Buyer wants to come over

AskAsk

I am selling a property, and it has now been going for 7 weeks.  The buyer had a bank valuation survey so the surveyor from the bank came round.  He didn't instruct the bank surveyor to do a survey for him but employed his own surveyor to do the survey.

He came back to the estate agent last Tuesday to ask if he can bring his builder round.  The estate agent asks if I was ok with her giving him the keys to the house for this as the house is empty.  I told her that I am not keen to give access to the property until it has been exchanged and I asked her what is the purpose of him coming round.  She said that he told her the survey he had done flagged up some problems so he wants the builder to come round and quote for the cost of fixing these but he did not say what the problems were.

I told her that I would only allow access if the estate agent can be there the entire time, as I do not want the buyer to have free access and certainly not to be given the keys to the property!  I also wanted to know what the exact problems were that had been flagged up so I can see what exactly does the builder want to look at.

She emailed him on Tuesday afternoon but he has not come back to her about the problems in the survey, but he says that he wants to come round with the builder to give him a quote for a new kitchen and new bathroom.

I am inclined to say no and that this can done when the property has been exchanged, and for now he can get an indicative cost of new kitchen and bathroom.  Any views?

jaelato1

Well as long as buyer is accompanied by EA, I dont see the issue. Nothing has been flagged yet by buyer 

user1977

It's fairly normal for EAs to lend keys to known professionals such as surveyors or tradespeople giving quotes, as they're generally trusted not to do anything daft. But I'd share your caution about keys getting into the hands of the buyers themselves.

Nothing wrong with saying no if it's merely to get quotes for new kitchen/bathroom - presumably the quotes aren't going to make a difference to whether they go ahead with the purchase? They shouldn't come into price renegotiation anyway - you're selling the current kitchen/bathroom.

youth_leader

I think it is reasonable to ask for extracts from the survey relevant to the builder's visit.  I wish I'd done this when my buyer was asking for a reduction for various 'works' the survey had highlighted. 

A new kitchen and bathroom are cosmetic, I would not be amiable to a builder visiting to quote for these before exchange, or  negotiating on the price for either of these. 

babyblade41

I don't see problem if either you or the EA accompany the trades person, but not hand over keys. 

I'm not sure why the EA suggested this before exchange.  Even after exchange a legal key undertaking has to be agreed on 

AskAsk

user1977 said:

It's fairly normal for EAs to lend keys to known professionals such as surveyors or tradespeople giving quotes, as they're generally trusted not to do anything daft. But I'd share your caution about keys getting into the hands of the buyers themselves.

Nothing wrong with saying no if it's merely to get quotes for new kitchen/bathroom - presumably the quotes aren't going to make a difference to whether they go ahead with the purchase?

I was happy for the estate agent to give keys to the bank surveyor and the buyer's own surveyor as they are professionals and can be trusted.  Giving the buyer keys so he can go poking his nose around an empty property looking for potential problems even before exchange is not a good idea and I am appalled the estate agent even suggested this!

I am sorry but I would not trust the keys to be given to a builder as they are not like the surveyors, who are accredited and regulated professionals that you could trust completely.

I think the quotes for the kitchen and bathroom may be to speed the process up so that he has everything ready on completion, but I do think this can wait until after exchange.

eddddy

AskAsk said:

 Any views?

Obviously, you can refuse further viewings / visits if you wish.  But that might cause the buyer to walk away.

As you suggest, it might be slightly 'safer' to insist that the estate agent was present - and you told the the buyer and estate agent what you would and wouldn't allow. e.g. lifting carpets, lifting floor boards, drilling inspection holes etc.


(Normally, sellers are more accommodating about allowing inspections before exchange, because they don't want the buyer to "walk away". Once contracts have been exchanged, the buyer can't walk away - so sellers often become less accommodating.)

AskAsk

youth_leader said:

I think it is reasonable to ask for extracts from the survey relevant to the builder's visit.  I wish I'd done this when my buyer was asking for a reduction for various 'works' the survey had highlighted. 

A new kitchen and bathroom are cosmetic, I would not be amiable to a builder visiting to quote for these before exchange, or  negotiating on the price for either of these. 

I would certainly want to see the survey report if he asks for price reduction for works as I always do this when I ask for a reduction as evidence of the work needed.  But I think asking for the report before any negotiations maybe a bit pedantic?

nicknameless

tbh if I was your buyer I would suspect you were hiding something insisting this happen after exchange.  Understand concern about just handing over keys but perhaps arrange to be there, or EA to be there for duration if you can't be?

edited to add - I didn't read your post carefully enough.  If only new kitchen and bathroom that is different.  I would still try to accommodate if at all possible though.

Maskface

Well the house is empty so it's not like he's asking to access an occupied home. However If structural issues had been highlighted by the survey then perhaps I would allow access, but quotes for a new kitchen and bathroom are not structural issues with the building and he does seem to be taking the Mickey a little I think.

AskAsk

eddddy said:

AskAsk said:

 Any views?

Obviously, you can refuse further viewings / visits if you wish.  But that might cause the buyer to walk away.

As you suggest, it might be slightly 'safer' to insist that the estate agent was present - and you told the the buyer and estate agent what you would and wouldn't allow. e.g. lifting carpets, lifting floor boards, drilling inspection holes etc.


(Normally, sellers are more accommodating about allowing inspections before exchange, because they don't want the buyer to "walk away". Once contracts have been exchanged, the buyer can't walk away - so sellers often become less accommodating.)

I have had problems with builders causing damage to my property before during the sale process and they never bought the property and left it in a mess.  They lifted the laminate flooring and caused damage, opened a bathroom wall panel and did not put it back as it could not be put back after it was prized open, pulled out the washing machine and did not put it back in place, so I will state that the EA must be there and that they are not allowed to lift floors, tiles, pull out washing machines, appliances.  You would be surprised at what these builders get up to when they are given the keys to the property!

I did not claim damages as it is difficult to prove that they had caused it if the property is empty and you don't go there for weeks.