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I think I’d knock on some neighbouring doors and ask them the background to the roof issue and what they’ve known and when. The seller had a duty of care to pass on that information – there’s no way they didn’t know. Then I’d make a lower offer accordingly. As others say, the estate agent wants their commission so it’s not in their interest for the sale to fall through or the price to go down. But I’m sure the seller would hate the sale to collapse at this stage too and would be forced to negotiate if you didn’t appear to be in the worst situation. I certainly wouldn’t move forward without knowing the cost. An AirBnB would be cheaper post-eviction than a huge bill you weren’t expecting. And if they both know that’s your position, your negotiating position becomes stronger.