Survey report misinformation leads to buyer dispute

What happened?

After moving into his newly purchased home, Ahmed found that all the windows were single-glazed despite the building survey stating they were double-glazed.

Ahmed felt the survey misled him and that the cost to replace the windows with double-glazed units would be upwards of £15,000. He stated that, had he known this detail at the time of purchase, he would have negotiated the purchase price.

What the investigation found

The Ombudsman acknowledged Ahmed’s frustration at discovering the true specification of the windows only after completion. It was reasonable for him to expect the Building Survey to describe the glazing type correctly.

However, the Ombudsman also noted that the EPC, completed in April 2024, clearly stated that the property’s windows were single-glazed and rated as “very poor.” The Ombudsman could not determine whether the seller would have agreed to reduce the purchase price or whether Ahmed would have chosen not to proceed had the survey been accurate.

Outcome

The Ombudsman supported Ahmed’s complaint, recognising the distress and inconvenience caused by the inaccurate survey. While the level of compensation Ahmed sought for potential replacement costs was not awarded, the Ombudsman directed the property business to pay him £200. This amount reflected the shortcomings in service and the aggravation caused.

Please note that all names in this case study have been changed to maintain anonymity.