House electrical inspection

[bondy]

more to the point, how comes you got a survey done bryan?
the surveyer is only doing his job. and correctly if there is no up to date pir. imho, for what its worth.

 

[dingbat]

I'd have to agree. Surveyors do not generally have specialist knowledge - their job is to flag up areas which require further investigation. Regardless of who has paid for the survey, the man is only doing his job.

Incidentally, although the Home Information Pack will not be required until July next year, you can voluntarily provide one now. If you're serious about selling it's not an entirely bad idea.

 

[bondy]

another valid point.

 

[dingbat]

... but you dont know that the surveyor works with the bloke who's buying my house so Im worried they might be exagerating things just to get money off...

The consequences for a chartered surveyor of doing anything like this are livelihood-threatening; this is a serious allegation. If there was such collaboration I very much doubt that a surveyor would pick an area in which he probably has little expertise for further scrutiny. This is an entirely normal survey comment and I'm sure you'll find he is just protecting his client's interests.

But if you genuinely believe this is what's happening you can report the matter to the surveyor's professional body - the RICS or RSVA.

 

[Shift]

That would be fair comment but things have developed since then. It turns out that the potential buyer only had ,as I suspected, a valuation done and not a comprehensive survey as he told me. I asked for a copy of the survey which I eventually got and thats when I found out it was only a valuation. On the valuation it says that it is advised that reports are obtained for just about everything(roof,damp,timber etc)not just electrics. I cannot understand why this valuation would suggest this as I have remortgaged twice before and nothing was mentioned in either valuation and everything is still in good condition. Also on the valuation it says value before and after the reports is the same but someone had wrote on subject to reports. I know some of you think the surveyor is just doing his job but I'm very suspicous, why suggest all these reports when there is no evidence of anything being wrong. Also my dipstick of an estate agent suggested to the buyer that they can get all the reports done for free before even speaking to me,so because neither of us want to pay out it looks like I'm stuck with them. I dont trust these firms that do free reporting as as we all know nothing is for free.

 

[JohnD]

As with so many things, you don't have to sell your house to this buyer if you don't want to.

If he thinks he can have reports done at no cost to himself he will of course be quite happy to ask for them.

You could counter-suggest that if he has a full surveyor's report done at his expense, you will be willing to discuss the cost of any repairs identified as essential during the price negotiations.

You might also consider what any other potential buyers may require, and whether it is worth you starting to assemble the house pack.

 

[dingbat]

It turns out that the potential buyer only had ,as I suspected, a valuation done and not a comprehensive survey as he told me. I asked for a copy of the survey which I eventually got and thats when I found out it was only a valuation. On the valuation it says that it is advised that reports are obtained for just about everything(roof,damp,timber etc)not just electrics.

That is not at all unusual. The valuation is for lending purposes and the surveyor is saying that, yup it's worth the dosh, unless further scrutiny reveals any problems.

I cannot understand why this valuation would suggest this as I have remortgaged twice before and nothing was mentioned in either valuation and everything is still in good condition.

Remortgaging is different. It is not unusual for a drive-by valuation to be accepted in some cases.

Nothing you've said strikes me as all unusual in a house sale. The buyer's solicitor advises a Homebuyer's Report, the buyer opts for a minimum cost mortgage valuation, the surveyor qualifies his valuation and recommends specialist reports, the vendor starts to get the 'ump... an icy silence blankets proceedings, nobody tells anybody anything, people elsewhere in the chain get nervous and start pulling out... Nope, nothing unusual at all.

This is one part of the reasoning behind the Home Information Pack; get it all out in the open right at the start.

 

[Shift]

The trouble is they're first time buyers and I have had my offer excepted on a house other wise I would tell him to stick it where the sun doesn't shine because they definately trying it on.

 

[dingbat]

... they definately trying it on.

As first time buyers they are more likely just trying to save money and muddling through as best they can. Given that the people you are paying (solicitor, estate agent) are unlikely to bother keeping you informed, the best thing you can do is to talk to everybody at very regular intervals. This includes your buyer. Far better to actually understand what is happening than to form conclusions based on assumptions.