Can vendors be forced to clean gutters as per engineers report?

P

Patch

Registered User
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In final stage of purchasing house.
Engineers report recommended that the gutters be cleaned.
Sellers refusing. I know its not quiet a deal breaker but am I in a position to force them legally to comply with the engineers report??
Thanks for any help.
 
Re: Can vendor's be forced to clean gutters as per engineers report?

Get a quote yourself for getting the gutters cleaned. Reduce your offer by this amount.
 
Re: Can vendor's be forced to clean gutters as per engineers report?


I don't think you or the engineer are in a position to legally force them to do anything (unless the engineer's report considered the house to be unsafe or something)

I have to say if I was the vendor there is no way I'd be cleaning gutters.
 
Re: Can vendor's be forced to clean gutters as per engineers report?

They can't be forced to do anything..... your only power is to pull of the sale /reduce your offer....
 
Re: Can vendor's be forced to clean gutters as per engineers report?

I take it this is not a new house. I've never seen an engineers report that did not highlight numerous minor issues. The idea of the report is to satisfy you and your lender that there is no major fault structural or othewise before you sign contracts. If you and your lender are happy with it fine, if not you can walk away. The seller is under no obligation to fix anything in the report. You could ask but bear in mind at this stage seller can walk away too. I,d say no too.
 
Re: Can vendor's be forced to clean gutters as per engineers report?


My initial reaction? You what! Clean them yourself.

On mature reflection, given that nothing is selling, if I was selling, pre-contract, if my purchasers asked me to jump, my only question would be how high?

mf
 
Re: Can vendor's be forced to clean gutters as per engineers report?

Cleaning gutters costs about 100 euro. In the context of a transaction worth a few hundred throusand euro's, I can understand the vendors refusing such a petty request!
 
Re: Can vendor's be forced to clean gutters as per engineers report?

I'd say the solicitors and the estate agent must be cursing the pair of you. Split the difference and move on!
 
Dont forget cleaning the gutters cant be the only recomendation in the engineers report, the vendor would be worried if he fixes this the buyer would probaly go through the the rest of the list and it will go on + on+ on.
 
The point of the survey is pretty much to ascertain if there are any serious problems, so it's probably bad form to haggle over minor maintenance items such as this having agreed the price. You've got a very sound property if that's the only issue in the survey (assuming the survey is actually thorough)
 
Thanks for the replies.
I was curious because the vendor had agreed in front of myself & the engineer that he would clear the moss and fungal growth from the roof and clean the gutters and downpipes. While I am not naive enough to believe that this verbal agreement means anything in legal terms, I am still disappointed that he went back on his word. Particularly as the house was on the market for a long period of time & I was/am the only one to make an offer.
 

A verbal conract is a verbal contract, the only contracts that must be written are for the sale of land. It isn't quite true to say that a verbal contract is only as good as the paper it's written on.
 
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