Renegotiating or walking away
What should you keep in writing if the seller offers to do the work?
The specification, who pays, the standard of the work, the date, and whether your surveyor or another inspector will see it before completion. A text that says “we’ll sort the roof” is not a specification. The RICS advice to obtain written quotations exists so the work is defined. Your solicitor should attach that definition to the contract if you are going to rely on it.
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Written for buyers in England and Wales unless this answer says otherwise. No named surveyor has signed this page. It is general guidance, not a report on your house, and not legal advice.
What is the fuller explanation?
Also record what happens if the work is late or poor. Without that, you may complete into a half-finished job and a dispute about the last invoice. A reinspection is usually a new fee. Agree who pays it before you accept the offer. Photographs of the defect now, and invoices later, are the file. A rating in the original survey is the reason, not the specification.
If the item is really a specialist investigation, do not let the seller “repair” it before the investigation. Repointing a crack or foaming over a stain destroys evidence. The “What to do now” note is about acting with information. Covering the evidence is the opposite.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- What specification would you want to see before this defect is called repaired?
- What should be left open for a specialist, rather than covered up?
- Would a photograph be enough for you to comment later, or would you need a visit?
What are the typical next steps?
- Put the seller’s offer, the quote and the date into a form your solicitor is content with.
- Agree who pays for any reinspection.
- Do not complete on a verbal promise the week the builder was busy.
Costs vary with the building and with who you instruct. Where this page does not cite a published figure, ask the surveyor, a relevant specialist, or your solicitor for a written quote. Do not treat a forum average as the price.
Also asked about this
Should you accept a retention instead of the seller doing the work?
A retention held by a lender is their mechanism. A price reduction is yours. They are not interchangeable. Ask your solicitor which one you are being offered.
If the seller uses their own contractor, can you object?
You can ask for the specification and the invoice. You do not automatically choose their contractor unless the contract says so. Agree that before they start.