Hi,
We have a sale going through on our house - our first set of buyers pulled out on exchange day with no good reason The new buyers had their survey done on Wednesday and they had the full super duper survey - he was here for ages! When the surveyor had finished, I asked him how it went and he said that their was a small problem in the loft that there was no fire wall at one side in the roof void, he said that its quite common in terraced houses, but he also said that there was nothing that should stop the sale from going through. I did notice however, his damp probe turning red a few times so I'm worried about this - we had damp proof work done in the lounge 3 years ago, the dining room and kitchen were ok then but it went red in the dining room this time. I'm worried sick just waiting for the report to come back - I think after the failed sale, I'm expecting things to go wrong again:rolleyes: My husband's builder freind is coming to build the fire wall in loft space this week (the first day it rains) so that will be sorted. Has anyone else sold recently and what happens when survey comes back?

Thanks

Hayley x

Hi Hayley,

I've not sold recently I'm afraid but I would think that if the damp readings were a problem, the surveyor would have told you.  After all, he did say he hadn't found anything to stop the sale going through didn't he?  Very bad luck with your first buyers - dreadful when people do things like that and it must have cost them a fair bit of money too.  Having gone through an experience like that, I'm not surprised you are on edge about this sale.  Hope all turns out well. :)

Hi Hayley
We finally exchanged contracts on Wednesday and complete on 2nd June - WHOOPEEEE!!!   They made the offer 3 months ago and it all seemed to take forever.  The surveyor (who incidentally broke a bed whilst looking in the loft and then denied it) found a few problems.  We agreed with the buyers that we'd sort them out and have done. 
I would have thought that if the surveyor reports that there is damp, then you will have the choice of having it fixed and supplying the buyers with a guarantee, or reducing the price by the amount it would cost to sort it.  However some buyers are wimps and if they've never bought an older property, will be frightened off by any problems.
Keeping my fingers crossed for you, I know just how awful this time is.

Hi ridgielover,

The surveyor who came here tore my wallpaper on landing getting into the loft:rolleyes: How long did it take until you got results from the survey? Our last buyers had a normal survey which came back fine I assume, because they got their mortgage offer and didn't mention the survey to us. Good luck with your move.

Hayley

Hi Hayley
I
think it took about a week or so for the purchasers to get the results of the survey, I'm not sure just what type of survey it was, I wasn't in the house when they did it.

We are just about to go and move some of the furniture - in the pooring rain - as we already have the other house.  It will be wonderful when it is all over.  Have you found something you want to buy yet?

Best of luck

Yes, were all ready to exchange and complete with new house but needs funds from this sale to go ahead.....were moving to a 2 year old 3 bed semi not far from where we are now...............sellers are getting quite understandably impatient now as they accepted our offer at the beginning of January when we first accepted offer on our's. It's been a nightmare and is making me ill.

Hayley

We have sold and are buying. The sale went smoothly, in about 6 weeks all was done but the buy -well it's been 15 weeks now and the solicitor says it can still take months. A lot will have to do with whether  a mortgage is required and what the mortgage lender expects. In our case, we only need a small mortgage as the sale will pay for 2/3 of the purchase price but the problem they found with the house that we are buying (which isn't an actual PROBLEM at all, it is just a case of the owner of some nearby land having to sign a contract saying we have the right to access our water pipes under his land should we need to) -made the bank say they will NOT release the money until it is all 100 % solved, hence the delay. WHY it should take months to get a paper signed nobody seems to know........ (We're having to rent for my mother in law -it's her house we've sold- until we can buy as there was no way the buyer would wait several more months to move in.)

Normally, if the survey turns up a problem, the seller will have to put it right before the sale goes through.

Oh, the problems this sort of dispute with land can give! A friend wanted to buy a property with this sort of thing, there was a farmhouse, then two cottages. The water went to the farmhouse, then onto the cottages. (They wanted a cottage which had a bit of land but not where the pipe ran) The farmhouse and cottages was owned by a man, the ground was owned by his sister. (A family inheritance split) She wanted to be payed out for right of access, and that was the position 6 weeks later when my friend, having firm buyers for her house, had to pull out and look elsewhere.

I would say the reason for this delay is either he wanted, or had someone he knew interested in the place, or he wants money for access, he fell out with the people you are buying from and wants to make life difficult, or hes just one of these people that just likes to make life difficult! After all, he dosent have to give you right of access. really, the estate agent selling should have sorted this one before it came to sale. Where is the meter to your new house?

I would say the reason for this delay is either he wanted, or had someone he knew interested in the place, or he wants money for access, he fell out with the people you are buying from and wants to make life difficult, or hes just one of these people that just likes to make life difficult! After all, he dosent have to give you right of access. really, the estate agent selling should have sorted this one before it came to sale. Where is the meter to your new house?

No, the landowner has agreed verbally to the access and is perfectly happy to sign papers saying so for no fee.........but it is all the legal paperwork which for some reason is taking so long. :rolleyes: It's ridiculous.

The meter is 2 fields away up by the main road.

That totally depends on your buyer Hayley. My last buyer was a trying soul who tried to get money off the price even though the survey only pointed out those faults I told him about when he was viewing the house. Then you have buyers like me, who expect a house to have a few warts. If the survey comes back with large problems you can always negotiate with the buyer. It doesn't have to be a deal killer. If the problem is minor and the buyer is commited and a decent person (well, she's a lab lover so there's hope for that!) then she'll be reasonable. I hope it all works out well for you.

At least you have sold before HIP packs come into act - now there is a money making disaster waiting to happen!

I feel feint just thinking about it :rolleyes:

Goldmali, why can't you have the meter by the house? just asking, because we had this question when we moved here, the water pipe is across our field, then under the road, and on the verge. being responsible for it from the meter, we are a bit concerned should we have to have the road up! The water board told us the meter has to be on our boundary, I was just wondering if the same could be for you? May be eaiser to get them to put on a new meter than wait, you are only responsible for water from the meter to your house. (Well, thats what we are told anyway)

Like you, if this chap is happy to allow access I can't see why it should take so long, but maybe it has to be put in the deeds, and if he is mortgaged his provider may be dragging their feet?

Really? Well this is worth looking into, thanks! Nobody has said anything about that!!

Well, dont know if different water boards have different policies, or how your pipe system works. Some older farm properties have the mains water meter and pipe to the farm house, then a pipe leads off this to the farm cottages, the way the old water rates worked I think, or the cottages may have been classed with the farm buildings. This would mean either you have to agree a percentage price with the farmhouse owner, or there is a secondary meter fitted that you can check to see how much is used by you, but the bill goes to him and you both work out the cost of what you have used.

if you have the main meter, and dont follow this system I have described, then certainly here the meter would be placed on your boundary, and you are only responsible for water that passes your meter. I suppose the only time complications could set in would be any agreements made when the pipes were put in, but your solicitor should know of this with the searches.

Good Luck! :)

Well we called the water board to enquire as it was a brilliant idea. :) Yes we do have the main meter. Unforturnately the water board said they would not move it as it is so far from the house, they would have done it had it been closer. The pipes don't have anything to do with the farmers, they just happen to be situated under their fields. So we'll just have to keep waiting for the paperwork.

Ok, dont take this as read, contact the water ombusman. I think they are trying it on. Only using us as an example, but we wanted the meter on our side of the road, as we didnt want to have to pay to close the road, have it dug up etc should there be a leak under the road in our bit of pipe. So, they came out, but when they got to our side with the new meter they said they couldnt get the levels right to place the meter, so it had to go back. We were told then that the meter 'should be' on our boundary. We wanted it at the house, but they said they only had a legal obligation to take it to the boundary and no furthur. So, I take that as being the meter should be at your boundary. Try it, may be quicker than waiting and at the end of the day,even if you get this permission to go across the land for maintenance,  if they have a legal obligation to place the meter at your boundary its a lot less pipe for you to have to maintain.

How do I find the ombudsman, is there one for each water board or just one? I Googled and came up with OFWAT, not sure if that is it? We'd definitely like to look in to this, and many thanks for all your help, it's very much appreciated!!

I think thats it, its on your water bill, I think! God Im useful tonight lol....but what you have said sounds right. I'll have a look for our water bill, I know the details and how to go about a complaint is on there. Its one ombudsman for all. Its got to be worth a try, putting new pipe in is expensive, as we found out, but not as expensive as a leak! Our water board allow you one, as in when the bill comes in and its huge they will come out and find it for you free of charge, and adjust your bill based on the last 12 mths readings, but they will only do that for the bill once. The trouble with a leak is that very often you dont see it (as in wet ground) until a lot of water has passed through. We had so many in the old pipe that is was eaiser to replace it, even with hubby doing it, and borrowing a mini digger, itwas expensve.But not as expensive as the water bills........;)