Gazundering

Fleurstar95

House on the market Nov 2021, accepted an offer £4000 under asking as had seen a house we wanted to offer on. Offered on our purchase a week later and accepted. Solicitors instructed and survey ordered for our purchase. Complete chain of our buyer (in rental) - us - our purchase (deceased estate and already has probate).

Everything going well until February this year - most things all ready by this stage. Our buyer comes for final viewing and brings along a relative (ourselves and EA not aware of any further visitors). This relative was a chartered surveyor. Looked around house for about an hour (small 3 bed semi with no garage). Nothing raised and last words were ‘very excited and the next time I’m here it’ll be with the keys’. Contracts all signed and with solicitors.

The following Monday after the third and final viewing on the Saturday, we receive an email from our EA saying our buyer wants us to speak to next door to see if they’ve seen their ‘significantly sagging roof’. We’d never noticed anything and didn’t effect our property, but anyway we spoke with neighbours who weren’t aware and didn’t believe it to be sagging. Our buyer wants them/us to report to NHBC (property has 5 years remaining). At this point we say no, not our property nor our warranty to get involved in, had it been on our property then we potentially could have. Buyer decides she wants a homebuyers survey for peace of mind. Ordered surveyor who called me to visit on the Tuesday - I say yes no problem. They then call back they need to push back to Friday as the buyer ‘wants to know what their survey includes’! Clearly in no rush. Survey completed no issues arose. Buyer looking to complete 18th March. 

Last week came and went with no exchange. Our buyer has decided the title deeds don’t reflect the boundary of the property. There is a tiny rectangular shaped piece of land (1ftx6ft) that is our land at the bottom of the garden that is not fenced in with the property (never needed it and more hassle than it’s worth having it as a tiny awkward strip of the garden) that runs parallel with nextdoors drive (this is at the back of the house). Solicitors (ours and our buyers) agree no issue. Buyer says there is. We suggest chopping back garden section of fence down to access tiny strip of land if required. Buyer says no. We go to original builders legal team - they say there is no problem. There is no dispute with our neighbour and they agree we own this land.

Buyer calls our estate agent Monday to say we either request our neighbours to conduct a TP1 (at their own expense of at least £1000+ and takes 6 months) and buy this land or the property price offered is reduced by… £15,000!!!! Luckily our EA says no.

We don’t want to risk our purchase, but can no longer be held in this emotional torment any longer. I can’t believe all professionals involved agree there is no problem, yet our buyer is convinced it’s worth £15k off the property!! 

We have offered ultimatum today, contracts are exchanged by close of business Friday at original offer price, or the property is back on the market for the weekend. Not heard anything yet - given whilst 5pm tomorrow to inform us, if we don’t hear by then we will relist. 

What would you do? We feel she has messed us around too much and shown her true colours by trying it on to that extent - so much so that even our EA and solicitors can’t comprehend her actions! EA in full support of relisting.

Slithery

Fleurstar95 said:

What would you do?

Put it back on the market straight away and find a new buyer.

Sistergold

You did the right thing! What an emotional rollercoaster they have caused you. If they want the property they will exchange if they pull out it means they were just trying to find an excuse and are just time wasters. Good luck. 

Schwarzwald

Put it back up tomorrow.
if they come around the corner for Friday, exchange and move on.

propertyhunter

Absolutely did the right thing. Good on you for putting up with it so far - most people would not have been so accommodating. 

flashg67

How annoying - it's cost them time & money too after all,  as well as you. Give them the time you said you would then relist. Might be worth looking at sorting the strip of land though?

[Deleted User]

Gotta say, the builders are at fault here too. It's apparently too much to ask that they don't create pointless strips of land that don't match the deeds.

penners324

Sounds like they're finding excuses for a last minute price reduction....

nimbo

How’s it gone? 

ripongrammargirl

What an absolute nightmare. As far as I’m concerned it’s all legally binding as soon as those contracts are signed. All this about exchanging is just another load of pointless nonsense and surely irrelevant as it’s all about signatures??? A signed contract must be legally binding for anyone??? Think the solicitor needs to do something for their huge % of doing nowt (I’ve bought and sold and constantly had to chase up for months).
Or just pull out totally as your current neighbours seem reasonable and the next lot could be nightmares like this person, who is just trying it on to be dammed awkward. If they really want it they will take the ultimatum. Either that or just increase your price by £15k for all the hassle!

hazyjo

ripongrammargirl said:

What an absolute nightmare. As far as I’m concerned it’s all legally binding as soon as those contracts are signed. All this about exchanging is just another load of pointless nonsense and surely irrelevant as it’s all about signatures??? A signed contract must be legally binding for anyone??? Think the solicitor needs to do something for their huge % of doing nowt (I’ve bought and sold and constantly had to chase up for months).
Or just pull out totally as your current neighbours seem reasonable and the next lot could be nightmares like this person, who is just trying it on to be dammed awkward. If they really want it they will take the ultimatum. Either that or just increase your price by £15k for all the hassle!

It's nowhere near the same. The contract also won't have been dated. Sometimes they're signed weeks or even months ahead. Exchange is not just a signed contract.