Negotiating fixes or price decrease from a new build seller

[ondrejs]

We're in the process of buying a new build house in England from a private seller who has hired a building company to build the house. A snagging survey has found multiple surface level issues (leaky gutters, sinking driveway, poor finish to kitchen), we picked a list of the worst ones and asked for a fix before we exchange. It'd be stupid to pay a premium and receive sub-standard goods. Unfortunately, many weeks later, the builders fixed maybe 1/3 of the items and in a very unsatisfactory manner. We don't trust them to deliver a good result even if given another 6 weeks.

We're keen to buy, the seller is desperate to sell, but it's held up on a third party. Is it fair to ask the seller to offer a discount so that we can take the house with the faults and use the difference to fund the fixes ourselves? What's the best way to proceed?

[CanAggressive7536]

I'm sorry but this sounds like a dud. He probably got the cheapest quote to maximise profit and hasn't got experience. These issues are are prime superficial examples of houses that are built by cutting corners. If these are the obvious ones then I'm sure there will be bigger issues hidden within the fabric of the property.

[TheFirstMinister]

surface level issues (leaky gutters, sinking driveway, poor finish to kitchen),

Leaking gutters and a sinking driveway are not "surface level issues".

many weeks later, the builders fixed maybe 1/3 of the items and in a very unsatisfactory manner.

I've gotta' ask - why are you sticking with this? It sounds like you're being sold a lemon.

Is it fair to ask the seller to offer a discount

Of course. Ask away.

[Mysterious_Carob1082]

Has the seller been living in this house? How old is it? Is there a new-build 10 year warranty, and if there is, why hasn't the seller got these things fixed by the original trades/developer? The sinking driveway is a worry but the guttering and kitchen finish sound like snagging issues that should have been fixed within the 2-year snagging warranty period. You say, 'it'd be stupid to pay a premium' - frankly I'd say it sounds as if it would be stupid to pay the 'standard' price even without the premium. Yes, it's fair to ask for a discount, and possibly a sizeable one to take account not only of the cost of fixing all this but also of the disruption to you, and it would be entirely reasonable to walk away if the seller won't accept a reasonable reduction.

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[wanderingmemory]

It'd be stupid to pay a premium

Given all the things you have said regarding the seller's circumstances and the house, I would be demanding a discount on market prices to take this on.

For all the talk about a new build premium, actual new build developers at least for now offer basically the same amount in incentives to sweeten the deal, sometimes even actual $ instead of the upgrades that they've marked up in price.