Seller Offered us Keys before Completion

lovehols · 13 March 2018 at 11:40PM

We have exchanged and due to complete on 22/03. The house is empty and the seller is dealing with probate. We are in regular contact with him and he has been very reasonable. He text asking if we want to meet up over the weekend and get the keys. I did text back saying I didn't think we were suppose to have them until completion and he said he trusted us and if we want them we can have them.

It's only a few days before completion but this extra weekend would give us a head start in cleaning and ripping the dog sh*t stained carpets up which he knows we need to do as it's been a long standing joke about the carpets (!) and some cleaning as the house has been empty for 9 months. We would literally only plan on transporting lots of cleaning products and ripping the carpet up but this extra weekend would be a godsend.

We have buildings and contents insurance in place but is there any possible downside or things we should be aware of.

davidmcn · 13 March 2018 at 11:46PM

None in particular if that's all you're doing. If completion didn't happen for any reason then bear in mind you're improving a property which will still be owned by the sellers, but if you're just clearing stuff out etc rather than investing £££s in it then not much risk.

lovehols · 13 March 2018 at 11:51PM

davidmcn wrote: »

None in particular if that's all you're doing. If completion didn't happen for any reason then bear in mind you're improving a property which will still be owned by the sellers, but if you're just clearing stuff out etc rather than investing £££s in it then not much risk.

Yes literally taking up carpets and putting them in outbuilding til the following weekend when my dad will do a tip run and cleaning the concrete floors. Hopefully a few days without the carpets will mean some of the smell will have gone by time the 22/03 arrives. :eek:

betsie · 14 March 2018 at 12:07AM

We have been lucky to have the keys after exchange on an empty house. It makes such a difference being able to clean in advance of move in day. We cleared the whole place out and started on the garden.

steampowered · 14 March 2018 at 1:18AM

This is really a risk for the seller rather than the buyer.

If the seller is happy to give you early access, I can't see the problem.

ACG · 14 March 2018 at 8:41AM

You have exchanged contracts. You are legally bound to purchase the property.

Personally I would have no issue giving you the keys as the vendor/taking the keys as the buyer. It might be worth doubling checking what the potential pitfalls of you taking the keys now are - if any.

You should have buildings insurance in place also.

AdrianC · 14 March 2018 at 9:13AM

davidmcn wrote: »

None in particular if that's all you're doing. If completion didn't happen for any reason then bear in mind you're improving a property which will still be owned by the sellers

Exchange has already happened. If the vendor pulls out now, all costs would be covered.

I really don't see an issue here, tbh. Accept his kind offer.

davidmcn · 14 March 2018 at 9:26AM

AdrianC wrote: »

Exchange has already happened. If the vendor pulls out now, all costs would be covered.

More likely to fall apart for some reason on the purchaser's side, in which case (as well as all their other losses) they also won't recoup whatever they've done to the house. Not much in this case but I'd hesitate before e.g. installing a shiny new kitchen.

moneyistooshorttomention · 14 March 2018 at 9:35AM

Personally - I'm thinking "If only...." if I'd had an offer like that, then I would certainly have accepted it and said "Thank you nicely" for it.

I had the frustrating situation with starter house of walking past it and seeing it was sitting there empty for weeks between Exchange and Completion. It would have helped a lot if I could have just got on and given it a good clean/had a chance to change the locks in advance/generally think about where I wanted everything.

EDIT; Practical point time - is there going to be water available to do that cleaning? Though - goodness knows - it will be a help even to be able to just rip out the carpets and sweep the place.

Slinky · 14 March 2018 at 10:27AM

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Personally - I'm thinking "If only...." if I'd had an offer like that, then I would certainly have accepted it and said "Thank you nicely" for it.

I had the frustrating situation with starter house of walking past it and seeing it was sitting there empty for weeks between Exchange and Completion. It would have helped a lot if I could have just got on and given it a good clean/had a chance to change the locks in advance/generally think about where I wanted everything.

EDIT; Practical point time - is there going to be water available to do that cleaning? Though - goodness knows - it will be a help even to be able to just rip out the carpets and sweep the place.

I'm astonished given how you have mentioned on several threads about the 'proper' length of time there should be between exchange and completion.

With regards water, if it's been turned off at the stopc o c k then it's a simple enough job to turn it on, nobody comes out from the water company to do it.

Davesnave · 14 March 2018 at 11:08AM

I moved in before completion. It was a long time ago, when squatters were in the news, so the sight of 'my' empty house just sitting there was a concern.

I knew the vendor and the vendor's POA wouldn't be coming around, so when British Gas had the keys to do some mortgage retention work, I borrowed them, had them copied and that was it.

Saved hundreds of miles of commuting too.

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Seller Offered us Keys before Completion

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