Is this usual? Buyer wants to do painting/tiling before exchange etc

Pinto2013

Hi all.

Is it usual for a buyer to want access to a property to do tiling and painting works before any exchange of leagls doc or money etc?

I had an offer for a small flat which I had started to strip to do up. I changed my mind and sold it with tiles stripped, paper removed, units off the walls etc and it was priced and advertised as a renovation job.

Having offered cash the buyer changed his mind and is after a mortgage. He says the valuer wants him to put up tiles in kitchen and bathroom and paint the flat before he can get the mortgage he wants and could he please have access to do (at this own cost) this a week before exchange (NB no dates have been set yet as contracts have not been sent or signed etc).

This is very minor cosmetic work and it seems odd to me that his mortgage is dependent on it being done.

Anyone else come across this sort of thing?

Any help/advice/info gratefully received.

jjlandlord

Pinto2013 wrote: »

He says the valuer wants him to put up tiles in kitchen and bathroom and paint the flat before he can get the mortgage he wants and could he please have access to do (at this own cost) this a week before exchange (NB no dates have been set yet as contracts have not been sent or signed etc).

I think he's taking you for a ride...

G_M

I would let him tart up your flat.

Then withdraw from the sale and re-advertise the property at a more realistic price.

mrginge

G_M wrote: »

I would let him tart up your flat.

Then withdraw from the sale and re-advertise the property at a more realistic price.

Damn you. I was just typing that.

nidO

It's not normal at all no, and not something I would touch with a whole canal full of bargepoles.

IF you do see absolutely no choice but to go through with letting him do so, I would ask a solicitor to draw up a contract stating that any and all work is done at his sole cost and that if the sale falls through for any reason tough for him (and pass on the cost of drawing up the contract to him).
This will be massively one-sided towards you (as you could let him do the work then say "sorry not selling any more, thanks for the decoration") but my view would be that's his problem, as he wants to do the totally abnormal thing and redecorate someone else's house.

I would also make sure he is accompanied every second he's in your house to make sure he isn't using this as an opportunity to wreck the place then offer you a much lower price for it, and that he understands you'll be explicitly approving every single piece of work he does.

Pinto2013

Great comments and advice.

And you made me laugh!

Bonus.

Thanks.

Pinto2013

Thanks nid0.

Luckily I do have some good photos showing the state it was in at time of sale but you're right: I need a little healthy scepticism here.

I have a good downstairs neighbour who will keep an eye/ear out for me I know. He works from home mostly and will be alert to anything 'odd;.

Phew. There are some seriously not nice people around.

I must take off my rose tinted specs.

jjlandlord

Hold on here: I hope that you are not even considering the possibility of accepting.

brightonman123

no access until you get the £££!

nidO

Pinto2013 wrote: »

Luckily I do have some good photos showing the state it was in at time of sale but you're right: I need a little healthy scepticism here.

Be aware that this counts for absolutely nothing. The "time of sale" isn't when the guy put in an offer to buy it but is when you exchange contracts, with regard to the condition of the house.
If your house is a total mess the day he wants to exchange contracts (him knocking a few water pipes loose followed by "the place smells like its damp, guv") he can perfectly well try to knock you down because it's the condition of the house on that day that he is legally agreeing to buy.

The risks involved in this are huge, I would be much more inclined to tell him the house is what it is and he can buy it or not, or do the renovations yourself and tell him the price has gone up a few grand.

shopaholicz

If you give the keys and let them access the flat without you being there, what's to stop them changing the locks and moving in? It could take you months to go through the court system.