Buyer Demands €75,000 Discount Based on Disputed Surveyor's Report
A seller faces a €75,000 discount demand based on a buyer's disputed surveyor's report containing inaccuracies. Chartered surveyor Pat McGovern advises verifying the surveyor's credentials, getting a detailed cost breakdown, and considering an independent review or a vendor building survey to prevent such disputes.
A property seller received a buyer's request for a €75,000 discount due to alleged "required work" in a surveyor's report. The seller disputes the report's authenticity, citing inaccuracies like a gas shower being listed as electric and patio doors claimed not to open, which they do.
Pat McGovern, a chartered building surveyor and member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI), advises sellers to verify the surveyor's registration and qualifications via scsi.ie/find. He suggests requesting a detailed breakdown of the €75,000 claim and engaging an independent surveyor or trusted builder to review it. If the costs are justified, negotiation or completing the work oneself are options. McGovern also advocates for vendor building surveys, a concept he introduced in the early 2000s, where the seller commissions a survey and makes it available to all potential buyers. This proactive approach discloses issues upfront, allowing buyers to factor them into offers and potentially preventing disputes like the current one.