buyer being a bully

td

Hi,

We had an offer on our house inthe first week of feb and it is now drawing near completion. We did offer the house with no chain and are quite willing to go into storage but that since the offer I have been chasing everything and the buyer or their solicitors haven't been in a hurry to do anything until this week. We are being very generous with what we are leaving.

One of the people came to view the house again on Friday evening and said their solicitor had told them he wanted their deposit on Monday and they could complete on Wed (that's tomorrow). However their solicitor emailed mine to say they wanted completion asap and mentioned no dates.

We said no to wed and suggested next friday 21st - we are buying a new house but are not waiting for that to be completed as we said no chain but we think just less than 2 weeks (with 2 bank holidays in there) is a decent amount of notice for us to get things sorted). I refuse to move until my post redirection has been set up which takes 5 working days - so next wed or thurs really. I don't think this is unreasonable - I don't want someone else getting my personal mail.

The buyer basically came back and said Tuesday or not at all - I said not at all as it's impossible to do it - they know I have a young daughter and am 8 months pregnant too - tbh I could do without the bullying.

Wondered what you thought.

td

rchddap1

I'd probably do precisely the same thing. You don't need that sort of stress in your situation and if they can't understand that then they're the fools. Don't worry about it, take a deep breath and move on.

Wickedkitten

Surely the completion date was set when the contracts were exchanged no?

Jorgan_2

I don't think you are being unreasonable. If you have contact with your buyer ask them if they have put dates to their solicitor before now. It may be that their solicitor hasn't passed the dates onto your solicitor or your solicitor hasn't passed the dates onto you once they were informed.

td

I took the signed title deeds in on friday - think we got them on wednesday to sign. I don't know officially when exchange was (if indeed it has happened)- they only paid their deposit yesterday which my solicitor reckons will take days to clear anyway

jenniferpa

It doesn't sound as if the contracts have been exchanged. I think you're being perfectly reasonable. I don't know whether you've got a moving company lined up, but around any holiday there are very few slots available. It sounds as if their solicitor knows what's what, but they are trying to intimidate you.

Jennifer

lush_walrus

On of the advantages of having an EA is that they can deal with a situation like this for you. I would advice that you ask them to deal with this rather than letting the buyer actually get to you by coming around for more viewings.

You sound as if you are being very ammenable and this is being taken for granted. Set your date for the Friday you want, ask the EA to let the buyers know that is the earliest date you can make due to other commitments etc.

Ignore their threats, this is the problem with people and their negotiating skills, it amazes me how often I see even on here people advising people to threaten to pull out. Its stupid and dont let them use that as a scare tactic. Offer to exchange asap, with the completion date for the date you can make, and do not fall into communicating with them directly, its a trap for all of the problems becoming yours and things becoming personal. Speak to your EA, tell them the dates you want and ask them to persuide the buyers to agree.

If its any consolation in my experience in probably 101 threats from buyers i have only ever seen one actually pull out when they dont get what they actually want and that one was after threatening after survey results very early into the sale.

Good luck, but do let your EA take the pressure on this lack of decorum from your buyer.

TAKEAWAY_2

First of all your buyer's deposit will have to be cleared into his solicitors account before either solicitor will even consider exchanging contracts, they ususally like this the day before exchage. On the day of exchage, which is a simple timed phone call, your solicitor should contact you to double check if you still want to proceed and to ask what day you would like completion to take place.

Remember you're in charge not the buyers, it's highley unlikely that after paying search and solicitors fee's and possibly a valuation and survey fee that the buyer is going to pull out.

Stand your ground and look after yourself!

gabba

Dates should be agreed between both parties, some good advice above.

No dates should be decided without both parties agreement and the solicitors should never exchange without your agreement.

Have a word with your sol and ask them whats going on, if no joy have word with the EA who can be useful mediators although be warned that they want their commission on the sale and would like it sooner rather than later.

Main thing to remember is it is an agreed date for both of you, when everyone is ready. Their solicitor will advise them not to pull the plug if the date moves a week or two. If they did the solicitor would probably not be able to charge the purchaser for all the work done and as such will always try and talk them round to seeing sense. :mad:

td

As is stands at the minute my husband rang them direct because the ea wasn't getting anywhere. He explained that we weren't being obstructive we just couldn't physically organise it in such a short time to which they replied we thought you'd have started organising it already - despite not having a date to organise to. My husband was quite firm - we can't organise our removal until thursday and redirecting post takes 5 days - never mind that we're supposed to be away over the weekend! I understand their position but if they wanted to move on such a specific date surely common sense says tell us sooner.

So tomorrow it will all start again - no sleep tonight for me as if it's not hard enough with 4 toilet get ups!! Whoever decided to move at 8 months pregnant - oh me I suppose.

thanks for all of your replies

td

dander

It sounds to me like mis-communication with the solicitors. Theirs has probably been telling them they were on track for completion next week, without ever checking it with you. I would try not to worry too much. I would eat my hat if someone got this close to completion and then pulled out for the sake of a minor slip in move dates. They are just throwing their toys out of the pram.

Just stand firm - you are being completely reasonable, and indeed, accomodating. It is perfectly normal not to have removals and things done before exchange. I didn't do a thing before exchange because I just couldn't guarantee if and when things would go ahead.

You say in your subject title "buyer being a bully" and I think that is exactly what they are doing - I would put money on it all being bluster and that you'll still sell to them, but on the date that suits you.