Moving house monday expecting hassle from sellers not rushing

[Deleted User]

I see what people are saying but there's a big difference in someone getting delayed because of something out of their control and being delayed because you just haven't got organised.

These people have done it all. Disappeared for a month and no-one could contact them, taking ages for everything, "forgot" they had to sort out a charge on the property, then we get to last week.

The final straw was when we'd verbally agreed a week ago that we'd do monday 3rd. I checked with the buyer of my house etc and they agreed. Then just as we were going to exchange I found out the sellers had "forgotten" to agree the 3rd with the seller of the house (who then kicked off because no-one had asked him).

In the end, we had already paid deposit to Removals so weren't best pleased. It would have ended up causing a 2 week delay due to availability and loss of £800 deposit.  Their seller wouldn't budge (probably because he was sick of being dragged into their dramas too) and our sellers refused to move out for 2 days temporarily.

In the end we had to threaten to pull out completely. Lots of stress. Lesson learned - You might have morals where if you give someone you're word you stick to it - not everyone is like that. Wait until you've things tied up legally because there are idiots out there you can't trust....

So yesterday contracts exchanged. Special request from their solicitor - Please be patient on moving day. They did us a "favour" by agreeing to the 3rd so, because they haven't packed yet, its going to take them longer.

Nearly fell off my chair..... I have spoken to our Removal people and they have said "Look we need to in there by 2pm latest - which is normal time - because we've got to go start another job afterwards".

I can see there being hassle on the day. Honestly, they are like children who seem unable to manage their own lives without causing drama for everyone.

[Deleted User]

user1977 said:

[Deleted User] said:

Yorkie006 said:

I would assume you're buying with vacant possession.

Is there anything other than vacant possession?

Yes, if you were, say, buying an investment property with tenants in situ.

Ah I see. Nah just normal purchase.

Bigphil1474

Moving day could well be a nightmare even in the best of circumstances, but our vendors tried to move on the cheap and ended up having all their stuff on the driveway, on next doors driveway, on the street etc. whereas we just left the removers to it packing our house up. We actually were told to go off for a couple of hours by the movers.

Once the purchase is completed and the money has all gone through, if they haven't gone then they are basically living in your property. Personally though, I'd do my best to help them get out - it's just one day of your life for hopefully years of happily living there. As long as it doesn't cost you, cut them a bit of slack imo. 

TheJP

[Deleted User] said:

I see what people are saying but there's a big difference in someone getting delayed because of something out of their control and being delayed because you just haven't got organised.

These people have done it all. Disappeared for a month and no-one could contact them, taking ages for everything, "forgot" they had to sort out a charge on the property, then we get to last week.

The final straw was when we'd verbally agreed a week ago that we'd do monday 3rd. I checked with the buyer of my house etc and they agreed. Then just as we were going to exchange I found out the sellers had "forgotten" to agree the 3rd with the seller of the house (who then kicked off because no-one had asked him).

In the end, we had already paid deposit to Removals so weren't best pleased. It would have ended up causing a 2 week delay due to availability and loss of £800 deposit.  Their seller wouldn't budge (probably because he was sick of being dragged into their dramas too) and our sellers refused to move out for 2 days temporarily.

In the end we had to threaten to pull out completely. Lots of stress. Lesson learned - You might have morals where if you give someone you're word you stick to it - not everyone is like that. Wait until you've things tied up legally because there are idiots out there you can't trust....

So yesterday contracts exchanged. Special request from their solicitor - Please be patient on moving day. They did us a "favour" by agreeing to the 3rd so, because they haven't packed yet, its going to take them longer.

Nearly fell off my chair..... I have spoken to our Removal people and they have said "Look we need to in there by 2pm latest - which is normal time - because we've got to go start another job afterwards".

I can see there being hassle on the day. Honestly, they are like children who seem unable to manage their own lives without causing drama for everyone.

This would concern me as a customer, the norm is the removals are with you for the whole day as no one can guarantee when completion takes place. I would also be concerned that they would rush the unloading to make up time to fit in a 2nd job.

When i moved our house was loaded by 11am, we didnt get the keys to our new place until after 4pm. The house was empty days before but the process just took longer to happen

EssexHebridean

Did you sign the removal contract agreeing times? If so, that was probably a bit of an error of judgement as it's not something you can entirely guarantee - delays in the money being sent through the chain for example can delay completion times. If no specifics of timing have been agreed then it's tough on the removals firm - within the boundaries of usual working hours they get finished when they get finished. 

[Deleted User]

Heres a nice one from the sellers. Just spend an hour on the phone to vodafone.

The current owners cancelled my planned broadband switch for Tuesday (when I'll own the house - bear in the mind the completion date was confirmed yesterday). Apparently, and it seems sensible, BT check with the current owners to ensure they're aware.

This switch was booked about a week ago when we all verbally agreed so its not like its new request. So the sellers have waited until today then done this. I can only assume they've done this because they're unhappy to pushed the deal for the 3rd (had no choice!)

Nuts. Another 2 day wait for broadband now - assuming they don't cancel this one. (My solicitor has contacted their to tell them to cut it out).

Oh and I hadn't even officially said no to their request to delay the move on the day. I calmed down and promised the solicitor I'd see what was possible. I even went out of my way to speak to the Removals (sadly they said 2pm is the latest they can do so my hands are tied!).

And they want us to do them a favour????

laidbackgjr

[Deleted User] said:

Heres a nice one from the sellers. Just spend an hour on the phone to vodafone.

The current owners cancelled my planned broadband switch for Tuesday (when I'll own the house - bear in the mind the completion date was confirmed yesterday). Apparently, and it seems sensible, BT check with the current owners to ensure they're aware.

This switch was booked about a week ago when we all verbally agreed so its not like its new request. So the sellers have waited until today then done this. I can only assume they've done this because they're unhappy to pushed the deal for the 3rd (had no choice!)

Nuts. Another 2 day wait for broadband now - assuming they don't cancel this one. (My solicitor has contacted their to tell them to cut it out).

Oh and I hadn't even officially said no to their request to delay the move on the day. I calmed down and promised the solicitor I'd see what was possible. I even went out of my way to speak to the Removals (sadly they said 2pm is the latest they can do so my hands are tied!).

And they want us to do them a favour????

Look at it from their perspective - you've not yet paid for their house and you are trying to disconnect their services. 

Your agreement for 2pm with the removals is your problem, if your money isn't with the sellers until 4pm, then 4pm is when you start to move in - all perfectly normal - in a chain it can take most of the day for the money to flow through.

Tabieth

I’d say that moving in on completion day is always a bit of a gamble. What happens if the funds take longer than expected to transfer? They might not arrive into the seller’s solicitor until late afternoon. Added in possible delays with the seller moving out, it’s asking for trouble. I’d say being in by 2pm isn’t that likely - sorry! 

Regarding broadband, is the day you arranged the switch completion day? Again, until funds have been received, you don’t own it. What happens if BT turned up at 9am and completion occurred at 5pm? I don’t think it unreasonable for them to cancel the stitch if that’s the situation. 

HHarry

Tabieth said:

I’d say that moving in on completion day is always a bit of a gamble. What happens if the funds take longer than expected to transfer? They might not arrive into the seller’s solicitor until late afternoon. Added in possible delays with the seller moving out, it’s asking for trouble. I’d say being in by 2pm isn’t that likely - sorry! 

Regarding broadband, is the day you arranged the switch completion day? Again, until funds have been received, you don’t own it. What happens if BT turned up at 9am and completion occurred at 5pm? I don’t think it unreasonable for them to cancel the stitch if that’s the situation. 

 What else are you supposed to do on completion day?  Where are you and all your stuff going to go?  This is an everyday occurence that goes wrong so rarely that having a backup shouldn’t be necessary.

 And completion is due on Monday, broadband install Tuesday - so there’s no good reason for the Vendors to cancel.

GixerKate

It sounds like a very stressful situation thats for sure.  

I would be a little concerned about the removals company and their 2pm hard cut - off, I've moved a few times and never been able to be in by that time.  Last time the banks just took a while (hours) to process the payments and we just had to wait until we got the nod that the payments had gone through, the longer the chain the longer the delays.  I think we were in the new place at 5pmish and it was an empty new build, it just took that long for the bank to do their thing.