The nervous wait to exchange....

[Bounce]

Been told the electrician has found minor defects with the electrics and will be £600-800 to repair.

I haven't got the full report yet so don't know any further details... has anyone had something similar, where defects have been found with the house they are buying?

 

[b0rn2sk8]

£600-£800 doesn’t sound like a minor defect unless there is a shed load of them.

Either way you have four options:
Do nothing
Use the full report to try and negotiate a discount.
Pay for the repairs yourself when you complete
Do the repairs yourself if the law allows.

To be honest, I wouldn’t go into a negotiation this late in the day expecting a discount for £600-£800 of ‘minor defects’. You have way to much £ invested to pull out over such a small value on a multi £X00,000 purchase and as a seller I know that.

It would be different if it was a dangerous install or needed a full re-wire costing a few £Xk.

 

[Robi]

The building survey report landed yesterday and it makes for grim reading. It's looking like we may need to pull out.

An accumulation of many different issues, topped off by a catastrophic one (at least in my eyes). The extension which was formally the garage and is now the kitchen, does not meet current building regs and is technically not habitable. It's built out of a single skin of brickwork, with missing sections or no insulation at all, missing timber inside and possibly no fireproofing. This is suitable for a garage or store area but not a habitable area such as a kitchen. The surveyor has indicated that the property would not be a suitable purchase if the extension doesn't have planning permission, which unfortunately it doesn't. Searches revealed no planning permission a few weeks back, but I honestly didn't expect there to be serious construction issues also.

Aside from the obvious issues with our mortgage offer, I'm not sure how we can even proceed forward. It'll immediately need the kitchen ripping out and then structural changes of some sort made to ensure it meets current building regs so it can be deemed habitable. This combined with all the other issues, such as a flat roof that needs replacing immediately, damp in various rooms, lintel replacements, re-pointing and failed glazing, I just don't think it's worthwhile pushing on. We'll stand to lose about £1k if we pull out now.

 

[2004typer]

The building survey report landed yesterday and it makes for grim reading. It's looking like we may need to pull out.

An accumulation of many different issues, topped off by a catastrophic one (at least in my eyes). The extension which was formally the garage and is now the kitchen, does not meet current building regs and is technically not habitable. It's built out of a single skin of brickwork, with missing sections or no insulation at all, missing timber inside and possibly no fireproofing. This is suitable for a garage or store area but not a habitable area such as a kitchen. The surveyor has indicated that the property would not be a suitable purchase if the extension doesn't have planning permission, which unfortunately it doesn't. Searches revealed no planning permission a few weeks back, but I honestly didn't expect there to be serious construction issues also.

Aside from the obvious issues with our mortgage offer, I'm not sure how we can even proceed forward. It'll immediately need the kitchen ripping out and then structural changes of some sort made to ensure it meets current building regs so it can be deemed habitable. This combined with all the other issues, such as a flat roof that needs replacing immediately, damp in various rooms, lintel replacements, re-pointing and failed glazing, I just don't think it's worthwhile pushing on. We'll stand to lose about £1k if we pull out now.

Sounds like a disaster - was the work done by the current owner? Would ring alarm bells for me about the standard of any work elsewhere if they had no regard for the garage conversion.

 

[Bounce]

The building survey report landed yesterday and it makes for grim reading. It's looking like we may need to pull out.

An accumulation of many different issues, topped off by a catastrophic one (at least in my eyes). The extension which was formally the garage and is now the kitchen, does not meet current building regs and is technically not habitable. It's built out of a single skin of brickwork, with missing sections or no insulation at all, missing timber inside and possibly no fireproofing. This is suitable for a garage or store area but not a habitable area such as a kitchen. The surveyor has indicated that the property would not be a suitable purchase if the extension doesn't have planning permission, which unfortunately it doesn't. Searches revealed no planning permission a few weeks back, but I honestly didn't expect there to be serious construction issues also.

Aside from the obvious issues with our mortgage offer, I'm not sure how we can even proceed forward. It'll immediately need the kitchen ripping out and then structural changes of some sort made to ensure it meets current building regs so it can be deemed habitable. This combined with all the other issues, such as a flat roof that needs replacing immediately, damp in various rooms, lintel replacements, re-pointing and failed glazing, I just don't think it's worthwhile pushing on. We'll stand to lose about £1k if we pull out now.

Ouch that does sound pretty bad.

Had you noticed the damp issues, re-pointing and the failed glazing during the viewings? I would have though those would be easy to spot.

 

[mid_gen]

Been told the electrician has found minor defects with the electrics and will be £600-800 to repair.

I haven't got the full report yet so don't know any further details... has anyone had something similar, where defects have been found with the house they are buying?

I got £1500 knocked off my purchase, for various things that came up on the surveys.

You can put it through as an 'allowance' on the transaction, so all the paperwork and mortgage stuff stays the same, the buyer's solicitor just holds back that amount at completion.

Up to you to negotiate though. If you're not buying a new build then I don't think it's reasonable to expect everything to be perfect. Things will need fixing.

 

[Bounce]

I got £1500 knocked off my purchase, for various things that came up on the surveys.

You can put it through as an 'allowance' on the transaction, so all the paperwork and mortgage stuff stays the same, the buyer's solicitor just holds back that amount at completion.

Up to you to negotiate though. If you're not buying a new build then I don't think it's reasonable to expect everything to be perfect. Things will need fixing.

was the £1,500 all electrician issues?

The house is old, built in the 1940's, I'd say in the grand scheme of things £600-£800 is not a lot of money. We paid more in solicitors costs alone.

 

[Robi]

Sounds like a disaster - was the work done by the current owner? Would ring alarm bells for me about the standard of any work elsewhere if they had no regard for the garage conversion.

Not by the current owners. This alone raises more questions as surely the searches conducted when the current owners purchased the house would clearly show no planning permission? I guess the construction issues could be missed if they opted for a homebuyers report rather than a building survey like we did. However, this house has an extension, why wouldn't you opt for a building survey?

Ouch that does sound pretty bad.

Had you noticed the damp issues, re-pointing and the failed glazing during the viewings? I would have though those would be easy to spot.

We missed most of it which I'll chalk down to experience as we're new to this entire process. However, the damp issues were picked up by an electronic reading from specific walls, not from obvious patches of moisture or smells, so I'm not sure how anyone would notice this anyway. The re-pointing and failed glazing yes (single window), we accept those as mistakes on our part.

 

[Bounce]

Not by the current owners. This alone raises more questions as surely the searches conducted when the current owners purchased the house would clearly show no planning permission? I guess the construction issues could be missed if they opted for a homebuyers report rather than a building survey like we did. However, this house has an extension, why wouldn't you opt for a building survey?



We missed most of it which I'll chalk down to experience as we're new to this entire process. However, the damp issues were picked up by an electronic reading from specific walls, not from obvious patches of moisture or smells, so I'm not sure how anyone would notice this anyway. The re-pointing and failed glazing yes (single window), we accept those as mistakes on our part.

Fair enough,

In terms of the extension how big is it in proportion to the size of the property? is it single story?

The reason I ask is not all extensions require planning permission.

 

[Robi]

Fair enough,

In terms of the extension how big is it in proportion to the size of the property? is it single story?

The reason I ask is not all extensions require planning permission.

Yes, the extension is a single story with a flat roof (which unfortunately looks like it needs replacing). The surveyor believes it does need planning permission as the use of the room was changed from non-habitable into a habitable room i.e. garage/store area > kitchen. The sellers have an indemity policy in place for the extension, which validates the fact that planning permission was likely needed (why would this policy exist otherwise?).

 

[Bounce]

Yes, the extension is a single story with a flat roof (which unfortunately looks like it needs replacing). The surveyor believes it does need planning permission as the use of the room was changed from non-habitable into a habitable room i.e. garage/store area > kitchen. The sellers have an indemity policy in place for the extension, which validates the fact that planning permission was likely needed (why would this policy exist otherwise?).

I see, if it was me I'd be first looking to re-negotiate with the seller tell them you found these major issues and you want the property for a considerable lower price, but even then there would be no guarantee that the approval would be granted from the local authority in which case it maybe better to pull out altogether. Sounds like a nightmare, unfortunately

 

[Robi]

I see, if it was me I'd be first looking to re-negotiate with the seller tell them you found these major issues and you want the property for a considerable lower price, but even then there would be no guarantee that the approval would be granted from the local authority in which case it maybe better to pull out altogether. Sounds like a nightmare, unfortunately

Exactly! It's all well and good trying to negotiate a reduced price to account for the remedial works, but if the kitchen is technically not a habitable room because it doesn't meet current building regs, then that would surely result in the mortgage offer being invalid, so we can't proceed anyway.

 

[Bounce]

Exactly! It's all well and good trying to negotiate a reduced price to account for the remedial works, but if the kitchen is technically not a habitable room because it doesn't meet current building regs, then that would surely result in the mortgage offer being invalid, so we can't proceed anyway.

I would still tell them, so at least they know that it hasn't been done correctly.

 

[toshj]

Exactly! It's all well and good trying to negotiate a reduced price to account for the remedial works, but if the kitchen is technically not a habitable room because it doesn't meet current building regs, then that would surely result in the mortgage offer being invalid, so we can't proceed anyway.

Don't be afraid of pulling out. That £1k you'll have lost will pale in significance to the financial and emotional cost of the renovation - because you're not unlikely to find more issues once you rip back some of the work in order to re-do. Also, you'll think to yourself "I'm so glad we dodged that bullet" when you do find the perfect property for you. Every time I've pulled out of buying a property, or missed out on it, I've found something better not long after.

 

[mid_gen]

was the £1,500 all electrician issues?

The house is old, built in the 1940's, I'd say in the grand scheme of things £600-£800 is not a lot of money. We paid more in solicitors costs alone.

Didn't have any electric issues. There was just a variety of things that need doing, soffits, repointing, collar ties. Had to get structural engineer survey, drain survey etc.

I wouldn't have expected to get a reduction of 100% for any of them, but as a whole I felt like some reduction was warranted, and we went back and forth a bit before settling on 1500.

 

[mid_gen]

I see, if it was me I'd be first looking to re-negotiate with the seller tell them you found these major issues and you want the property for a considerable lower price, but even then there would be no guarantee that the approval would be granted from the local authority in which case it maybe better to pull out altogether. Sounds like a nightmare, unfortunately

More than a considerably low price. I wouldn't touch a house that had been bodged together like that unless it was a massive discount....like twice the cost of the remediation work.

 

[mid_gen]

Just been mooching about the new place today.

Discovered that the 'log store' in the back garden...was not a log store. Turns out I am the proud owner of a real brick ****house

 

[Macstorm]

Just been mooching about the new place today.

Discovered that the 'log store' in the back garden...was not a log store. Turns out I am the proud owner of a real brick ****house

Always thought extra toilets add value to the house...

 

[fastwunz]

No I have the contract, deeds and transfer of land registry in my hands. Completion date was scheduled for this Friday subject me to handing these documents before the Friday.

As for deposit well its not been paid yet either.

Sorry I think you are therefore mixing up exchange and completion?

 

[Bounce]

Sorry I think you are therefore mixing up exchange and completion?

Nope exchange and completion will occur on the same day, we are not in a chain and the house we are moving into is empty.