Help - Vendor suing us after delayed completion!

saajan_12

TR1 wrote: »

During the sale they mentioned that they had friends to stay with in Yorkshire - they left a few days before completion to stay with them, so we feel as though they're inflating their claim. I suppose the receipts/invoices will clear that up

..

I think you're right and I can see how the costs could add up, but I do believe that they failed to be conservative and allowed costs to inflate - especially as I understand that they had somewhere to stay, It makes it worse that we're claiming for two days off work and just the hotel - so about £500 (but i suppose that makes us the idiots, right?:huh:

My back of the envelope calcs reached close to £4k with reasonable, not inflated costs. They were prepared to stay with friends for a few days, but another 4 unexpected days last minute may no longer have been feasible without outstaying their welcome. They should have been in their new home not couch surfing from the day of completion, so I don't think you can expect them to continue to stay with friends.

If all you were out was the days off work and hotel, then this is all you can claim for. No prizes for not inflating your claim.

martinsurrey

TR1 wrote: »

I completely understand that - my point is that as they did have somewhere to stay, they could have made things easier - even if they are entitled to house of similar quality/size etc. They were downsizing to a 2-bed cottage and we bought their 4-bed detached house, yet we stayed in normal/standard hotel room.

Do you know their friends could accommodate them for longer?

Do you know if they had a falling out in the time they did stay there?

I know a fair few mortgage companies who wont allow a licence to occupy after a failed completion, and a fair few solicitors who would advise their clients not to as it opens a world of potential issues.

This will all come out in the wash, but don't get angry at people exercising their rights, and following a prudent course of action in what is the biggest transactions of their lives (and don't forget that this was very stressful for them, as well as you).

Rambosmum

£4k doesn't seem excessive to me, 4 nights in a hotel and 2 sets of removals from Kent to Yorkshire. When we moved from London to Manchester the bill for removals was £3000 for one trip (packing included), thankfully work were footing the bill!

Icecannon

It's a bit different to choosing to stay with friends for a few days to save a bit of money, than having to stay twice as long because someone else messed up..

They may be diffficult people but it's not coming across in your posts to me, how many of us would borrow a car from a friend instead of taking the hire car.

If they can show the bills for £4K then to me it's a reasonable amount for what they have been put through.

TR1

saajan_12 wrote: »

My back of the envelope calcs reached close to £4k with reasonable, not inflated costs. They were prepared to stay with friends for a few days, but another 4 unexpected days last minute may no longer have been feasible without outstaying their welcome. They should have been in their new home not couch surfing from the day of completion, so I don't think you can expect them to continue to stay with friends.
If all you were out was the days off work and hotel, then this is all you can claim for. No prizes for not inflating your claim.

martinsurrey wrote: »

Do you know their friends could accommodate them for longer?
Do you know if they had a falling out in the time they did stay there?
I know a fair few mortgage companies who wont allow a licence to occupy after a failed completion, and a fair few solicitors who would advise their clients not to as it opens a world of potential issues.
This will all come out in the wash, but don't get angry at people exercising their rights, and following a prudent course of action in what is the biggest transactions of their lives (and don't forget that this was very stressful for them, as well as you).

Icecannon wrote: »

It's a bit different to choosing to stay with friends for a few days to save a bit of money, than having to stay twice as long because someone else messed up..
They may be diffficult people but it's not coming across in your posts to me, how many of us would borrow a car from a friend instead of taking the hire car.
If they can show the bills for £4K then to me it's a reasonable amount for what they have been put through.

I completely understand that they were inconvenienced and should not have had to stay with friends. I suppose I feel foolish that we didn't claim for new clothes, toiletries, food etc. as they are. Please remember that we were in the same position as them. It seems to me that we tried to make things easier and put ourselves out, when we shouldn't have done, which is another cause of frustration - but that's our issue.

Overall, I'm just worried that we're now going face footing the cost for a claim that we can't afford for a mistake that we didn't make.

Alderbank

I would not have been impressed that the vendor's removals firm drove everything up to Yorkshire then drove back to Kent to unload into storage followed by another two day trip to Yorkshire. Yorkshire might be north of Watford but there are plenty of Big Yellow and other storage depots. They should have unloaded locally. This would have been much more efficient and more convenient for the vendors once they got the all clear to move.

The removers did this for their own profit

Guest101

Alderbank wrote: »

I would not have been impressed that the vendor's removals firm drove everything up to Yorkshire then drove back to Kent to unload into storage followed by another two day trip to Yorkshire. Yorkshire might be north of Watford but there are plenty of Big Yellow and other storage depots. They should have unloaded locally. This would have been much more efficient and more convenient for the vendors once they got the all clear to move.

The removers did this for their own profit

Actually it's standard practice, they are responsible for the good in transit and their insurance would not cover the use of a 3rd party storage yard

warehouse

To be fair to the other couple, there's not a cat in h*lls chance that I'd have allowed anyone to move into my home, (and until moneys are paid then it's still my home), without everything being in place. The costs may seem excessive but it's not affecting your pocket in any way, so relax and enjoy your new home.

TR1

warehouse wrote: »

To be fair to the other couple, there's not a cat in h*lls chance that I'd have allowed anyone to move into my home, (and until moneys are paid then it's still my home), without everything being in place. The costs may seem excessive but it's not affecting your pocket in any way, so relax and enjoy your new home.

Inclined to agree that I'd do the same .Although due to the situation and I suppose 'being in the moment', we did allow our buyers to move in (but didn't because we weren't allowed).

Has anyone got any thoughts on our Vendors EA? If they hadn't given us the keys erroneously, this wouldn't have happened. Their mistake made a bad situation much worse - yet they seem to face no retribution?

saajan_12

Alderbank wrote: »

I would not have been impressed that the vendor's removals firm drove everything up to Yorkshire then drove back to Kent to unload into storage followed by another two day trip to Yorkshire. Yorkshire might be north of Watford but there are plenty of Big Yellow and other storage depots. They should have unloaded locally. This would have been much more efficient and more convenient for the vendors once they got the all clear to move.

The removers did this for their own profit

Sounds like the lack of funds only came to light around 17:30pm or sometime in the late afternoon, which doesn't leave much time to dither around finding storage, unloading and driving back, only to have to hire another local company to load everything again and deliver to the house a few days later. If completion was very delayed or fell through entirely, everything would have to be brought back to Kent, incurring another round trip.

By coming back to Kent, the removals company have their known, guaranteed, insured storage facility. They may not have to unload and reload until they next need the van. Also, the OP's vendors are only dealing with one company so rather than 3, between which it would be difficult to chase any damage / losses.