Moving house advice

[Long slender neck]

You're right, i just needed to calm down a bit i think.

Its just irritating because I don't believe any problems have actually been found, its all arse covering maybes and commonly found type stuff.

They're wining against you. They have got inside your head and are making you anxious and wanting it all to end ASAP.

Take back control. Set a deadline. What is their best offer. Are they in or are they out? Remember it's a buyers market.

Buyers market?

[Max B Gold]

You're right, i just needed to calm down a bit i think.

Its just irritating because I don't believe any problems have actually been found, its all arse covering maybes and commonly found type stuff.

They're wining against you. They have got inside your head and are making you anxious and wanting it all to end ASAP.

Take back control. Set a deadline. What is their best offer. Are they in or are they out? Remember it's a buyers market.

Buyers market?

Truth is son, its a sellers market. They can't afford to pick and choose.

[Long slender neck]

They should be grateful I'm even selling them my house and not renting it to them.

[CEB2ElectricBoogaloo]

Honestly you’re gonna have a load of ball ache either way, it’s best to just let them do all the surveys they want.
A lot of the surveyors will not actually look all that closely anyway. It’ll cover both your arses so it’s worth letting them do it

[Hoover Attack]

Exactly - as long as it's not falling down, it'll just be a cursory glance listing all the standard potential issues that there could ever be.

[Long slender neck]

A 'full structural survey' has already been done- which took them all of half an hour, but laughably it appears to mainly say 'get someone else to check xyz'

Not in my interest to point out that their survey was a load of rubbish

[StillSpike]

We recently sold my parents house in Dunmow, as Mum passed a couple of years ago and we've moved Dad to a care home near my sister, so there was no need to keep it on.

The sellers twatted about quite a bit - the house certainly needed quite some upgrading and modernisation - and negotiated a lower price based on a quite reasonable survey. Things progressed, Then, they came back wanting a structural survey to visit, because the conservatory had a couple of settlement cracks (I'm 90% certain they intend to demolish it anyway as it's a really old conservatory and would be much better rebuilt as a sun-room). We agreed to the survey and low and behold they came back with that lovely word "subsidence" and wanted a further reduction to reflect "the risk and additional cost". By this time we were so far into the process we agreed to the reduction and the sale went through, cash completed etc etc.

A few weeks later we got a request from them to know who the house had been insured with. It turns out that they couldn't find any insurance company to cover them because their surveyor had re-branded "settlement cracks" as "subsidence" so they could get a few bob off the price.

How we laughed.

[Max B Gold]

When I sold one of my houses I had the buyer send in surveyors, roof guys, woodworm and structural engineers etc.

The buyer came back and was banging on about the woodworm. But I had an insurance policy for it as it had been treated. I got the woodworm guys to come out and got a new survey stating the woodworm was dormant.

The buyer was a senior banker type and was totally a see you next Tuesday. They dragged it out for a while making low ball offers which we rejected until finally I told him what we were willing to accept and they agreed it. Job done. Dosh in bank.

Mortgage free on the next property and the debt chord attached to the capitalist regime was severed.

It's a painful process but you just have to be clear about what you want and be firm with buyers.

The fact that my buyer was so thorough was because he wanted it and we knew that worked in our favour. Sounds like your buyer is similar.

[LittleMate]

When I sold one of my houses I had the buyer send in surveyors, roof guys, woodworm and structural engineers etc.

The buyer came back and was banging on about the woodworm. But I had an insurance policy for it as it had been treated. I got the woodworm guys to come out and got a new survey stating the woodworm was dormant.

The buyer was a senior banker type and was totally a see you next Tuesday. They dragged it out for a while making low ball offers which we rejected until finally I told him what we were willing to accept and they agreed it. Job done. Dosh in bank.

Mortgage free on the next property and the debt chord attached to the capitalist regime was severed.

It's a painful process but you just have to be clear about what you want and be firm with buyers.

The fact that my buyer was so thorough was because he wanted it and we knew that worked in our favour. Sounds like your buyer is similar.

Easy to be a leftie when you have a few quid!!!!

[Admin]

The buyer of our house had a survey but now wants a bunch of further ' specialist' surveys or quotes done, with a view to knocking down the price i presume. They sent a roofer round who didnt really even know why he'd been sent. Should I allow this?

What exactly do they want surveyed?

Structural surveys always have recommendations in them. Mainly to cover the surveyors arse against potential litigation from an unhappy buyer further down the line. That being said, a full structural survey on an average 3 bed house should take a couple of hours at least.

[Hoover Attack]

Easy to be a leftie

It's really not.

[Adz]

The buyer of our house had a survey but now wants a bunch of further ' specialist' surveys or quotes done, with a view to knocking down the price i presume. They sent a roofer round who didnt really even know why he'd been sent. Should I allow this?

What exactly do they want surveyed?

Structural surveys always have recommendations in them. Mainly to cover the surveyors arse against potential litigation from an unhappy buyer further down the line. That being said, a full structural survey on an average 3 bed house should take a couple of hours at least.

In my experience these surveys are a waste of time, they're not allowed to dig to check foundations, or go inside, go on the roof, etc. It's just a visual which they make as vague as possible to cover themselves.

[Long slender neck]

The buyer of our house had a survey but now wants a bunch of further ' specialist' surveys or quotes done, with a view to knocking down the price i presume. They sent a roofer round who didnt really even know why he'd been sent. Should I allow this?

What exactly do they want surveyed?

Structural surveys always have recommendations in them. Mainly to cover the surveyors arse against potential litigation from an unhappy buyer further down the line. That being said, a full structural survey on an average 3 bed house should take a couple of hours at least.

They want timber and damp contractor to check if our ground floor is solid or timber and if it isnt solid quote for air vents. Anyone can tell its solid.

They want someone to look at the fireplace too, which we had a burner fitted into some years ago. Again, not necessary.

[Max B Gold]

When I sold one of my houses I had the buyer send in surveyors, roof guys, woodworm and structural engineers etc.

The buyer came back and was banging on about the woodworm. But I had an insurance policy for it as it had been treated. I got the woodworm guys to come out and got a new survey stating the woodworm was dormant.

The buyer was a senior banker type and was totally a see you next Tuesday. They dragged it out for a while making low ball offers which we rejected until finally I told him what we were willing to accept and they agreed it. Job done. Dosh in bank.

Mortgage free on the next property and the debt chord attached to the capitalist regime was severed.

It's a painful process but you just have to be clear about what you want and be firm with buyers.

The fact that my buyer was so thorough was because he wanted it and we knew that worked in our favour. Sounds like your buyer is similar.

Easy to be a leftie when you have a few quid!!!!

When I had no money I was also a Leftist but I get your point. Its easier to challenge the system when you are not dependent on it and shackled to debt and wage slavery

[Max B Gold]

The buyer of our house had a survey but now wants a bunch of further ' specialist' surveys or quotes done, with a view to knocking down the price i presume. They sent a roofer round who didnt really even know why he'd been sent. Should I allow this?

What exactly do they want surveyed?

Structural surveys always have recommendations in them. Mainly to cover the surveyors arse against potential litigation from an unhappy buyer further down the line. That being said, a full structural survey on an average 3 bed house should take a couple of hours at least.

They want timber and damp contractor to check if our ground floor is solid or timber and if it isnt solid quote for air vents. Anyone can tell its solid.

They want someone to look at the fireplace too, which we had a burner fitted into some years ago. Again, not necessary.

Relax. Let them. A few airbricks don't cost much and if there is no damp or rot then if they want air bricks they pay.

These small matters aren't deal breakers but you should communicate to them via your agent that you're getting a bit tired of all this and may re-market if things don't move forward quicker. I assume you have agreed a price.

[Long slender neck]

You cant have airbricks with a solid concrete floor though can you?

[Max B Gold]

You cant have airbricks with a solid concrete floor though can you?

You can have them but you don't need them. I would be more worried about having a concrete floor.

[Long slender neck]

I don't know if its concrete but it is solid. Whats wrong with that?

[Max B Gold]

Hang on. A minute a go you said you had a concrete floor, and now it's disappeared. No wonder the buyers are boxing clever on a movable feast of a deal.

Nothing wrong with a concrete/solid/imaginary floor but it's not the luxury one gets from a sprung timber one.

[BoniO]

Let the buyers come in with jack-hammers to dig up sample trenches in the concrete slab and investigate the damp course below it. This will almost inevitably cause cracks to appear in your walls but these can easily be repaired and re-plastered/decorated. You'll end up with a house in pristine decorative state and able to put it back on the market around July next year!

[Admin]

The buyer of our house had a survey but now wants a bunch of further ' specialist' surveys or quotes done, with a view to knocking down the price i presume. They sent a roofer round who didnt really even know why he'd been sent. Should I allow this?

What exactly do they want surveyed?

Structural surveys always have recommendations in them. Mainly to cover the surveyors arse against potential litigation from an unhappy buyer further down the line. That being said, a full structural survey on an average 3 bed house should take a couple of hours at least.

They want timber and damp contractor to check if our ground floor is solid or timber and if it isnt solid quote for air vents. Anyone can tell its solid.

They want someone to look at the fireplace too, which we had a burner fitted into some years ago. Again, not necessary.

Can’t see these being required by a lender so they’re either very cautious buyers or they’ll be looking for reasons to chip the price.

As Max has said, set them a deadline to get everything sorted and proceed or alternatively the house goes back on the market.

[Long slender neck]

Today they've said they'll soon send me an outline of all the quotes they've had so we can agree on how much to give her off for all the checks and repairs.

They're going to be disappointed

[CEB2ElectricBoogaloo]

Yep. All you have to do is say “this is the amount I’m willing to accept” and be prepared to walk away.

[Adz]

Is the housing market that weak in the UK that you only have one interested buyer?

[Max B Gold]

Today they've said they'll soon send me an outline of all the quotes they've had so we can agree on how much to give her off for all the checks and repairs.

They're going to be disappointed

Whilst it would be deeply satisfying to tell them to FRO its worth bearing in mind that there has to be some negotiation. Don't cut off your nose to spite your face.

As my great friend CEB and others have said. Tell them what you are willing to accept and be prepared to lose the sale.