The NEW waiting to exchange thread...

fluffymuffy

We're selling an empty house for an elderly relative who has gone into a nursing home. 

The buyers have been "the most difficult buyers we've ever had", according to the estate agent. I won't share the details, but some of their enquiries have been downright offensive.

Now we're close to completion and our solicitor has sent the contract for me to sign and return.

The buyers looked round again today, and are suddenly demanding that we replace several double-glazed units, or give them a discount. The house was already heavily discounted down from the original asking price, due to it not having been decorated for years, and the pressing need to release finds to pay for a care home. (Which is not as pressing as I thought). 

The estate agent said we could - 1. replace the window units, or 2. give the buyers a discount (we could get a quote first), or 3. do nothing. (The estate agent was leaning towards 3, we think. They've truly had enough of these difficult buyers.)

We're getting someone to give us a quote tomorrow. And then I don't know how long it would take to get the units changed. 

Meanwhile, perhaps I won't send the contract back, and let them sweat a little. 

Sounds like they were hoping to move in the week after next. If the house doesn't sell to them, there's a really sweet elderly couple who soo wanted to buy it but their own house wasn't sold. I'd rather they have it. 

At the moment I'm thinking of getting the quote, and then asking the buyers for the money (i.e. added to the sale price). In the same way that if they'd have to pay more if they had take up the offer to buy any of the fixtures and fittings listed. 

In my heart I know that my elderly relative (who has advanced dementia) would tell me not to give an inch to "the cheeky s*ds" 

Mahsroh

fluffymuffy said:

We're selling an empty house for an elderly relative who has gone into a nursing home. 

The buyers have been "the most difficult buyers we've ever had", according to the estate agent. I won't share the details, but some of their enquiries have been downright offensive.

Now we're close to completion and our solicitor has sent the contract for me to sign and return.

The buyers looked round again today, and are suddenly demanding that we replace several double-glazed units, or give them a discount. The house was already heavily discounted down from the original asking price, due to it not having been decorated for years, and the pressing need to release finds to pay for a care home. (Which is not as pressing as I thought). 

The estate agent said we could - 1. replace the window units, or 2. give the buyers a discount (we could get a quote first), or 3. do nothing. (The estate agent was leaning towards 3, we think. They've truly had enough of these difficult buyers.)

We're getting someone to give us a quote tomorrow. And then I don't know how long it would take to get the units changed. 

Meanwhile, perhaps I won't send the contract back, and let them sweat a little. 

Sounds like they were hoping to move in the week after next. If the house doesn't sell to them, there's a really sweet elderly couple who soo wanted to buy it but their own house wasn't sold. I'd rather they have it. 

At the moment I'm thinking of getting the quote, and then asking the buyers for the money (i.e. added to the sale price). In the same way that if they'd have to pay more if they had take up the offer to buy any of the fixtures and fittings listed. 

In my heart I know that my elderly relative (who has advanced dementia) would tell me not to give an inch to "the cheeky s*ds" 

Definitely option 3! I’m willing to bet those glazed units were already shot when they viewed originally. 

Just say no. They can buy the house as is at the agreed price or you’ll re-list it. 

You said yourself the need for funds isn’t as pressing as you thought, and in the current market you’ll likely find another buyer.

plus as you’ve also said, your relative wouldn’t stand for it, and there is no onward purchase riding on it. 

Just don’t let them get away with it. 

fluffymuffy

Mahsroh said:

Just don’t let them get away with it. 

Yes!. I just wanted to check that I wasn't overreacting. 

Because of the line of work I'm in, I am in a good position to organise a great quote for windows. It would be good direct work towards the tradesmen that I know.

If it all falls through and they don't buy the house, at least we've now got it cleared out, ready for someone else.

Moneybear

fluffymuffy said:

Mahsroh said:

Just don’t let them get away with it. 

Yes!. I just wanted to check that I wasn't overreacting. 

Because of the line of work I'm in, I am in a good position to organise a great quote for windows. It would be good direct work towards the tradesmen that I know.

If it all falls through and they don't buy the house, at least we've now got it cleared out, ready for someone else.

Definitely doesn't sound like you are overreacting at all. I'm sorry you are going through a hard time enough without this added stress. 

RS2OOO

UnderOffer said:

RS2OOO said:

If we don't exchange today I will likely have to request a change to completion date and hope vendors agree, as the buyer-proposed Thursday completion is cutting it fine since it took all weekend just to knock 2 items off my fixtures and fittings to-do list, and 16 items still remain! Most items would be difficult to reverse, i.e removal of CCTV system, digging up a tree, lifting garage flooring etc, all valuable items the buyer doesn't want.

I might have misunderstood, but are you saying that you listed these on your fixtures and fittings presumably with a cost attached, your buyer has said no and you are removing them? CCTV I guess you can reuse, but digging up a tree and removing garage flooring, seems madness and a bit unreasonable of you. 🤔

Appreciate it may sound like that.

Tree is of sentimental value, my nan planted in her garden when I was born, and gave it to me just before she passed away. 

Garage flooring, cost £2600, buyer is turning garage into a room and told me it would be going in a skip and to take it if I want it. Its perfect for new garage.

CCTV was offered at additional cost to buyer, I paid £1200 for the system, offered it to buyer for £300, he declined, so why not take it and install at new home.

There's a few other bits as well that buyer asked me to remove, related to a pond I built, most is done now but still a days work left on it. A busy few days if we really are to complete on Thursday!

Moneybear

@RS2000 did you manage to exchange today? If not, any idea on when next?

RS2OOO

Moneybear said:

@RS2000 did you manage to exchange today? If not, any idea on when next?

Sadly failed to exchange again.

Today's story is that having sent a test payment on Friday, buyers (a business) attempted to transfer full deposit amount to their sol today, and because it was far in excess of daily transfer limit their bank has "frozen" their account. 

They have a physical appointment with their bank at 9am tomorrow to sort out.

Buyers solicitor has drawn down mortgage funds as has my solicitor (for the 2nd time), so advice from my solicitor is that if we aren't in a position to complete on Thursday (loss of removals slot etc or something else going wrong), then funds have to be sent back to lender again and further delays become inevitable.

On top of that, and after 3 failed completion dates so far our vendor has had enough and said they'll pull out if completion (I suspect exchange would be acceptable) doesn't happen this week.

So yet again, fingers crossed for tomorrow!

The stress is unbearable.

Loges1966

Hi,

We are due to complete on 2nd February 2022. In order to exchange contracts, seller solicitor is waiting to receive the redemption statement. 

When I called up estate agent, they said that seller solicitor has chased up yesterday morning. Is it normal for the redemption statement to get delayed. 

They need that document in order to exchange. 

Loges1966

First time buyer, so me of course getting worried and stressed 😂

Moneybear

I've just had a call from my solicitor. She has received an email from the sellers to proceed to exchange and lock in our completion date. I thought it would be too late to get funds in time but she is confident we can request this morning and get them for Friday. If not we can do Monday. She said she will call me at 10 for my authority to exchange so fingers crossed!