Help! Chain ready for echange - our buyer putting in a last minute cheeky request...

booboomania

No reason he has left it until now - the fuse box came up in the full survey which he received a couple of months ago. H had already made the request and we had already said no, so I think he deliberately waited until we got to this point before raiing it again.

I'm inclined to offer to share the cost between us for the sake of getting the exchange done and dusted. And I do like the fish in the loft idea....!

Niv

Procrastinator333 wrote: »

Why not try and share it up the chain?

If the OP did that they would be just as guilty of Blackmail as the buyer the OP is frustrated with.

I am not sure exactly what i would do as it would depend on my mood and the reason I was moving. I would like to tell him to get stuffed and he cant have the house now for his damn cheek, but ofc that would leave you without a buyer the chain would fail. I would be loathed to pay up as this ia a dirty cheap trick. If I was convinced by others to pay then I think I would be planning some sort of revenge (but would be very careful how I did it so it could not be tracked back to me)

(Sorry in a bit of a bitter mood today)

Niv

InkZ

Pay up, see if you can split it as above.

ItMightBeUsefulOneDay

booboomania wrote: »

No reason he has left it until now - the fuse box came up in the full survey which he received a couple of months ago.

This is true and means they are trying it on. I've heard of moves like being pulled before and as a word of warning, it might not be the last thing they ask for. The next threat to pull out might be asking lot more than just £500 though.

I'd certainly point out that you're aware of this being a bit of an attempted con and then pick from the various options available to you. If it was me, while I'd be tempted to tell them to shove it, I'd probably offer half payable AFTER they sign the contract.

superbabe612

We had a similar situation with our buyer. They wanted a discount or threatened to walk. We called their bluff, they pulled out. Luckily the estate agent managed to persuade them to come back; we just gave in to their demands, as we really wanted our onward purchase. I was adamant I wouldn't give in to their blackmail but faced with the alternative of putting the house back on the market, waiting for another offer, I couldn't bear it!
It left us with a really bad impression of them but now we have their money and (hopefully) soon a new home.
Look at the big picture. In 2 weeks time you could be sat in your new home (saving to replenish your daughter's savings) or you could be waiting for the estate agent to ring with a viewing on your current property, then wait for an offer, then go through the whole process again...
Good luck!

IronWolf

pay it and strip everything out of the house you possibly can when you leave

MacMickster

This happened to me several years ago. I was prepared to cut my nose off to spite my face so went round to the EA to tell them that I was pulling out of the sale. By the time I got back home EA had phoned 5 times leaving messages that buyer had dropped demands.

The buyer's demands in this case are, more likely than not, a case of trying it on. He has incurred costs which he will have lost if the sale falls through (surveys, solicitor etc). Is he likely to pull out over £445? It may be that he is trying to stall so that he doesn't complete before his hols andso save on mortgage, council tax etc.

It is up to you to do what you think, but in your position I would tell him to stick it. I would look for another buyer and should he come back again after his hols then the price will be £2K higher. But that is me because I never have, and never will give in to bullies (but took a hiding or 2 in my school days because of this).

If you do this then you have to be prepared for your buyer to actually pullout, but it is always possible that he is actually looking for a reason to pull out in any case.

Eton_Rifle

I thing you have to pay it and clinch the deal now. A bird on the hand ... and all that.

If you refuse, he's going to come up wih something else anyway, now or later - and it doesn't have to be work that needs doing, he could just say £1K off or I'm not exchanging. He has all the hallmarks of being the gazundering type.

I also think if he doesn't exchange right now, it's possible (actually I think highly likely) he is never going to - or if he does he'll want a bigger reduction then.
Get the slippery devil pinned down and locked in right now!

oldone_2

Tell both the Estate Agents what is happening and suggest they share the extra cost between them, taken from their commission for the sale/purchase.

Occams_Razor_2

they are doing because they hold and the power, and they can.

you have no rights or comeback, purely up to you to accept or deny the request and its consequence.

not nice, but that's the way the game works.