Can't get keys after completion

HampshireH

s4T said:

princeofpounds said:

Yes, it's called contract law.

Without keys, the vendors have NOT completed on their sale to you, because you have not been given vacant possession (you got the vacant part perhaps, but not the possession!).

The Estate Agent is their agent and so the EA's failure is their failure. 

You should be getting your solicitor to demand the keys from the vendors (via their solicitor) on the first business day after completion has failed. If that doesn't produce a result within a few hours, then you should hire a locksmith and send the bill to the vendors, who can choose to pursue their EA for the costs. Or the EA may agree to pay direct to avoid the fuss.

You can also recover any other extra costs you have incurred. Hotel, removal cancellations etc.

I see that's very helpful thank you. If I don't hear from them tomorrow I will just ring my solicitors!

Don't wait. Call your solicitor first thing.

Rankin21

Online estate agents are an absolute nightmare!  We completed on our purchase on the 26th and luckily the sellers had come back to the uk in order to empty the property so gave us a set of keys. 

But the estate agent sill has a set of keys she was ment to drop by last week but she’s too busy! No doubt we’d have been in a similar situation to you if the sellers had not returned! 

Contact your solicitor first thing and I’d email who ever the agent is with a full brake down of all costs incurred so far etc. Absolutly disgraceful you’ve been left in this position! Good luck getting sorted! 

m0bov

That's crazy. You are paying a mortgage on a house you can't use? I'd be speaking with solicitor as they have failed to complete.

davidmcn

HampshireH said:

s4T said:

princeofpounds said:

Yes, it's called contract law.

Without keys, the vendors have NOT completed on their sale to you, because you have not been given vacant possession (you got the vacant part perhaps, but not the possession!).

The Estate Agent is their agent and so the EA's failure is their failure. 

You should be getting your solicitor to demand the keys from the vendors (via their solicitor) on the first business day after completion has failed. If that doesn't produce a result within a few hours, then you should hire a locksmith and send the bill to the vendors, who can choose to pursue their EA for the costs. Or the EA may agree to pay direct to avoid the fuss.

You can also recover any other extra costs you have incurred. Hotel, removal cancellations etc.

I see that's very helpful thank you. If I don't hear from them tomorrow I will just ring my solicitors!

Don't wait. Call your solicitor first thing.

Or rather, call them last Thursday...

It is the vendor who is liable (as far as you're concerned), don't complicate things by trying to claim directly against the EA.

AdrianC

Indeed.
The vendor has failed to provide you with the keys to enter YOUR house.

Their agent may well have been in charge of doing that on the vendor's behalf... but the simple fact is that your contract is with the vendor.

Locksmith tomorrow, your solicitor passes bill on to vendor's solicitor.

juliedee4663

I'm not having a go at you here, but I can't understand why you weren't camped outside your solicitor's office on Tuesday morning waiting for them to open. The way you have been treated is despicable.

Ms_Chocaholic

juliedee4663 said:

I'm not having a go at you here, but I can't understand why you weren't camped outside your solicitor's office on Tuesday morning waiting for them to open. The way you have been treated is despicable.

They don't have an office, you might have missed this earlier, they're an online agency.

juliedee4663

Ms_Chocaholic said:

juliedee4663 said:

I'm not having a go at you here, but I can't understand why you weren't camped outside your solicitor's office on Tuesday morning waiting for them to open. The way you have been treated is despicable.

They don't have an office, you might have missed this earlier, they're an online agency.

I thought it was the EA that was online, didn't realise the solicitor was too

AdrianC

Ms_Chocaholic said:

juliedee4663 said:

I'm not having a go at you here, but I can't understand why you weren't camped outside your solicitor's office on Tuesday morning waiting for them to open. The way you have been treated is despicable.

They don't have an office, you might have missed this earlier, they're an online agency.

Online EA, no mention of the solicitor's office location.

A_Lert

It's your house! Force entry, get new locks fitted, bill vendor.