Advice sought - what next re roof dispute in house purchase

Walk away. Continue with their sale, it is a buyer's market.

always worth pushing hard [on the seller] to reduce by £7,00
say, which would be reasonable.

we pulled out of a house buy some years ago for that very reason.
However, if they are dead set on this house they will need to save hard for roof repairs, and yes, it can be pricey.
A full structural survey is really important.

We have bought and sold everything from antiques, houses, boats, motohomes etc. We always stick to our mantra: always be prepared to walk away.

It definitely is a buyer's market...

All the evidence in the UK at the moment is that it is a buyers market.

For a mortgage maybe the roof does need the expensive work but just as a repair to stop leaks perhaps it is just tiles.

I would not have another survey as it will not make the vendor drop the price.
It is a sellers market, they will have to pay the full price or find another house.

Thanks again everyone for the sound advice.

They have formally requested a price drop (which I don't think seller will do).

They don't want to lose the sale of their current place.

I'm preparing the spare room!

If they wont reduce the price enough walk away!

My son and his wife got to the same stage when they moved a couple of years ago. Vendor reduced the price by £3,000 but they ended up paying almost £10,000 for new roof.

Walk away.

If I really wanted the house I'd attempt to renegotiate on price. Can they afford to get the roof fixed? I'd at least expect the seller to meet me half way, if they are unwilling to do so I think the only option is to walk away.

I wouldn’t spend money on a third survey. They don’t come cheap.

Personally I would pull out unless the seller is prepared to drop the price. Or unless they think the house is worth the extra 10 grand they will have to spend on it.

His “survey” is meaningless. Of course he’ll get someone to say it’s fine. It’s a bargaining thing now. How much do they want the house against how much he wants to sell it.

PPS there IS potential for plenty of problems with a 1960s/1970s house roof.....retired senior surveyor in the family!

P.S. Just to remind you that it is very much a buyers market at the moment!

I agree - I would walk away, still go through with the sale of their own flat and put their goods in storage if they are lucky enough to be able to stay with you for a while.

They will then be in a good position to proceed on another property if they find one - or they could find that the original property is either reduced in price or is re-roofed as necessary.
The vendor is not going to be able to sell as other would-be purchasers will surely pick up on the roof problem.

If they walk away from their purchase ( and I think they should at least threaten i,t and if they actually do it their seller may back down they could still continue with the sale of their current accommodation, rent for a short period and return to the market as those most desirable of house buyers - a buyer with no property to sell.

How fraught the system is here in England! So stressful.

Thanks all.

(Perhaps they will sell, put their stuff in storage and come to us whilst they look again ??).

I'd have a third survey done too. My son & DIL have recently moved into an old cottage - their survey didn't pick up any damp or other issues they've subsequently found since they moved in. With hindsight they should have paid for a more comprehensive survey.

Yes, Grannyknot, it does sound hard on the first-timers buying your daughter and son-in-law's flat but I think your daughter and son-in-law must look after their own interests first.

I think I would be inclined to take notice of the surveyor.

The vendor may well say his contact thinks there is nothing wrong but it is in his/her interests to make that sort of remark perhaps.

I haven't seen the house but, if it were me, I'd buy somewhere else without a roof problem.

Sorry if that sounds a bit abrupt.

Roofs can be problematic if it's an old house it may not have ever been re roofed so probably needs doing soon. If your surveyor is saying up to £10000 you should take notice of that. My husband used to be a builder, on old houses always gave an " estimate" because you never know how much work is needed until you strip the surface off.
If it's a 1960s or 70s house there is unlikely to be serious problems and general maintenence is needed.

Thank you.

Legally the seller's report means nothing. As purchaser one has to pay for the reports...and its their professional service (and insurance) you are paying for. Thus when you buy a house you pay the fees for the valuation, the survey (and there are different types some basically say its got 4 walls and a roof - others are far more detailed and will go into details such as construction, materials, heating systems, insulation etc. and then any specialist reports. You will be given a written report and the contract is with the one who pays i.e. the purcahser. If something is flagged up as in this case then its at this stage the price should be addressed and a reduction negotiated - with the purchaser's report as evidence.
If the vendor is refusing to reduce the fee then its up to the purchaser to either pay up and cope with whatever they find OR walk away. Nothing a solicitor can do....and all this needs to be settled before contacts are drawn up and exchanged of course. You cannot go back on a price once contracts are exchanged.

Thanks everyone for quick responses.

I think they should threaten convincingly, I like that plan. What is annoying me is that the seller is trying to rush them into moving in! "We can sort it out after". (They won't fall for it ...)

Walking away means losing quite a bit of money, and upsetting the first timers buying their current flat, and oh, I can't bear to think about it.