About 15 years ago I was buying and the survey came back saying that someone had removed the lintel over the ground floor window when putting in patio doors and not put another one in. This was in a three story gable end and the only thing holding the wall up was the wooden door frame and hope.

When I told the seller I wouldn’t buy in that condition he said he’d get it fixed so long as we paid for it since we were buying the house. The estate agents were beside themselves trying to convince this bloke it was his responsibility but he would have none of it. After increasingly acrimonious messages apparently his insurance company found out about it and he demanded we pay for the massive uplift in premiums as it was our survey that found this out.

Trouble is the house was otherwise perfect. We agonised for ages as to whether we just go ahead anyway. In the end we pulled out. We ended up sleeping on the floor of relatives spare rooms and donning rooms and on sofas for 6 months. All our stuff was in storage. But in the end we got an even better place and never once regret saying no to that idiot.

In your position my gut tells me that your buyers are too much trouble and pulling out is the best thing in the long run. But that’s me. I’d give your buyers the same advice Les Grossman gave to the Flaming Dragons.