In-laws threatening to gazump us!

[Deleted User]

SO and I have been together for 13 years. A few years back we were in a tight spot and his parents kindly offered to let us rent a house they own for a very reasonable rate. We have been there for a few years as we were both getting established in our careers. Over that time we have managed to save for a deposit. Yesterday we had an offer accepted on a house. 
 SO told his parents when we started looking and they did not seem pleased as the house we currently live in would be empty. 
The house is not in great nick tbh. We have done what we can to make it habitable but it really needs stripping back, replumbing, re-wiring, damp proofing, properly insulating and new doors and windows. We do not wish to do any of this as we are renting and this would have no return on our investment. 
 When we told them we had an offer accepted, all hell broke loose. They said we should buy the place we are in now for a discounted rate and that they want to buy the house we have put in an offer on and asking how much we had offered (we did not tell them). 
I am very cross that they are interfering so much, and am very worried they would just put in a higher offer. We don't want to buy this house, even at a reduced rate, it needs far too much work doing to it. It seems like they are being very unreasonable. 
SO feels like he is in a no win situation. I am worried that we will be gazumped by my interfering in laws. What can we do?

Marvel1

See what happens, if they do end up with the house, keep quiet on the next one.  Not much help but thinking ahead.

AdrianC

He needs to grow a pair and tell his parents to stop being idiots.
If that doesn't work, then he needs to just tell them to decide whether they want to treat you as tenants, business rivals, or family.

If they really do carry out this threat, then at least it confirms the old adage about picking your friends.

AW618

drinkupretty said:

The house is not in great nick tbh. We have done what we can to make it habitable but it really needs stripping back, replumbing, re-wiring, damp proofing, properly insulating and new doors and windows. We do not wish to do any of this as we are renting and this would have no return on our investment. 
 When we told them we had an offer accepted, all hell broke loose. They said we should buy the place we are in now for a discounted rate and that they want to buy the house we have put in an offer on and asking how much we had offered (we did not tell them). 

The second bolded sentence would negate the first bolded sentence, wouldn't it?  Is it genuinely a low price they are offering you?

Norman_Castle

Were they looking to buy and you've both chosen the same property? Seems extreme to buy a property just to prevent you buying it.

warby68

It sounds as if you haven't done what was expected of you in return for cheap housing for several years, either buy it or do it up. Now they are lashing out. I can sort of see it when you say we didn't want to spend anything as we were only renting - you have treated it commercially, they might have seen it as a family thing and expected something more. Are you sure your partner and parents didn't have some kind of arrangement which is now being 'torn up'?
Either way, trying to gazump you is more than a little bit weird.
Sounds like you need a clear the air chat and failing that carry on and see what happens, keeping quiet about the next one if it comes to that.

greatcrested

Good grief! Nice inlaws!

Either

* you just stick with your offer, stop speaking to the inlaws (about the purchase I mean!), and hope they don't actually interfere/gazump you. If they do, do not get into a bidding war! (you could always retaliate by stopping paying rent (ahem!). Not much they can do about that right now....)

* give OS a boot up backside and get him to put his parents straight in no uncertain terms!

* Bake a cake, take it round, and try to mend fences over a cuppa

* if this property falls through (whether because of them or for some other reason) lean the lesson - don't mention any future purchase till you actually Exchange Contracts.

[Deleted User]

Thanks for the advice people. We have done several things on the house which was costly but we certainly have not been in any position to do a full top to bottom refurb. This would costs tens of thousands! 
We have:
Had the slate roof repaired
Replaced the front door 
Redecorated all rooms but 1 in the house
Had some wiring and plumbing replaced 
Had a new boiler installed
Had two new windows installed
Had the flat roof replaced
Replaced the bathroom suite

steampowered

With this sort of situation, I think you just have to strip it back to what it really is - a landlord / tenant relationship. Keep the family angle out of it.

I would just ignore everything that has been said so far. There is no need to give the in laws a running commentary on your house buying plans.

Just give your landlord the appropriate period of notice as required by your tenancy agreement, you are likely on a periodic tenancy, and move out from that date. The general advice is not to do this until you have exchanged contracts on the house you want to buy.

It is totally up to your in laws whether they want to rent the property or sell it. That has absolutely nothing to do with you.

The threat to "gazump" you sounds like a ridiculous empty threat to me. They can't gazump you if they don't know what property you want to buy or how much you want to pay. Even if they did find out which property, the vendor/estate agent are unlikely to think they are credible buyers. The in laws probably can't afford to buy another property anyway.

ElephantBoy57

drinkupretty said:

The house is not in great nick tbh. We have done what we can to make it habitable but it really needs stripping back, replumbing, re-wiring, damp proofing, properly insulating and new doors and windows. We do not wish to do any of this as we are renting and this would have no return on our investment. 
They said we should buy the place we are in now for a discounted rate and that they want to buy the house we have put in an offer on and asking how much we had offered (we did not tell them). 
I am very cross that they are interfering so much

You obviously don't have a very good relationship with them. I am generally open and honest, surely you can be honest with your close relatives, that have already helped you out greatly.

AW618

drinkupretty said:

Thanks for the advice people. We have done several things on the house which was costly but we certainly have not been in any position to do a full top to bottom refurb. This would costs tens of thousands! 
We have:
Had the slate roof repaired
Replaced the front door 
Redecorated all rooms but 1 in the house
Had some wiring and plumbing replaced 
Had a new boiler installed
Had two new windows installed
Had the flat roof replaced
Replaced the bathroom suite

Can you elaborate on what sort of price they are offering you that house for?