Sellers lied about chain free property

mjane93

Hi all
we are FTB purchasing what we though was to be a chain free house. We are currently renting and had planed to complete in July however due to delays we’ve pushed it back to august. We’ve taken the hit and paid for the month of July rent as things weren’t ready. Well we are nearly at the finish line when our solicitors dropped the bomb that actually our sellers are living in the property and won’t be moving out for another month. 

I am absolutely furious that they’ve held this information back until now. Their timescale now means we will need to pay another months rent which we weren’t prepared to do. 

I’ve just rung the estate agent who also said this was news to her and that she would speak to the seller to see what is going on. 

Has anyone every experienced something similar to this? Can we ask the seller to compensate extra charges we are incurring due to them lying about it being a chain free property and now making us wait an extra month?   

74jax

Have they said they are now in a chain?

Maybe other circumstances mean they want to stay an extra month, they still don't need to be on a chain? 

lookstraightahead

Find out the facts first. 

Any time up to exchange things can change it happens frequently.

if it is as you say, I would walk away if you're strong enough to do so.

Jenni_D

mjane93 said:

Well we are nearly at the finish line when our solicitors dropped the bomb that actually our sellers are living in the property and won’t be moving out for another month.

Sorry but I don't understand ... of course your sellers are currently living in their house. Chain free doesn't mean vacant possession, it just means that your sellers don't need to wait for an ongoing purchase to complete.

lisyloo

They haven't lied about being chain free.
They've moved the completion date for reasons that aren't yet clear.

mjane93

Sorry I may have worded things wrong. 

When we viewed back in April they were still in the house however we’re completing that week. They told us and the estate agent they would be out by the end of May therefore leaving a vacant house. 

This whole time they have made it very clear they wanted the sale to complete ASAP. Now all of a sudden they drop the bomb on us that they won’t even discuss dates for another 4 weeks!? 

Jenni_D

Maybe something went wrong with their ongoing purchase. Perhaps they were scaling down and buying a new property, but build completion has been delayed due to materials shortages (which is a known thing at the moment).

AdrianC

<shrug> Things change. Things fall through. Things get delayed.

This is why you don't give notice on your rental property until you've exchanged.

mjane93

We haven’t given notice on our rental property… 

Jenni_D

All good then ... what you're expending in further rent payments you're saving (well, delaying) in mortgage payments.  

TBG01

Funny how both sides are always "keen" to get things done, yet one or both sides actions don't match that.

Mind, I suppose it's still easier to blame the solicitor for how long things are taking rather than take any personal responsibility.