Estate Agent got an Engineers report

Daisy03

Hi

I went to view a house today that has gone sale agreed twice. According to estate agent the first person was just looking for an excuse to back out. The second time the sellers solicitor told the buyers solicitor the house had subsidence. The buyer never got an engineers report done according to estate agent and backed out.

The estate agent then got a local engineer to do an assessment and the report came back ok. Estate agent has agreed to email me this tomorrow.

Is it strange that the estate agent organised an engineers report? The fact that the sale has fallem through twice is worrying me a little and I just want some opinions on what people think.

The street across the way in the estate does have houses that have subsidence. The house need some work but i couldnt handle subsidence.

Ray Palmer

Sounds quite reasonable but it wouldn't mean you don't get your own.

hairyslug

I just sold a house and were advised to provide an engineer's report with regard to fire/building regs, we were told it would help speed up a sale and to show prospective buyers that all was ok.

Gumbo

hairyslug wrote: »

I just sold a house and were advised to provide an engineer's report with regard to fire/building regs, we were told it would help speed up a sale and to show prospective buyers that all was ok.

Did you get some works/extension/attic conversion carried out previously?

hairyslug

kceire wrote: »

Did you get some works/extension/attic conversion carried out previously?

There was a small extension out the rear but also The estate agent thought there may have been an issue with upstairs windows, that they may not be compliant with some regs to do with fire safety (sorry, I'm completely ignorant of all this so I'm describing it the best I can) The house was built around the time that regs changed and that caused some confusion, we thought it was best just to get it OKed in writing to prevent a delay in the sale.

The_Conductor

Ray Palmer wrote: »

Sounds quite reasonable but it wouldn't mean you don't get your own.

+1

The estate agent's engineer could easily have been told to ignore certain parts of the survey- and focus on others instead. I.e. you might not necessarily be getting a fair and true picture in the estate agents report. At the end of the day- they are trying to do whatever they can do to sell the property- and their supply of an engineers report has no legal standing- take it under advisement- and go get your own done.

Two prospective purchasers backing out- in the current market- speaks volumes. There is very little choice out there- prospective buyers are not going to walk away unless they have a very good reason to do so.

Accept the estate agent's report by all means- however, go get your own report, and make sure you're happy in your own mind with the property- before agreeing anything.

FutureGuy

100% get your own done.

1641

What's in that Engineer's report is probably true. But is it the whole truth and nothing but the truth ?

Speak to your solicitor first. If you are going ahead be sure to get your own independent report. Check boundaries as well as structure.

Gumbo

hairyslug wrote: »

There was a small extension out the rear but also The estate agent thought there may have been an issue with upstairs windows, that they may not be compliant with some regs to do with fire safety (sorry, I'm completely ignorant of all this so I'm describing it the best I can) The house was built around the time that regs changed and that caused some confusion, we thought it was best just to get it OKed in writing to prevent a delay in the sale.

Once you extend, you have to get the certs of compliance with Planning/Building Regulations. its a different cert than the buyer paying for a survey before his purchase.

Daisy03

Thanks everyone for the advice. I got the report today. It's addressed to the owners and references the fact that both sales fell through due to concerns over subsidence and that is why the employeed the services of the engineer.

I am debating putting on offer in and would most certainly get my own survey done but i am concerned about the fact that both sales fell through. I spoke to a relative last night who lives in the area and subsidence is definitely an issue.

spaceHopper

If a chartered engineer signed that there is no subsidence issue then it should be ok. No house is issue free.

You will still need to get your own report.