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Damp Survey

  • 04-06-2010 12:45pm
    #1
    Winty
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,033 ✭✭✭


    Hi

    I am selling and old Victorian flat over in London.
    I got an offer from a buyer and I accepted.

    They sent around a damp proofing company to carry out a survey and they found damp that will cost £1,200 to repair.
    The buyer wants me to pay the cost or the deal falls.

    I argue that the company who carrier out the survey has a vested interest in finding a problem as they carried out the report in the hope to gain work.
    I have told the buyer that I will only accept the report if it’s carried out by a surveyor that is paid for his time and does not carry out the repair works.

    Am I correct?

    Can I refuse to accept the survey even when their solicitor says I have to as the company is registered with the buyer’s insurance company and have all relevant professional qualifications?


Comments

  • #2
    slimjimmc
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,786 ✭✭✭slimjimmc


    Why can't you refuse if you want? Have contracts been signed which say you must accept their reports?
    However the buyer can refuse to proceed with the purchase if he's not happy.

    It'll fall to a battle of wits. If you want to sell badly enough then you get the survey done by a mutually acceptable surveyor and fix any problems. If the buyer wants to buy bad enough he'll do the same. Are you really willing to forfeit the sale over a mere £1,200 (probably less than 1mths rent in a London bedsit) when the economic climate makes it a buyer's market.


  • #3
    Farcear
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 618 ✭✭✭Farcear


    Winty wrote: »
    I got an offer from a buyer and I accepted.

    Did the 'offer' include a provision that a damp survey would be carried out and that the vendor would pay the repair costs? If not, it's not part of the contract and you don't have to pay.

    However, technical legal issues aren't really important here. As slimjimmc says, it's a complete buyer's market at the moment and, in fairness, we're only talking about £1,200 on a property transaction.

    I'd your best bet would be to get SEVERAL quotes from various accredited professionals, see who is offering the best value and then hire them to do the work. You could save yourself some money that way and the buyer can hardly complain as long as the work is done to a decent standard, which is all he or she really cares about in the first place.


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