moving completion date **issues**

akrot1

Hi - guy whose house I'm buying basically wants to move the date at which he moves out by a week as his rental agreement on his next place does nto start for another week. He agreed this start date on his new rental property after we had exchanged and agreed a completion date.

I do not want to agree to this because people buying my house cannot do this and is not convenient.

He has family he can stay with for the week but not where to store furnniture he is taking with him.

I suggested he hire a van and keep furniture in there. He estimates this would cost £750 to do and would rather not go there.

If he does breach the contract and place is not vacant when it should be, what is he liable for? What are his costs likely to be? Surley its less hassle and much cheaper for him to pay the £750 - is tha correct? Would he have to pay my legal fees to recover costs? If he did not budge I would have to stay with family or a hotel and store everything for a week - would he be liable for this cost?

Please let me know what you think or if you have any suggestions? Thanks

sonastin

You should ask your solicitor but basically yes, if he fails to complete on the date in the contract he picks up the costs that you incur as a result of his breach of contract. His solicitor should be telling him not to be so bleedin' stupid and just get on with completing as agreed but if he isn't getting or is ignoring that advice, your solicitor should be telling you exactly how you need to respond.

nomoneytoday

What does your solicitor say?
Do you have any costs if you don't complete on time?
Is there a compromise anywhere else?

Richard_Webster

Have contracts actually been exchanged yet?

akrot1

nomoneytoday wrote: »

What does your solicitor say?
Do you have any costs if you don't complete on time?
Is there a compromise anywhere else?

People moving into mine have told landlord their last day handed their notice on that to fit in with my completion date as we had agreed.

If I dont complete then aprt from risking a bad relationship with the prospective buyers (I am only moving a few doors away and am likley to bump into them quite often) would I be liable for their extra costs incurred - could they saty in a fancy hotel for a few nights and make me pay for it along with the cost of stroing any furniture etc..

Solicotr has asked me whether he wants to tell the other solicitor that his client is in breach of Contract and pass it onto the litigation deparmtnet or he has asked me to see if i can come to a compromise with the guy - house i am buying is a priovate sale so can contact the guy myself as i have been doing.

akrot1

Richard_Webster wrote: »

Have contracts actually been exchanged yet?

yes they have been exchanged. He wants to move completion date so that it differs from that which is in the current contract.

GDB2222

The short answer is that it is going to cost him much more than £750 if he does not complete on time.

akrot1

thanks - why do you say it will cost more than £750 if he does not move on time?

jamesd

You're liable for the costs of your buyers. He's liable for the costs you have to pay to them and your own costs. Paying for storage for a week will be cheap compared to what he's letting himself in for.

If there's any chance of him getting even storage access to his new rental he should take that opportunity. It'll probably be his cheapest option. His next cheapest option would probably be to ask about paying the rent that your buyers' landlord wants for them to extend their stay by a week.

akrot1

okay - I'm with you. That is assuming the landlord of my buyer has not subsequently let his place out.

Thank you.