Being sued by buyer for failed sale.

rik111

These people do not sound like property investors, they wouldn’t blink an eyelid at a failed sale and losing £600.00, it comes with the territory. 

AnotherJoe

theoretica said:

I would reply that you had been willing to gift £180 to maintain neighbourly good feelings, but as their further demands have made it plain that this would not work and good feeling is lost you are sorry but will not be giving them anything. 

I agree but without the bit about being sorry. 

[Deleted User]

You could sit it out - the previous offer was ex gratia and you've withdrawn it as they've not accepted.

Otherwise, you tell that that you will give them the previously agreed amount but ex gratia basis as full and final settlement.

Either route is viable. 

Scotbot

rik111 said:

These people do not sound like property investors, they wouldn’t blink an eyelid at a failed sale and losing £600.00, it comes with the territory. 

On the contrary whist they won't be blinking it costs them nothing to request their costs be covered so worth a shot. Investors are  financially savvy.

macman

The sole reason this has happened is because you offered to compensate them for something that was not your responsibility, goodwill or not. You showed that you were weak and they then saw the chance to extract some more money from you.
This will go on until you stop engaging with them, and learn from the original incident. 

Leonberger

Thanks everyone.

I’m going to ignore them. Difficult as they will approach me in the street often but I’m planning to just say I do not owe you a penny and walk away.

I was trying to do the right thing morally. Never again!

wilfred30

Leonberger said:

Thanks everyone.

I’m going to ignore them. Difficult as they will approach me in the street often but I’m planning to just say I do not owe you a penny and walk away.

I was trying to do the right thing morally. Never again!

As they say - no good deed goes unpunished!

greatcrested

Leonberger said:

I’m going to ignore them. Difficult as they will approach me in the street often but I’m planning to just say I do not owe you a penny and walk away.

I was trying to do the right thing morally. Never again!

You are doing the right thing.

But don't let this experience sour your morals completely! Doing the 'right thing' is generally a good policy. It just happens that in this particular case you engaged with someone whose morals did not match your own. But many other peoples' will....

eidand

I think you worry too much about this tbh.
You might have agreed but it's not like you signed a legally binding contract.
You agreed at that time and then you changed your mind. I would only send them one message to say :  I changed my mind, I won't be contributing anything. That would be it, matter closed and ignore anything else from them.

Hope you've learnt your lesson though, give someone a finger and this is what happens ....

dunstonh

When you put the offer in and it was accepted, was it subject to survey?   It's very common for buyers to agree a price subject to survey.  
You only do a survey once price has been agreed.   Depending on the survey, you may still withdraw or amend price.   The survey was carried out and you withdrew due to issues found (forget the CV stuff - stick with the survey as the reason).  That is pretty much routine in the world of house buying and you dont owe them a penny.