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House survey found a few issues

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  • 22-09-2014 10:29am
    #1
    foxy_j
    Registered Users Posts: 293 ✭✭


    Hi there,

    We’re buying a house and we just had the engineer do a survey. He found a few things that need to be fixed etc within next 6 months. For example the boiler didn’t have a service history that he could see and it has nearing the end of its life so we’d need to get a new one soon.

    He found a few other things also that we’re going to add up the cost to get an idea before saying it to the estate agent.

    Can anyone tell me how this usually goes? Would they consider fixing some of this things for us or give a reduction on the sale price of the house?

    Thanks


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    #2
    OREGATO
    Registered Users Posts: 898 ✭✭✭OREGATO


    I think you could potentially go back and revise your offer based on what you've found, giving the reason that the list is going to cost x to fix.

    If it was me, I would rather factor these in and fix them myself rather than asking them to fix it, just in case they take shortcuts. Dependent on costs, I'd go back with a different figure if it as significant.

    When we bought, we knew some things were needed and sucked it up as it wasn't that much.


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    #3
    cpoh1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,605 ✭✭✭cpoh1


    A general rule of thumb here; you never stop spending on a house or fixing something. If its not the boiler its the electric shower or taps, leaking rads, painting, furniture, flooring, new kitchens, stove's or fire places, the list goes on.

    If you want a house that is perfect from the off you need to buy brand new. An engineers report will always turn something up because they are cautious by nature due to our litigation culture here.

    Going back to a vendor and looking for reductions for misc small items is bad practice and in this up up up housing market a risky strategy. Why get the seller offside when they can just go to the next bid in the list or even re-list at a hiugher price if its central dublin?

    The rule of thumb is that unless its structural and/or big money then its not really the done thing. A boiler is actually small money, id leave it be for the hassle, delays and risk to the sale it could cause.


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    #4
    ted1
    Registered Users Posts: 23,535 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    Does anyone have a boiler service history?
    What made him say that it's on its last legs?

    Most surveys exaggerate issues and lots are just by visual inspection, unless he is an. RGI he could not look at the boiler


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    #5
    foxy_j
    Registered Users Posts: 293 ✭✭foxy_j


    Thanks for the replies.

    Ya we weren't sure how it works. I have spoken to a few people & they have said that the surveyor usually is a bit OTT to cover their own ass

    Their wasn't a service history sticker on the boiler and he said it was abouu 10-15yrs old. We'll ask the estate agent about it.

    Few other structural things that will need repairing/sealing.


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    #6
    RORY O CONNOR
    Registered Users Posts: 270 ✭✭RORY O CONNOR


    Wouldn't you prefer it if the engineer tells you the worst about a house so that you have your eyes wide open going into the buy or to understate an issue only for you to find an unexpected cost after you have moved in. Yes as a service provider you do need to protect yourself from possible litigation when providing a service but if you lay out the bare facts then there should be no horrible surprises for the buyer.


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    #7
    ABajaninCork
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,411 ✭✭✭ABajaninCork


    ted1 wrote: »
    Does anyone have a boiler service history?
    What made him say that it's on its last legs?

    Most surveys exaggerate issues and lots are just by visual inspection, unless he is an. RGI he could not look at the boiler

    Yes. My boiler in my London house was serviced annually by British Gas, so yes - I do have a record.

    It's good practice to have one for potential buyers/renters. Shows the boiler has been taken care of. When I sold my flat, my buyers asked the same question. I was able to show a complete service history over the previous 17 years I had lived there. I had the boiler from new as I had to install a central heating system.


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    #8
    bluemartin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 188 ✭✭bluemartin


    ABajaninCork wrote: »
    Yes. My boiler in my London house was serviced annually by British Gas, so yes - I do have a record.

    It's good practice to have one for potential buyers/renters. Shows the boiler has been taken care of. When I sold my flat, my buyers asked the same question. I was able to show a complete service history over the previous 17 years I had lived there. I had the boiler from new as I had to install a central heating system.


    it's a legal requirement in the UK to get the gas boiler serviced every year, not so in Ireland as far as I am aware.


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    #9
    hfallada
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,180 ✭✭✭hfallada


    OP you will want to get a new boiler anyway. The newer boilers use about 25% less gas than the older ones


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    #10
    ABajaninCork
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,411 ✭✭✭ABajaninCork


    bluemartin wrote: »
    it's a legal requirement in the UK to get the gas boiler serviced every year, not so in Ireland as far as I am aware.

    If you're an owner/occupier in the UK? No - it is not a legal requirement to have the boiler serviced annually, although a lot of people do.

    What you're talking about is the rental market. You have to have a CP12 (gas safety cert) from a registered Gas Safe engineer before you can rent the property and it has to be serviced annually for a new CP12 to be issued. You can face heavy fines/jail if you don't comply.


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