moving/completion day - online estate agents and keys?

vcb1981

Hi all

So we are getting close to signing contracts and hopefully setting a completion and move day soon. It’s a 3 person chain – 1st time buyer, buying our property and we are moving into an empty house. Nice and simple hopefully!

Both us and the person we are buying off used online estate agents – when we come to move out of our property all is fine as I will hand the keys over myself to the buyer, we are moving 1 mile down the road. However the person we are buying off (she used Emoov) actually lives 50 miles away. So what happens with the keys usually in this situation? I don’t want to drive a 90 minute journey to collect (it’s an awful journey too) but also assume our seller won’t want to drive to us. Has anyone else been in this situation before, what happened – or any suggestions for me to arrange something suitable?

Thanks in advance all – freaking already about moving day and then this spanner got thrown into the works yesterday and now I am all stressed again!

davidmcn

Have you asked her? She might know someone more local. How did she arrange viewings? Are either of you using a local solicitor who might be able to hold keys?

eddddy

What does the seller say? I would have expected this to be a problem for the seller to resolve.

From your post, it sounds like the seller isn't actually moving on completion day - so the least inconvenient solution for everyone might be for the seller to meet you at the property.

If you choose to sell a property 50 miles away with no local EA, you should take into account the inconveniences this might cause you.

Alternatively, they could leave keys with a neighbour. Or if they previously let the property through a letting agent, the agent might hold the keys as a 'favour'.

pinkteapot

Phone the seller or the EA you're buying through, and ask.

Agree with eddddy though - easiest would seem to be for her to meet you at the property once completion has been confirmed by the solicitors.

vcb1981

Hi all
Thank you for your comments - I had concerns it would be a case of "you want the key, come and get them" however after reading your comments and thinking it through its more the other way around - you want the money, you need to make the effort.

pinkteapot

vcb1981 wrote: »

Hi all
Thank you for your comments - I had concerns it would be a case of "you want the key, come and get them" however after reading your comments and thinking it through its more the other way around - you want the money, you need to make the effort.

Phone the EA (or the seller if you have her number) and ask what the plan is. Then you'll know and can stop worrying about that part at least!

FrankE

Our seller has already moved out so we are picking the keys up from the EA. I would ask them if you can do that instead.

pinkteapot

FrankE wrote: »

Our seller has already moved out so we are picking the keys up from the EA. I would ask them if you can do that instead.

The point of the thread is that the EA is an online one, so doesn't have a local office...

oligopoly

we sold ours through Purplebricks - just waiting to exchange. I'm almost certain we give our keys to the Purplebricks representative that was appointed to us. Do you not have a rep that visited you?

vcb1981

Yes we had/have a rep but the understanding I got was that we deal with it. I had an email linking to a check list from them a while back which out-line "what next" after we had agreed a sales price - it pretty much said the rest was up to us now!


Replies much appreciated all :-)

sheff6107

You agree a date and a time for completion. The seller has to get the key into your hand at the agreed time.

She'll have to courier it to you if she's not around.