So, I'm not well-versed on building and related matters, is it that difficult for you to realise that most regular people are not? Lots of people hire surveyors as they are also not well versed in building and related matters, that's why they do so. That's why I found it, and the tone it was asked in, "very odd".
There was nothing specifically "wrong" with the chimney but the fact that most neighbours would agree to do the whole chimney raised alarm bells as to the people selling the house, if they wouldn't go halves on a chimney fix then what else were they letting go?
There was no disinfectant used when we visited on 3 occasions, it was only when the surveyor visited that they used that. It's 3 years since the report but they were the things that stood out from it, there were a good few other issues too that in total meant it was too high a risk for us to take on given the price we were going to pay.
These were houses in the €750-€1m category so I'm not going to make a call on that myself, on a hunch, but sure I must be stupid.