Flat buying - seller turning nasty

ghekkomanic

Well, just got back from drinks with my GF and can say all of this is definitely taking it's toll! I think all things considered I've been quite level headed but this is really stressing out my better half!

Anyway I'm certainly not pulling out and am determined to see this through to the bitter end, but my GF says whatever happens it's now impossible to complete when we want to, so renting for a short term is inevitable.

She said she wants to call the seller and found out what she's playing at (I have her number at work so could call her tomorrow. I haven't had any contact with her since she accused myself and the EA of harrassing her). and I'm tempted too as well. Just to know where we stand.

Is this a good idea, or should I keep all communication through the her solicitor, as she insisted?

Doozergirl

Keep it through the solicitors. Is it your girlfriends boss fronting this, or her?

It's much easier to give an appearance of being unemotional through solicitors because they will pass the messages on in that way.

You have told her what you want. You must leave it on the table and wait. If you talk to her you'll get into a 'but you said' 'no but you said' situation and you will be even more frustrated.

Give the appearance of being calm and aloof and just wait. These things really are a test of nerve. Go out and look at some other stuff because it's a nice thing to do anyway

stevie_wonder

ghekkomanic wrote: »

Hello everyone. Sorry longish update:

Based on advice you've given me here (thank you) and also my GF's conveyancer boss, I phoned the estate agent yesterday and said I would be offering the originally agreed price for the flat (£2k less than I was made to agree to). This has been passed on to the seller's solicitor, but I'm not sure yet whether the seller has been made aware.

Aside from that there are two more issues:

1. The seller's solicitor FINALLY faxed landlord's replies to enquiries back today and they are for a different flat. We now have to wait for the correct replies. Also initially it transpired the seller was in arrears for the ground rent or service charges. This has been said now to be untrue but my GF has to wait for confirmation.

2. The seller now says she wants £2500 for the furniture (I said £500) or wants to push the completion date back at least 14 days so she can clear everything out of the flat. This offer would have been made before we lowered the offer on the flat.

My GF is now convinced we will not be able to complete in time for 10th December, so we are looking for somewhere temporary to rent just in case. She has had enough (!!) and wants to pull out, and her boss seems to agree. I think we should hang in as we've come this far now, and there's still a chance we could get the flat for the original price. My GF says there is now no point in making the seller aware we're not paying the new price for the flat as she needs to wait for the correct replies now. It looks unlikely we'll complete in time whatever happens.

I'm focused on finding somewhere to rent and other potential places to buy just in case now, but I guess I have two questions:

a) Should I pull out of the sale?
b) If not and it's worth riding this out, is there anything else I can do to move things along?

I'm confused. I thought the vendor had booked a plane ticket and was going abroad? They said they wanted to stay in the house for a weekend after you'd bought it, if I remember rightly? If they have bought tickets, how are they able to delay completition for two weeks?

Doozergirl

We already know she's a liar!

I think the game is that if they take something away, she takes something away too ie. denying the OP's girlfriend intense desire to move in quickly.

When was planned exchange? Friday? I wouldn't be surprised if you don't hear anything until then.

jyonda

Many others have already said this is a situation for the head and not the heart. Keep it on a business level, then you won't feel bad when you drop your offer at the last possible moment. Forget trying to be mr nice guy because with some people it just doesn't work. Some people are just p*ss takers and that's that. So give her the badly needed lesson she deserves.

Revert to original offer or less due to 'climate'. If she wants to put it back on the market say 'fine'. Get a friend to view and offer 20k less than you have. Then see what happens....

Thanks for uniting the board!

stevie_wonder

Maybe she's not actually emigrating but just taking a long holiday and planning on coming back, hence why she's buying this other house. She's lied to you all the way through this and been obstructive. I hope for your sake it goes through, but be prepared for the worst and try to stick to your guns. Good luck!

sooz

Do not call her.

Get your solicitor to call her, therefore she will have to get hers to respond to yours, and this will cost her money. It, however, costs you nothing as your solicitor is your girlfriend :j

I am sure she has lots of questions, but is rather forgetful, so only asks one per letter..........

guppy

ghekkomanic wrote: »

Anyway I'm certainly not pulling out and am determined to see this through to the bitter end

Try and stay a bit more detached if you can That sort of talk leads to people talking themselves in to all kinds of trouble!

Since you clearly love this property and have made up your decision, in my opinion, maybe you should concentrate on getting it at the best possible price?

Why pay the asking price of two months ago in today's weak market? Do you think this seller would have any qualms if she was in your position?

Are you still looking on Rightmove etc. at other flats? Is there any sign of prices faltering where you are? Anecdotal evidence suggests the market is dead in many parts of the country.

What have you to lose from putting a really cheeky offer on exchange day? Why not offer £5-10k less and see how badly they need to sell?

They might tell you to get lost, but then they might come back two weeks later asking to accept because no one else will buy it...not even that non-existent "developer"!

Best of luck

ghekkomanic

stevie_wonder wrote: »

Maybe she's not actually emigrating but just taking a long holiday and planning on coming back, hence why she's buying this other house. She's lied to you all the way through this and been obstructive. I hope for your sake it goes through, but be prepared for the worst and try to stick to your guns. Good luck!

Thank you! I'm almost certain she is moving abroad, and the property she's buying up north is for a buy-to-let. I suspect she's only saying she needs 14 days to clear the furniture to force me into buying it, knowing I've handed my notice in and need to complete.

Doozergirl wrote: »

When was planned exchange? Friday? I wouldn't be surprised if you don't hear anything until then.

We would need to exchange Monday 3rd December to complete on the 10th, as my GF says it takes 7 days.

Anyway I won't call her - you're all right, it's best through solicitors. It's what she insisted on anyway. Thankfully I didn't have her number at home last night or it would have been like a maudlin, post-breakup conversation with an ex!

Except we haven't ever slept with each other. Thankfully.

As my girlfriend said last night there's nothing for me to do now except wait. I'm going to arrange to look at some flats at the weekend though.

ghekkomanic

guppy wrote: »

What have you to lose from putting a really cheeky offer on exchange day? Why not offer £5-10k less and see how badly they need to sell?

They might tell you to get lost, but then they might come back two weeks later asking to accept because no one else will buy it...not even that non-existent "developer"!

Best of luck

Good idea! Thank you