Buyer wants a price reduction after survey

[HouseDrama2026]

i ve named changed for this

We accepted an offer on our house earlier this year and took it off the market. The house had been listed for a while - it s a large family home in a more expensive price bracket, so not attracting tens of viewings.

They’ve now come back after their survey wanting a price reduction. I do understand surveys can throw up things, but I’m honestly frustrated because the property was priced with the age and condition in mind.

There are issues mentioned (roof, leaks, electric, and the survey feels quite heavy-handed in the context of what is, in reality, an older 1970s house.

We think they’re overreacting and trying it on. I m feel like we should walk away, but so much time invested already. If we relist, there is no guarantee that the same think wont happen again. Everything is taking forever and it s absolutely depressing. I feel so angry that it s also maybe clouding my judgement.

Yes, "angry and upset" isn"t really the appropriate emotional response to your house being down valued by a few quid? DH is a liability to the business transaction here IMO, too emotional, do not let this buyer slip away, I think houses will be much harder to sell with AB as PM.

thanks everyone.

why will AB as PM make things harder?

Because his social justice warrior persona is going to piss off the bond market and drive up mortgage rates (As if Iran and the unwinding of the Japan "carry trade" wasn"t going to do that already)

Glad you feel a bit less emotional about it now.
i would really urge you to get things priced up so you can assess whether your DH’s £5k is reasonable.
If so, you share that info with the buyer to give them reassurance.
if not bite their hand off and run!

Iv accepted an offer on my bungalow at £10.000 below the asking price.
The buyers surveyor is coming today . Am I being unreasonable to think because I've accepted a lower offer..and so saving them £10.000....they shouldnt try and negotiate over a bigger reduction should there be any minor problems ?

@pestowithwalnuts Unless there is something major in the survey I'd tell them to take a hike. BUT - you cant say you have "saved" them £10k. They offered what they think it's worth, you've presumably accepted because you dont have other offers. A property is only worth what someone is willing to pay, so you have saved them nothing.

No I don’t think so

Houses that are “lived in” usually means owners have not maintained them as they should have done. It’s not a virtue to do this and expect a buyer to pay over the odds for neglect. I don’t understand why owners don’t fix their own properties - for them. For their peace of mind and to protect their investment. It’s just very odd to get so upset when selling because it’s obviously going to be the subject of negotiation on price. If the house eat tip top, it would not be. DH should have dipped in his pocket much sooner.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/bond-market-punishes-burnham-s-fiscal-flexibility-as-uk-yields-hit-g7-high/ar-AA28nUXO

Not really, the asking price isn"t really a gauge of value, if you refuse some further smaller price discounts they might get pissed off and buy something else which could be even cheaper.

I think it’s easy to get hung up on asking price. Ultimately we don’t know how much we’ll get for our property until offers come in.

asking prices are just what the agent tells you they think it’s worth and they have an agenda to inflating to get your business.

you aren’t giving them money off anything. You never had the asking price on the table.

if the survey highlights issues that’s a separate issue.

and here is the problem for us - our EA thinks he has a better handle on the value than the buyer s surveyor. He has said so many times.

i don t know what to think anymore. Everyone is growing resentful, and it is painful. We are going to lose out on our onward purchase if we don't accept, but accepting will shrink what we can afford (we re too old to borrow much).

Is the EA going to buy your house? If not start ignoring them and taking proper market signals from the "market" (i.e you buyer, or do you have more than one offer?)

they ve come back with an improved offer, above their previous one, which was above valuation, but still way below what DH will accept. I actually feel bitter about his lack of flexibility.

We ve turned them down now and will relist later this year, hoping for a better outcome.

thank you to everyone who advised.

Good news with the higher offer, bad news with waiting until later this year, what do you hope to achieve by that? There might be a miracle and Iran plays ball with Trump, and Japan doesn"t raise rates throwing the bond market into chaos and AB creates a massive boom in the UK economy, but I fear the opposite will actually happen.

its a shame it’s not worked out op! Im sorry…

Hope it works out for you next time, OP. Fingers crossed . I don't blame you at all for feeling a bit cheesed off.

Sorry it didn’t work out OP.

So your dh wants above actual valuation? Buyers offered do, but still not enough dh? Despite the house having roof issues? Dh thinks it'll be 5k and this was your only offer in 8 month... doesnt add up really op. Our roof tiles were replaced at a cost of 15k, two years ago. Semi, not in London. Your dh needs to face a bit of reality. Or, repair it yourselves. Or, dont sell.

This. It’s a tough market and your husband is going to regret this most likely

Yep, future offers are not going to match this one IMO.