House sale/survey/possible or potential sulphate attack/no regs NIGHTMARE

[cmac52]

Bit of a complicated one I'm afraid - can anyone help???

Selling a 1950's house. Level 3 survey done and generally very good results. However, surveyor has mentioned possibility of sulphate attack in this era of housing. None known to me in local area, have checked with neighbours in same row as me - nothing similar ever mentioned to them, all sell well and very quickly. Surveyor offers no evidence of attack except a door catching on the ceramic tile. Upon later inspection some grit/debris was causing this very obviously, v slight but visible scratch on tile.
This floor was relaid approx 17 yrs ago, it was previously lower in level than the adjoining room so I wanted a uniform 'flow' between the two. Work was done - dug out, hardcore, membrane - which visible in part) top layer concrete etc and covered in ceramic tiles.
No sign of cracking, bulging, loose tile, effervescence, or any typical signs of sulphate attack that I can Google.
At the time I did not get building regs for this - didn't think I had to, big regret now.
Buyers cautious and their solicitors are advising core sample test - saying they only have my say so that it is new (relatively) with membrane - so I argue sulphate attack not an issue. ITS NEW. PROTECTED WITH MODERN BLUE PLASTIC MEMBRANE WHICH IS VISIBLE BEHIND MY WASHING MACHINE.
A test would be useless, it's not old concrete, can't apply for retrospective building regs because if refused or problem, I can't then offer an indemnity policy - so frustrating.
Should I offer for buyers to come and inspect floor and particularly the existence of membrane, have previously sent photos ( their sols said they could have been taken anywhere)!!! Once I've evidenced new floor etc, do you think an indemnity policy would solve this for the buyers? I feel that the house has been blighted by the surveyor mentioning sulphate attack which simply wouldn't be a problem now. Please can anyone help? I've spent countless hours online to better understand what I'm facing but so many variables and potential pitfalls. I'm alone in all this and don't know the best course of action- HELP!!!

 

[blup]

Surveyor covering his back and his insurance. They can take out an indemnity on the bc approval side surely, but ultimately their decision. If the sale falls through, it’s perfectly possible a new survey will have a different take. Don't assume it will become blighted, and remember the onus is on the buyer to ask questions

 

[cmac52]

That's what I think. I'm going to offer buyers a visit so they can see for themselves- it's very obvious when you see it (membrane etc) I mean, how could you place a membrane under an old concrete floor!? The room is a small utility about 6sq m
Thank you so much for replying

 

[cmac52]

What do you mean when you say bc approval side? Sorry, all new to me

 

[martygturner]

You are over thinking it, calm down.

At the end of the day its not up to you to prove anything, nor should you. Houses are bought as seen, even new builds only get 10 years warranty, and that can be iffy.

Lots of buildings have sulphate issues, localised is not an big issue, its only when it affects the whole site as heave and destabilisation weakens the whole structure.

Its purely a price issue, we have just sold a flat for 30k under market, its in a grade 2 listed and had issues, hence its got a lower than market price, are we happy with that, yep as we no longer have the risk.

So get it in perspective... the utility floor has a membrane, the rest of the house will have a bitumen coat between the concrete and the screed... ah the ways of the 50's. Did you need any form of building control or approval, again probably not, you put the floor back to a standard that is better than the rest of the house,


If it was me I would just flatly say no, do you want it or not .I am not having my floor ruined for what surveyor thinks could possibly be a bit of sulphate heave. Offer nothing and let the buyer decide what they want to do, walk away from a sale after they have spent out on a survey or do a bit of negotiation.

After all they have not rejected the property..... so the issue cannot be that huge in their minds.

 

[cmac52]

Thank you!!! A company specialising in such things has just said the same - they are insisting on drilling into a more modern floor with membrane, which in turn compromises the integrity of membrane. Utter madness

 

[^woody^]

Find another buyer

 

[StephenStephen]

It sounds like the problem could be the surveyor and solicitor, rather than the buyer.
I'd get them round to have a look - they can see the floor, and you can make a judgement as to whether the buyers have got what it takes to deal sensibly with professionals causing unnecessary anxiety.

 

[StephenStephen]

...is it a nightmare, or is it just the normal ups and downs of the nonsensical English house selling process?

 

[johnny2007]

Tell them to jog on.
This survey rubbish of making assumptions and hypothetical apocalyptic scenarios up has only one scope: to lower the price.
Think about it: house on the market for £300k, survey costs £2k and finds big (potential) problems, offer lowered by £10k = £8k saving for buyer.
I've seen one of these surveys mentioning potential subsidence, potential fundations issues and potential future need of underpinning because of 3 cracked bricks in the lower corner of a ground floor window.
Clearly a scam to lower the price.

 

[cmac52]

Thank you - I agree

 

[Fred Blogs]

So basically you have two choices. Lower the price or tell the buyer and their solicitors to take a running.

 

[johnny2007]

So basically you have two choices. Lower the price or tell the buyer and their solicitors to take a running.

Yes, but if your house is priced accordingly to market value, don't drop the price.
Of course if you're desperate to sell you do what you have to do...

 

[^woody^]

The problem with a buyer's surveyor, is that they owe no duty to the seller, so the seller has no come-back against a surveyor if they lose thousands of pounds when a sale falls through.

Buyers tends to get any old Joe to do a survey, most commonly it's any old 'cheapest there is but completely inept' Joe, and the buyer thinks it wonderful when their numpty surveyor stops them buying a house due to things like a binding door.

It's not all the surveyors fault, as the amount of caveats imposed by insurers is mind boggling. So you get more 'maybe's' and 'could do's', than definitive conclusions. The combination of clueless surveyors just makes the whole process a lot worse for buyers and sellers.

 

[cmac52]

Agreed 100%