Buyer of my house wants to put up a shed and store things before exchanging contracts?

lauragiraffe

Hi all,

I need some help please.

So our house buying/selling process has been going on for some time. So long that the buyer of my house has had to go into a rented property. We have not held this up but it is actually their solicitor causing delay and has not yet raised enquires. Our problem is he wants to come out a shed up and store some things in the shed in our garden. Our question is can he do this legally? Is there any risks to doing this? Does this give him the right to enter my property at any time for example?

We were thinking it was a good thing because it shows he is serious about buying the house but some people have told us that there may be certain rights he obtains?

All help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

moneyistooshorttomention

No - in a word.

Personally I'm feeling cynical too about the fact it's their solicitor (not yours) that has been holding things up.

buggy_boy

lauragiraffe wrote: »

Hi all,

I need some help please.

So our house buying/selling process has been going on for some time. So long that the buyer of my house has had to go into a rented property. We have not held this up but it is actually their solicitor causing delay and has not yet raised enquires. Our problem is he wants to come out a shed up and store some things in the shed in our garden. Our question is can he do this legally? Is there any risks to doing this? Does this give him the right to enter my property at any time for example?

We were thinking it was a good thing because it shows he is serious about buying the house but some people have told us that there may be certain rights he obtains?

All help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Talk to your solicitor but I think the answer would be no... It would be better for the potential buyer to put stuff into storage, the cost will be minimal.

The issue is if something happens and they don't buy the property it could get messy.

ACG

If you are in agreement, legally he can do it.
What happens if the shed gets broken in to?
What happens if it burns down?
Will your home insurance be valid?
I very much doubt it gives him rights to enter your property but I would ask your solicitor (who will advise against it).

Surely he can jsut get a storage unti for £100 for the month and possibly claim it back from his solicitor for dragging their feet.

RedFraggle

Will things be stored in a bag for life and is a dog involved?

PasturesNew

The answer has to be "no".

Once you've exchanged he is legally committed to buying your house - at which point you could agree to it, but get something in writing that he's wholly responsible for its insurance etc....

But you don't have to say "yes" at all. Until completion day it's not his house - all you have after exchange is a promise/legal commitment that he will be buying it.

But ... what if .... he failed to complete? And his stuff's in a shed in the garden? And now he's wanting to come/go get stuff from it.... ?

All very awkward really. Best to say your solicitor said "no", self storage for a short time won't be very much....

SeasideSally

Years ago, we were in the process of selling our flat (didn't do it in the end and still own it). It was early days (solicitors had only just been instructed) when the buyers asked if they could get someone in to measure up for bedroom cupboards. We couldn't see the harm in it and said they could. Then they wanted to have them installed while we still lived there. Things went downhill from there.

Until the buyers become the new owners of the house, they are just strangers on the street asking to do odd things in your home or garden. It complicates an already stressful process.

POPPYOSCAR

RedFraggle wrote: »

Will things be stored in a bag for life and is a dog involved?

That thread just refuses to go away!

YoungBlueEyes

Whaddya mean there's a load of druggy stuff/dead body/proceeds of a bank robbery in my shed?! It's not mine officer, honest!

davidmcn

Have you discussed this with your solicitor, or just with "some people" and "some anonymous weirdos on a web forum"?

AnotherJoe

Aside all the other issues mentioned above my worry would be that this is a delaying tactic. Things drag on but "obviously" they are moving in as they've made a commitment so you are more patient .
Or alternatively they have less incentive to get a move on because they've moved some stuff and aren't paying out money to store it.
In either case they sound like flakes and the answer should be no. And you might want to think about remarketing.