Third viewing has left me worried about completing on this house

[Goldengamer]

We’ve been to view the house we are well on the way to completing on , surveys done, searches done etc .
It’s a 3rd viewing , we viewed for the 1st and 2nd time a couple of months back, this time was really to have a closer look. My goodness, it was filthy , cupboards dirty , floors not cleaned or swept . Unfinished DIY we hadn’t noticed first time round etc etc . The kitchen although newish has been very badly fitted and we are going to have to rip it all out . The survey picked up a few things but not the standard of work or cleanliness of the place . We are nearing retirement and it’s really daunting knowing we will have to start working on the house when we move in . Surely she will have to leave it clean and tidy when she moves out ? …. I’m sure when I filled in my forms for the sale of my house one of the questions was that it had to be left in a clean state . when my buyers dropped in to do a last viewing of our house it was spotless . I’m really having second thoughts but husband said don’t worry we can get a cleaner in to give it the once over before we move in but it’s the cost of renewing everything is bothering me . I’m 62 and really don’t want to be having to start again when I’m leaving a lovely house that’s been looked after. Can’t believe I didn’t notice it first time round . What do others think I should do ?

I think you've done the right thing @Goldengamer

Your worries about the state of this house came over in every post and tbh I would normally feel sorry for any seller who loses their buyer far along in the process, but your sellers were taking the piss.

So they shouldn't be too shocked you changed your mind after they couldn't be bothered to keep the house and garden nice after getting a buyer. Now they are back to square one and maybe that's a hard lesson they have learned.

Oh bless, you poor thing , I really hope you are in a better place now . Yes all those scenarios crossed my mind and the cleanliness wasn’t really an issue , it just made all the structural stuff that needing doing even worse . The bi folds wouldn’t close properly which came up on the survey , but it was because they had so much dirt and grime built up in them and then the rubber had worn away at the bottom , it was all that sort of thing. I’ve been through an awful first marriage years ago as a 28 year old and I had a breakdown after . I walked away from an abusive marriage and he stayed in the house changed the locks, got custody of my daughter saying I wasn’t mentally well enough to look after her . I ended up a million miles away from where I am now , I was homeless for a year . I built myself up from nothing . Got myself a job , remarried and have now been married 30 years. I’m no stranger to mental health problems, but the fact everything would of had to be renewed and fixed, about 30 k worth of work , we just didn’t want to go through that at our age . I’m sure it won’t bother a younger person as much or it woukd take a builder to buy it and be able to fix the bad stuff .

pls think very carefully before going ahead I was in similar position and went ahead it was the worst 6 years of my life . I thought it would be just cleaning to get sorted but it was so much worst .

Good news.After giving the estate agents the bad news . I had a quick look on Rightmove and found another similar house , all done up and beautiful Similar price to what we are paying and not a scrap of work needs doing . I took my 40 year old daughter with me to view it on the same day as they fitted me in and we both fell in love with it . I gave it a proper look , every cupboard was opened! My husband viewed it this morning while I was at work and said it was perfect . He put an offer on just a tiny bit below asking price as it’s already dropped in price ,
They even have the identical Howdens kitchen to mine , which I love and was gutted to leave . It’s meant to be !
Fingers crossed ☺️

No. At least, I was suggesting that you don't wait until the third viewing to figure out that you don't want to buy it. Pay a bit more attention earlier on. It is unserious, disrespectful and lazy to leave it so late, imho.

We have had clauses in sale agreements that the house must be professionally cleaned before moving day.

I viewed it on my own with older daughter at first as my husband works in the week, the second viewing was taking him along the following week as that was the soonest they could fit me in . The third viewing was 6 weeks later after we got the survey back . We needed to go and see if the red flagged things were as bad as the survey made out, what we could do ourselves at a later date and what we needed a builder in for . Hence an essential 3rd viewing . It was on this visit and we had given them 10 days notice we were coming so plenty of time to get a mop out and buy some poo bags for the garden …that we noticed it had really gone downhill. I’m not apologising for a 3 rd viewing , thank goodness I did

Good luck with the new house purchase, it sounds lovely.

Absolutely no apology required OP.
I purchased an old house that had been rented for 15 years and 6 students managed to leave it in a half decent condition.

You don't owe anyone an apology for backing out of a filthy house.

The cost of materials have doubled since Covid, so re doing a huge amount of work could cost you way more than you think.

A few friends of mine are doing long awaited house extensions and the costs are eye-watering.

I really hope you get this lovely new house.

I am a similar age and life is too precious to be cleaning up other people's mess while paying through the nose for it.

Absolutely the right call OP. Glad you've found something more suitable - good luck with it all!