Access to Property Before Completion?

chambta

We've exchanged contracts this week and have set a completion date for next Friday - my house has been bought by a FTB and the one we're moving into is empty after a marital split.

Obviously the property isn't ours until the moment we're told it's happened next Friday but it'd be tremendously handy for us to have access to the new property before that date to enable us to start shifting belongings so the actual move Friday is as painless as possible.

Obviously the people I'm buying the house from will be advised that this is a massive no no BUT I'd happily pay them a small amount just to reduce my stress levels on the day.

Am I living in cloud cuckoo land with this thought?

G_M

Many solicitors advise their clients against, but having said that it is possible.

I bought a trashed property from a disillusioned landlord and he let me in between Exchange/Completion. I gutted the kitchen, threw out (with permission!) the old carpets, had trades people round for quoyes/measuring etc and painted half the entire house before Completion. One day after Completion a new kitchen was fitted as well as double glazing throughout.

New tenants in place in a spanking new property a week later.

I had to agree not to sleep overnight, and to return the keys to the agent each evening. Also obviously all work was agreed in writing so the vendor wouldn't be left with any damage, lost carpets he wanted etc if for some reason I failed to Complete. In reality if that had happened he'd have had a greatly improved property.

chambta

Thanks for that. I'd return the keys on Thursday evening of course and the 'risk' to me is lots of removing on the Friday should somehow something go wrong. The EA are the same for both my sale and purchase so I'm not unknown to them.

htb

I am just trying to agree a 'key undertaking' with the vendors and EA through my solicitor. Its a formal agreement. It is possible ask your EA.

daisygrabber

We had already moved out of our house and let the purchasers basically fill the house & garage with their stuff during the week before. We didn't give them keys but went over, opened up, had a cuppa while they unloaded & locked up again. Seemed to work well.
At a previous house we moved in to, they let us bring stuff to the garden and garage before they moved out.

hazyjo

If it got broken into before completion and your stuff was stolen, or there was a flood and everything was ruined, would you expect the current owners to claim on their contents insurance? What if something goes missing? Would you both agree to an inventory? I wouldn't like suggesting or accepting that, but it would be pretty much essential.

I definitely wouldn't put anything inside that house until completion.

Jx

mumto2loves

hi
when i bought my 1st place the seller was great, they met me and my dad there after we'd exchanged so that i could do some measuring for curtains 'and stuff', then as i was wondering around he asked if we wanted to keep the keys so i could paint, he phoned the ea while we were there and they said no don't do it under any circumstances. so he came off the phone and said, well i'll leave you the keys to decorate as long as you promise not to move in:T

chambta

I've spoken to my solicitor about arranging a 'key undertaking' which formally covers the seller. I will arrange for my contents cover to start on Thursday if agreed.

nomoneytoday

You should have insurance from the point of exchange anyway

Marvel1

hazyjo wrote: »

If it got broken into before completion and your stuff was stolen, or there was a flood and everything was ruined, would you expect the current owners to claim on their contents insurance? What if something goes missing? Would you both agree to an inventory? I wouldn't like suggesting or accepting that, but it would be pretty much essential.

I definitely wouldn't put anything inside that house until completion.

Jx

Surely if the home is empty, the owners wouldn't have contents insurance in the first place.

hazyjo

nomoneytoday wrote: »

You should have insurance from the point of exchange anyway

Only buildings insurance.

cjdavies wrote: »

Surely if the home is empty, the owners wouldn't have contents insurance in the first place.

Ah, good point! Had forgotten it was empty. But I didn't mean they should actually try to claim on their insurance, was actually pointing out that they shouldn't! Just wanted them to realise that their stuff wouldn't be insured - so same outcome, I guess!

Jx