Vendors want to vacate at 4pm, contract states 1.30pm

[readingrainbow]

First time buyers.

The EA "house move manager" range dh and tried to pull a fast one, frankly - I have been dealing with the house purchase and they have consistently rang dh instead of me to get him to agree to things. Argh.

Anyway, they had him agree to a 4pm move out time on completion day which is several hours later than what the contract states. The move manager has now tried to make me seem the unreasonable one as I won't allow them that "bit of extra time to clear their things". I reminded her that once the funds cleared, the property is no longer theirs and we would be held liable for any damage or injuries on the premises. I'm not trying to be difficult, but I do expect the vendors to hold to what they've signed.

Aside from that, why should we be the ones to allow them extra time? What about our time, isn't it equally valuable? Waiting around with our things until 4pm - or later, I could see an extension on the time limit happening - is decidedly inconvenient.

Dh doesn't want any hassle with the vendors, but I don't think I'm wrong in being hard-nosed about this, am I?

[lljkk]

yanbu. Threaten to get your solicitor to talk to their solicitor if required?

I get some sexism from door-step selling people. They natter at easy-going DH for ages thinking they're doing great, I seem oblivious until I've heard all I need to know & shoo them away.

[readingrainbow]

Yes, our solicitors have said they would be happy to answer any questions; have mentioned it to the EA.

The amount of casual sexism I've experienced since the house buying process began is sickening. They always, always ring dh. He is fed up, too.

[Waitingfordolly]

YA definitely NBU about moving in time, but can't your DH just refer the EA to you each time so they get bored and give up calling him?!

[sharknad0]

legally, it should be what is in the contract. Practically, we always got our keys at the end of the afternoon. It can be infuriating, but you'd better be prepared for it anyway.

If there is a chain, there is absolutely no guarantee that all payments will have gone through early. They should, but sometimes there is a delay.
If vendors have decided to do the move themselves, they often completely underestimate the time it will take them to load a van, the space they need in the van etc.. They might end up having to do several trips which delay the whole thing.
One of our vendor was several hours late. They obviously decided to do a deep clean after their movers had gone, and the place was amazingly spotless, sparkly clean (including behind radiators, windows etc.). I am glad I didn't complain before I got the keys (that's was an exception, most of the places were filthy).

I would strongly advise you to try to be as nice as possible with your vendors. Normal people are unlikely t trash the place, but if you put them in a bad mood, you might end up with a filthy place, scratches everywhere and annoying issues.

[dollylucy]

You can move in when you are told by the solicitor that funds have cleared and you have completed. That might be 4pm, you should be prepared for that.

Its not really reasonable to expect them to be out by midday. If everyone sets up removals first thing in the morning, they can only do their best.

[readingrainbow]

I don't want to put them in a bad mood, no! Dh is worried about that. However, I can't control the way the message is passed on from the arsy EA. She was being manipulative over the phone, painting me in a negative light to try to push me into backtracking. Apparently the vendors are waiting until completion day to take down their shed, which seems like faulty logic to me but what do I know. I wonder if they are pushing the limits a bit becuase they know we are in rented accommodation and there is an overlap of about a month. If they think we still have a place to live then they can go as slow as they like. Sigh.

Waiting - he has done! They continue to call him and put him on the back foot. He doesn't change mental focus very quickly so I try not to ring him at work, as even I can't get a straight answer from him. I reminded them again to call me first. I am the point of contact. But because I am firm and mostly know what I'm talking about, they don't want to speak to me first. (guessing)

[readingrainbow]

Dolly - if it's n unreasonable timeframe for them they should have changed the contracts before exchange, yes?

I am not expecting possession before funds have cleared, so if that takes all day, so be it. But if the funds have cleared and they are faffing about all afternoon, that's not on, is it? I'm not trying to be difficult, but I am concerned about legalities and my responsibility when the property is officially ours if they are still in it.

I'll be as accommodating as possible, but I am anxious to move in.

[PurpleWithRed]

First Timers eh?

On moving day you need to prepare for the worst: if they already know they want to leave at 4 I'd be expecting them to leave at 4 not at 1.30. If they agree to 1.30 there's a good chance you'll arrive at 2 to find them still there clearing up and there will be not one damn thing you can do about it.

My last move my poor buyers ended up helping the removals people (who had understaffed our move and packed XDHs stuff up and moved it first) so they could get their stuff in before dark. I'm still mortified about it.

Another move before that, in December, the sellers left at 3:30pm having taken all the light fittings, which they removed by turning off the power and using scissors to cut the cords at ceiling rose level. They left one of their cats behind though.

Just be prepared: have essentials to hand and the nearest takeaway on speed dial.

[Just5minswithDacre]

If you are FTBs (ie not in a chain) can you perhaps afford to give them that leaway?

It could be that their vendors won't be out of their new place until later in the day and that gives them a problem?

Do you have comparatively more flexibility? It can be good to show good faith by letting things go if you easily can.

[MaybeDoctor]

If you are in rented, then why not go with the flow till 4pm?

In fairness, we have twice not had buyers' funds pass over on the day of completion - that is the main thing to be sure of, rather than worrying about a few hours.

[Just5minswithDacre]

Oh yes, I've just read that you have a whole month's overlap. That's loads of flexibility your end.

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

I think it's unusual to specify times on completion day. The house is yours when the money reaches the vendors solicitor. That depends when the bank release funds. It's hard to pinpoint a specific time until the day.

[rollonthesummer]

Tell him to block them on his phone so they have to deal with you. Yanbu!

[readingrainbow]

So I guess I am being unreasonable! Ah well. I'll bite my tongue as I attempt to climb down from my high horse. ;)

[situatedknowledge]

It is a hypothetical only really. Money rarely trickles through at the time it is expected to.

[BaboonBottom]

My in laws couldn't get in until the Monday because of bank issues, leaving them homeless from the Friday!!! Their contract was 12pm on the Friday.
Honestly, I think it's a mountain and molehill. Yes your desperate to get in and you SHOULD be in my the contracted time, but it rarely happens in my experience.
I'd say yes as long as it really is 4pm, any later and you will be forced to charge waiting time for the removers. Force them earlier and you could have a filthy house and dumped stuff to contend with.
The reality is it is ok for you and that 4pm to them is important for whatever reason, so go with it.

[wowfudge]

It's not really the point is it? As the OP states, after completion the property is theirs. I would go back to the estate agents and politely reiterate you are the point of contact (don't assume it's sexism btw - they've just cottoned on to your DH being a pushover compared to you) and that while you understand that the timeframe set out in the contract can't always be met you would appreciate it if the vendors made their best efforts to be out promptly. Otherwise you may have to pass on any charges from your removal firm.

Mention to your solicitor that you have been asked this and don't want to agree to it - these things have a habit of sliding to even later.

The vendors have probably just said they're a bit worried about being packed up in time, etc, etc and the EA has gone into overdrive. Obviously the EA works for the vendor.

[GreenTomatoJam]

You're not being unreasonable in and of itself, but you are being unrealistic.

However.... I would turn up at the right time if it's at all possible, to stake a claim as it were..

Buyers always leave late/come back to get stuff/promise to drop of spare alarm clickers (never did.. bastards.. didn't put in a mail redirect either. bastards again.)

If I were you, I'd get everything put somewhere for the night, so you can move in at your leisure the next day.

I also like camping over in the house the first night - although couldn't do that with the last one because I had a 6 month old baby and didn't want to risk it.

[StickTheDMWhereTheSunDontShine]

Also be prepared for some wobbles around completion day itself. We didn't have a chain at either end, buying this place, but neither set of solicitors was particularly pro-active and we didn't know for definite that we'd be completing on a particular day until 11:30 on the day. There was so much arsing about that I didn't give notice on my rented flat until we had the house keys firmly in our hands!

The vendors had already moved out, as they were moving into a HA bungalow due to health issues, but the faffery and lack of urgency from the people in the background was unbelievable.

[wowfudge]

Ha - we had that too. Vendors' solicitor went for lunch instead of confirming he had the money! We were homeless for a couple of hours, sitting in a coffee shop and ready to go, but a bit bewildered because our sale had completed early so we were frantically running round doing the last minute hoovering. It did mean neither of us had to take the rest of the keys to the EAs though.

[wowfudge]

Gawd, that was badly written, but you get the drift.

[readingrainbow]

This whole situation has been one long (v v v long) test of my patience. To be so close to the finish line and be asked to wait even longer is infuriating. And breathe.

I am never buying another house again. Dh has been warned.

[dollylucy]

I've actually never had a time specified on a contract, I've never heard of it.
I've sold 3 properties recently.

If you actually don't have to move in on that day, I'd be nice and just forget the stress of it all and move the day later.

[scribblegirl]

OP you have my sympathy we're FTBs and I'm the Rottweiler when it comes to emails and calls - DP's amazing but I'm the teeth. He's been complaining about my claims of sexism when they call him (and all our paperwork being Mr X and Miss Y despite me being Buyer 1 on all the frigging forms...) and they still call him!

No advice but I'm swiftly realising that all the stuff I learnt on my law degree was utterly pointless as how things are vs how things 'should/legally' be are apparently out the window!