Our vendor seems a little unhinged...

PoisonIvy

I haven't mentioned anything about the chimney caps, or anything else for that matter. I was waiting for the F&F list to come over before negotiating anything further. The only reason I'd considered it is that the chimneys appeared to be fine when I viewed the property but then the surveyor mentioned it so I thought it might be worth bringing up. But if it's not the done thing I won't. (The FTB guide on this site seems to advise being as picky as possible.)

I don't want to pull out of the sale over what looks like just a bit of teenage pettiness. I'm confident that we're paying what the property's worth, and not getting some major steal, contrary to what the vendor and his EA have indicated. The price is in the region of what similar properties in the area have sold for. He might have got his asking if the place didnt have dodgy DIY electrics, mismatched laminate flooring, a dated kitchen and a bathroom that makes the Bates Motel look like Malmaison. These are not complaints, mind - we wanted a fixer-upper. We just weren't prepared to pay the "fixed up" price for it.

I'm going to go DVardysShadow's suggested route and instruct my solicitor to tell them to stop playing silly b***ers. And I'll check on insurance as per Citizen-of-Shendopolis's suggestion.

PoisonIvy

tizerbelle wrote: »

The vendor does generally seem a bit of a twonk but this bit seems odd to me - 2 purchases and 1 sale behind me all done at seperate times and I've never paid the solicitor up front (2 different solicitors). I've always paid when the sale/purchase completed.

Odd - my solicitor asked for £230 to perform the searches, but the rest of his fees are due on completion. I was assuming that the vendor's is the same.

JQ.

PoisonIvy wrote: »

I'm going to go DVardysShadow's suggested route and instruct my solicitor to tell them to stop playing silly b***ers. And I'll check on insurance as per Citizen-of-Shendopolis's suggestion.

That's what I'd do. But I'd also insist on an inspection of the property on completion day It's very easy for a loon to ignore what's agreed and it's alot more difficult to rectify any issues after the fact.

When my parents bought their house 40 years ago they moved in at 5pm in winter to discover the vendor had removed all the lightbulbs and totally stripped the garden of all plants plus plenty of other stuff. What was comical is that vendors were moving next door and were therefore my parents neighbours for the next 15 years. Not the greatest of starts to neighbourly relations.

Littleweedj

I think that after completion of a sale, and from first date of entry to the property the buyer has something like 7 days to ascertain that all (i.e. boilers, central heating, plumbing etc. etc.) are in working order, as described beforehand. If not reported by due date then it is Buyer Beware and too late to report or complain about.

Therefore, I would definitely go over the house with a fine tooth comb, turn on heating, use all plumbing, and report anything not meeting this criteria to your lawyer/conveyancer immediately. Even although you state you are buying to upgrade, it takes time and money and, from what you have advised, this vendor may not comply with the term "fittings and fixtures". These may not be to your taste, but you want them to work, or still be there, until you are able to replace. Buying, selling and moving house is stressful enough without the unnecessary stress this vendor is creating with such sillyness. Good Luck.

AMO

I would raise any concerns with your solicitor - that's what they are there for and you need a legal trail of your concerns should this issue escalate. Filling in forms not knowing some things like where the water meter is is acceptable, but whether you are mains or sceptic tank etc has to be clarified.

Also, request another visit as late as possible to 'measure up'. This will get them concerned because you're entering the house again and if the place is a mess, then back out or negotiate for an extra ££££ off.

Finally, by raising concerns with your solicitor, this will be passed to the other side's solicitors (pass all concerns like tone and everything) and the other solicitor will talk to the vendor and he'll tone down as he doesn't want to risk losing the sale.

poppysarah

Odd.

Is he taking the paving slabs from paths too?

Is he doing a council tax fiddle do you think?

ess0two

Littleweedj wrote: »

I think that after completion of a sale, and from first date of entry to the property the buyer has something like 7 days to ascertain that all (i.e. boilers, central heating, plumbing etc. etc.) are in working order, as described beforehand. If not reported by due date then it is Buyer Beware and too late to report or complain about.

Therefore, I would definitely go over the house with a fine tooth comb, turn on heating, use all plumbing, and report anything not meeting this criteria to your lawyer/conveyancer immediately. Even although you state you are buying to upgrade, it takes time and money and, from what you have advised, this vendor may not comply with the term "fittings and fixtures". These may not be to your taste, but you want them to work, or still be there, until you are able to replace. Buying, selling and moving house is stressful enough without the unnecessary stress this vendor is creating with such sillyness. Good Luck.

Doubt you'll get 7 days,thats why many people will have boilers,electrics done under separate tests.

Littleweedj

Perhaps the Scottish system is different but the 7 days to make a claim, following date of entry was written into my contract for the last two houses I bought.

I didn't specifically ask for this, it just seemed to be a standard condition included by my solicitors.

Yorkie1

Littleweedj wrote: »

Perhaps the Scottish system is different but the 7 days to make a claim, following date of entry was written into my contract for the last two houses I bought.

I didn't specifically ask for this, it just seemed to be a standard condition included by my solicitors.

Yes, the Scottish system of land law is completely different from that in England / Wales. There's no such period in E/W.

montymouse

Oh dear, doesn't sound good. Yes, I have noticed online a few mentions of "vendor's revenge". I would be a bit careful.

Heard on the grapevine about a case in my neck of the woods recently - garden stripped of plants, fittings replaced with cheaper ones, and even plans to leave the loo full of ... well ... in a dirty state, shall we say. A bit puerile, methinks.

As for repossessed person's revenge: saw a place on rightmove recently that had clearly been spray painted with all the cans of spray paint they could lay their hands on: kitchen fittings, walls, radiators ... a right old mess.

Good luck with deciding what the best course of action will be.