to pulling out anyway, usually when they want more discounts it is because deep down they are not comfortable with the purchase.

Asking prices are not really relevant, it is sold prices for the area that count, and lender valuation, was their lender happy with their offer?

Don't be so silly, I wasn't suggesting she let it out in order to not have to get the windows issue sorted 🙄

I was thinking of a long term investment/back up plan for her, as there was a chance that this sale would fall through.

And I wouldn't say being a Landlord "involves regulations coming out of your ears", I've been a LL for 20 years and it's really not difficult to legally comply with all of the required laws and regulations.

In your opinion, having moved house several times and recently managed to negotiate a 12.5k discount after offer was accepted because of ticks not being in the boxes then I’ll go with my own judgment, but thank you for your unwanted opinion.

Hopefully things went your way OP

What a stupid remark!

Indeed, but either way, the OP is in no rush - if it has fallen through I would get the regularisation done to avoid a repeat with another buyer.

Exactly.

"recently managed to negotiate a 12.5k discount "

Looks like we agree that asking prices are not really that important?

You don’t pay someone separate to come in and sign them off. You get the certificate from the installer who should be Fensa certified

The installer can only provide their certificate if they are FENSA (or CERTAS) certified - it’s basically means they have been ‘pre-qualified’ to install windows properly. You may chose a builder who is not certified, but then you should separately arrange your local Building Control to visit and check the works and verify them.

In this case, because the OP didn’t use a pre-qualified installer, they are being encouraged to get retrospective BC certification to resolve the issue.

I'm only amazed that they are asking for only £3K. If your uncle (of whom they know nothing) turns out to be a cowboy it would cost a lot more than £3K to replace the windows.

So you put the offer in before the survey ?

Which may then reveal a whole host of issues you need to put right ?

I think it is reasonable to can ask for a reduction at any time from offer to exchange if you gain information that the house was not as you thought it was and therefore it's value is reduced over the original offer you made.

What's more unreasonable (IMO) is to ask for a reduction with no justification, or ask for a larger one than is needed to cover the issues discovered.