Buying a house

[lurker]

I have put an offer for a bungalow that is in a bit of a state.
This was a month ago and even though its been on the market for 6 weeks my offer is still the only sensible one they have had.
I think it is a repossession.
Tomorrow I am off to see my solicitor but want to go informed so I am asking the font of all knowledge that exists here.

I don't intend to have a survey done as it most likely will be gutted.
Lots of work is required but it is essentially trivial in nature.

Questions:
The advert says it had full central heating from a combi boiler: does this mean the CH has to be functional and the vendor has to provide me with documentary evidence. I ask because my son sold his house earlier this year and he had to have the boiler serviced to progress the sale.

Electrics: is the vendor obliged to provide me with a "P" certificate?

I am mentally factoring both (gas and electrics) needing significant work, but the answer to the above might help me in my negotiations with the vendor

 

[Steliz]

If the heating system is not working then the estate agent has a duty to inform you and a P cert is only required if any work has been done by the previous owner that would require it.

 

[sunnybob]

Forget the building, you need a survey of the ground and especially the drains and soakaways.

Those could be hugely expensive projects to correct.

 

[RogerS]

Getting a survey done and gutting it are two completely different things.

You don't say if you are getting a mortgage or not. If you are then the lender will what to send 'their' surveyor round to check it won't fall down as that is ultimately what their security for lending is based on. Also age will be a factor. Also potential nasty things like artex on the ceilings and asbestos therein. Location as well...some properties had bad concrete...I can't recall where. If you're not comfortable assessing the state of things then I'd suggest having some sort of survey or take a tame builder round.

Whether or not you want to know if it's going to fall down etc is a matter of personal preference, your ability to assess whether it's necessary or not. You know things like cracks in the walls letting daylight through :wink:

I've no idea of your experience or skills base. You say that it will be gutted but what do you mean by that ? I gutted a black-and-white cottage and took it back to the bare walls. if you're going that far then the state of the central heating system and electrics is irrelevant.

Lastly don't underestimate just how much stuff costs DAMHIKT. Take something like a bathroom. Rip it out. So that's new bath? New shower...washbasin, toilet. Then you need to budget for the taps. The waste outlets. The shower. Is it going to be a power shower ? Shower tray. Shower screen. Tiles....how fancy do you want to go. Then the cost of tile adhesive....bloody expensive. Then grout. Paint. Lighting....don't forget the Zones for your controls.

Building Control will want to be involved if you do a lot of work. Replastering the external walls comes under them (at least last time I looked ) and they want you to add wall insulation (inside or out).


Good luck !

 

[RogerS]

Forget the building, you need a survey of the ground and especially the drains and soakaways.

Those could be hugely expensive projects to correct.

Is it actually connected to the mains sewerage system ! Or to a septic tank....which may need replacing if it discharges into a stream.

Flood plain? Check out the environment agency website to see the likelihood.

 

[lurker]

Thanks Chaps

I know the housing estate quite well. Houses built in the 70's, a friend lives in the same street. They are well built so have no concerns about the structure.
Its just been neglected for (I would guess) the past 10 years.
There are no environmental concerns nor is it likely to flood

We plan to buy it with our savings, take maybe 9 months to do it up and then sell our current home.

I plan to have my tame plumber check it out for me before we go much further; we plan to relocate the bathroom to another part of the house and are likely to completely replace the CH anyway. But the vendor does not need to know that :wink:

I have knowledge of asbestos and electrics to know what I am looking at.
My sons have bought houses recently and I saw the surveyors reports and the many get out clauses that makes me think they are not worth the paper they are written on.
The only reason I was asking is some wiggle room when I negotiate.

Anything I can claw back goes into my planned super duper workshop fund :lol:

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Location as well...some properties had bad concrete...I can't recall where ...

I can.

 

[RogerS]

Shifting soil pipes (especially internally) can be a real PITA....DAMHIKT. Building Control will have an interest....theoretically :wink:

Replacing the boiler could be a good negotiating point.

What do the electrics look like ? If the vendor is up for it, you could get a sparkie to give it a check and an EIC cert which will tell you what is wrong/needs doing .....another negotiating point.

 

[lurker]

When I go back with my plumber we will look at the drainage route as it will be significant to where we want to relocate the bathroom to.

I have done work on my son’s houses so I have an idea of costs. I am assuming a bungalow is a bit easier to work on than a house.

 

[kevinlightfoot]

Don't trust anyone,especially surveyors,vendors,estate agents or anyone who has anything to do with selling a house,even solicitors will tell you blatant lies! I know from personal experience when I bought my present house three years ago,buyer beware.

 

[lurker]

I have already caught out the estate agents lies hence me looking to negotiate.
The vendor (some company) seems to think they are a special case too.

 

[Woody2Shoes]

I have put an offer for a bungalow that is in a bit of a state.
This was a month ago and even though its been on the market for 6 weeks my offer is still the only sensible one they have had.
I think it is a repossession.
Tomorrow I am off to see my solicitor but want to go informed so I am asking the font of all knowledge that exists here.

I don't intend to have a survey done as it most likely will be gutted.
Lots of work is required but it is essentially trivial in nature.

Questions:
The advert says it had full central heating from a combi boiler: does this mean the CH has to be functional and the vendor has to provide me with documentary evidence. I ask because my son sold his house earlier this year and he had to have the boiler serviced to progress the sale.

Electrics: is the vendor obliged to provide me with a "P" certificate?

I am mentally factoring both (gas and electrics) needing significant work, but the answer to the above might help me in my negotiations with the vendor

What is your purpose in buying the place - if doing up and selling on, I'd say you should take more care than if planning to do it up and live/install family member(s) in it:
- Do you know that the construction methods/materials used are such that the property is mortgageable (for a potential future purchaser) - some are not!
- In my experience, there are usually loads of caveats in the selling agent's particulars saying that "utilities have not been tested" etc etc.
- You say you know electrics - you would be aware then, that you could ask the vendor to provide an EICR for the electrics (which would cost them a couple of £100's from a suitably registered spark) - but there's no strict obligation to provide this sort of thing, as far as I'm aware. I expect that there is an option to ask for an equivalent piece of paper (probably only covering safety) from a gas safe engineer - at a cost someone will have to bear.

I know that - to a large extent - a full structural survey is money for old rope, but it could:
a) Save you from something nasty, like subsidence or Japanese Knotweed infestation or something (or at least potentially give you some PII to claim against - insert straight-face icon);
b) Give you some "currency" with which to batter down the asking price.
The latter of these two is the most reliable aspect!

I think that if you failed to use a solicitor to do all the local searches etc. you'd be barmy, but I don't think you're suggesting that.

Bottom Line - caveat emptor still applies!!

Cheers, W2S

 

[sunnybob]

Get a camera survey of the drains. As per steve maskery's recent post, you can be liable for services underground that is not actually on your property.
I sold a large house in the UK somewhere around 2004. It was bought by the church of england as a vicarage. You should have seen what they got up to to try to knock the price down.
The drains camera detected a broken pipe, but luckily it was 6 houses downstream from me. If it had been on mine it would have meant excavating the entire rear garden.
I felt very justified when their inspector, after a half hour wandering round the house trying to find something to moan about had to admit he couldnt. 8) 8) =D>

 

[TFrench]

Get a camera survey of the drains. As per steve maskery's recent post, you can be liable for services underground that is not actually on your property.
I sold a large house in the UK somewhere around 2004. It was bought by the church of england as a vicarage. You should have seen what they got up to to try to knock the price down.
The drains camera detected a broken pipe, but luckily it was 6 houses downstream from me. If it had been on mine it would have meant excavating the entire rear garden.
I felt very justified when their inspector, after a half hour wandering round the house trying to find something to moan about had to admit he couldnt. 8) 8) =D>

I'd have weedkillered a pentagram into the lawn the day I left....

 

[fenhayman]

Have a survey done by an independent surveyor.
To justify his fee he will highlight some issues.
Wait until your offer is accepted and then bring the issues to the fore and negotiate a lower price.

 

[sunnybob]

Get a camera survey of the drains. As per steve maskery's recent post, you can be liable for services underground that is not actually on your property.
I sold a large house in the UK somewhere around 2004. It was bought by the church of england as a vicarage. You should have seen what they got up to to try to knock the price down.
The drains camera detected a broken pipe, but luckily it was 6 houses downstream from me. If it had been on mine it would have meant excavating the entire rear garden.
I felt very justified when their inspector, after a half hour wandering round the house trying to find something to moan about had to admit he couldnt. 8) 8) =D>

I'd have weedkillered a pentagram into the lawn the day I left....

It was a critical time, I couldnt chance losing the sale (or being damned to hell forever) :roll: :lol: :lol: And that was one buyer who did NOT have to worry about a mortgage deposit! :roll:
I went away on a custom bike show for three days. On the friday just after I arrived my wife phoned and said "I've sold the house" On the saturday she phoned and said "I've bought another one" :shock:
I turned my phone off on sunday
Hectic days. 8)

 

[SammyQ]

I went away on a custom bike show for three days. On the friday just after I arrived my wife phoned and said "I've sold the house" On the saturday she phoned and said "I've bought another one" :shock:
I turned my phone off on sunday

Yes Bob, but come on, finish it! Are you still married? To her? :wink:

Sam

 

[Lons]

I went away on a custom bike show for three days. On the friday just after I arrived my wife phoned and said "I've sold the house" On the saturday she phoned and said "I've bought another one" :shock:
I turned my phone off on sunday

Yes Bob, but come on, finish it! Are you still married? To her? :wink:

Sam

It can work.

40 years ago I bought a house my wife had never seen without telling her and we're still married. :wink:
I have to say however that she is a very tolerant person, has to be, she's married to me! :lol:

 

[Racers]

Thanks Chaps

Anything I can claw back goes into my planned super duper workshop fund :lol:

Are you planning something bigger than Steves?

:wink:

Pete

 

[sunnybob]

I went away on a custom bike show for three days. On the friday just after I arrived my wife phoned and said "I've sold the house" On the saturday she phoned and said "I've bought another one" :shock:
I turned my phone off on sunday

Yes Bob, but come on, finish it! Are you still married? To her? :wink:

Sam

Strangely, it wasnt the first time :shock:
We had been married 3 years and wanted to move to somerset; we found a house we liked but could not get inside. She went back on her own because I couldnt get time off. we bought it and had 14 happy years there. =D>
Fast forward 14 years to the original posting... Our house was up for sale, I went to the bike show. The church of england came along and made an offer she accepted on the condition it was a quick transfer. The following day she went house hunting and made an offer which was accepted. But heres the twist... She unknowingly bought the house that the church of england had been trying to buy, but their deal fell through.
So we had the original planned vicarage while the church had ours. (hammer) (hammer)
We met the vicar, he was well happy because we were downsizing so he had a large 5 bed detached instead of a 3 bed semi.
And the total irony; the shop we sold was turned into a PRIVATE shop (no, I didnt get a discount :roll: :roll:
Like I say, manic times.
Oh, yes, 47 years and counting. I have to keep her now, the warranty has run out.
8) 8)