help - purchaser wanting to store things at new property before completion

hermanmunster_3

Any comments about this ?
Our purchaser wants to store some stuff in the garage between exchange and completion... where do we stand on this ?
Immediate reaction is to say no but am I being overcautious?

Debt_Free_Chick

First off ... at their risk, not yours ... so they need to arrange suitable insurance (which could be difficult).

Secondly - do you want to charge them rent/storage fees?

Finally - what arrangements do you want to give re access to storage, before completion?

lush_walrus

Depends on their reason I guess. We did this when we moved into our current house and the vendors didnt mind at all, mainly because it was due to fitting in with their wants that we were in the position to need to! They wanted a completion date beyond everyone below us, so we completed on our property, and on the one we were buying 2 weeks later and bedded down at family inbetween.

Personally, my feeling would be if it isn't a big problem then why not help out.

leftieM

It's your property. If you don't like it, say no. How long do you think it will be between exchange and completion and why do they want to store things?
I have to say, our seller let us move all of our stuff in on the Friday before the completion date which was the Monday. We had been pushing for completion on the Friday as we were flying off to Rome for my brother's wedding so it was all a mess. The solicitor let us down. It was extremely decent of the seller to do this or we'd have been in serious poo.

hermanmunster_3

think they want to move some stuff themselves to save on removals service - hence done over several days.

we are now trying to shorten the exchange / completion time to a few days as that would minimise the time during which the purchasers would be nagging us to put stuff in store for them..... chasing up and down the chain again....

kingkano

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

First off ... at their risk, not yours ... so they need to arrange suitable insurance (which could be difficult).

Secondly - do you want to charge them rent/storage fees?

Finally - what arrangements do you want to give re access to storage, before completion?

I thought you had to arrange insurance on your new house from exchange anyways? So they'd be insured in that case....

Not sure you can charge them rent on a property they theoretically own? Although perhaps I misunderstand the mechanics of exchange and completion.

I wouldnt mind between exchange and completion, if it wasnt long and it wasnt in my way etc.

paddy's_mum

We allowed exactly this after exchange but before completion. It just meant less slog and hassle on the day.

If the purchasers are buying with a mortgage, they must have insurance in place at exchange so you take very little risk in my opinion. They are, in my view, not asking anything unreasonable.

However, I would suggest that if/when you agree to what they propose, you add the proviso that they shall sign an informal letter (with a copy to their solicitor) agreeing that you are not responsible for the safety of their items, and that they will not include dangerous items such as calor gas bottles, cans of engine oil, etc. Hopefully, that way all bets are covered and you are in the clear. Keep it nice, keep it friendly and earn some brownie points!

Bogof_Babe

We allowed *our* (mum's but she wasn't involved in the sale) purchasers to put some stuff into not only the garage, but a day before the move they put their huge TV in the living room, and a few bits in the bedrooms. We had by that time cleared everything out (mum had moved into a care home).

I took it as a sign that they were genuine and not likely to pull any stunts at the last minute. Perhaps naive of me, but anyway nothing went wrong and all parties were happy.

I can't comment on the legal position but I'm just recounting our experience. I don't see how it could possibly work to the vendor's disadvantage - it is the purchaser who is taking the risk, surely?

hermanmunster_3

Thanks for the comments - chap wanting to store stuff is suffering most in the chain from the problems caused by his purchaser (keeping everyone else waiting at the mo...:rolleyes: ) so think will have to help him out +/- letter pointing out the terms on which it is done

Bun

I think the insurance is buildings insurance, as contents is not compulsory, so if it's worth anything if stolen I'd get this in writing that he has no claim against you.

Tiger_greeneyes

I don't see a problem as long as everyone is clear about obligations and responsibilities.

I'd also get something in writing that if the garage roof springs a leak and ruins their sofa (or whatever) then it's not your liability.

Everything has to be at their own risk as you're just doing them a favour.