Can't sleep... Vendors changing things on day of exchange, what would you do??

[Halfwayoranges]

Hi all.

I feel like I'm having a breakdown!! Meant to exchange yesterday with completion this Friday, and the vendors have suddenly said they want to leave their shed until their next purchase goes through, and collect at a later date! Their reason for this is apparently that they are waiting for probate on their next purchase. They agreed to move by end of June as our tenancy runs out then. We don't want to be stick with their shed until God knows when! And how would it be removed? How would we communicate this?

We said no and have heard nothing from the vendors. We need to find a new tenancy within 7 days if they don't exchange.

What do you think we should do? We feel totally drained with it all!!!

[eatsleepfeedrepeat]

Our vendors did similar, but with the family pets! I was a bit worried they'd do a bunk and we'd end up with two quite elderly moggies but they came back for them after a few weeks. so to me a shed seems reasonable! How much do you want the house?

[MustStopAndThinkBeforePosting]

It's not at all unreasonable to refuse this request. On the completion date the whole property and everything in it becomes yours and if you don't want the shed you'll have the faff of taking it down - or if you want it you can keep it. They do not get to massively inconvenience you for weeks while their vendor's probate goes through.

If they want to keep the shed they can disassemble it on removal day and get the removal people to cart the pieces to the nearest Big Yellow Storage company or equivalent.

I think you should, with your refusal, ensure that your solicitor has inserted a clause in the contract that says that if the shed isn't removed on removals day then there will be a charge of £X (ideally approximately equal to the cost of a new shed ) deducted from the money transfer to cover your expenses in disposing of it.

This isn't likely to cause the whole sale to fall through but in case it does, hunt out local air bnb places which might be good for a short term let without the faff of a 6 month contract while you find an alternative. You have to be prepared to do this if you don't want these vendors to walk all over you.

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

Personally, id rather keep the shed for a few weeks than lose the house. They are fitting in with your timetable, it would suit them to stay and not move out.

[iMatter]

Agree with the comment about a time limit- if they don't collect in 6 weeks you can keep it/get rid.

You could also ask for a retention of £500/£1000 to incentivise them to collect.

[Halfwayoranges]

Thanks so much for the replies... Can't sleep and been awake most of the night.

We thought we could suggest offering money for removal costs and storage until they complete on their next purchase?

They are arguing that they have done us a favour by moving early, but they said all along they were happy to move by the end of the month and now this has come up!!

Estate agent also lied st the start telling us the vendors had already had an offer accepted, only to be told the day the offer was accepted that they wanted time to look for somewhere!!
Can't cope with it anymore and feel so drained.

[Halfwayoranges]

Thanks for all the replies.

Do you think our offer to pay to store it is silly? Should we just accept this?

I'm worried about how it will work. Will they have to contact me or go through the solicitor? And how long will this take?

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

Your solicitor may advise you not to allow them to do it so you could blame it on that if that's the case? Vendors may more readily accept 'official' advice as to why they can't.

[Halfwayoranges]

My solicitor doesn't seem keen to say no to them... Though he's been pretty rubbish all the way through!

[GloriousGoosebumps]

You need to remember that the power doesn't just lie with them. They need to sell in order to finance their next purchase and if they lose you they may find it difficult to find a new purchaser or a new purchaser at the price that you are willing to pay. Tell them they need to take the shed down and store it at their own expense. Do not offer to pay storage costs. They're not going to loose a sale for the sake of a shed.

[Halfwayoranges]

Thanks for your reply. The shed is huge and it's got electrics in it and all sorts so they want to keep it.

I have had a look at storage and think we could just offer to pay half ie we pay for 4 weeks worth of storage? Do you think that's fair?

I'm just so exhausted by it all, seems to have gone on forever and now at the last minute another issue! Maybe we should just pull out and look again but this time where there's no chain!!

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

They're not going to loose a sale for the sake of a shed Well they may do , it depends how desperate or not they are to move.

[Halfwayoranges]

Apparently they are waiting for probate. But that just makes me think we could be stuck with their property for ages! I would rather just pay to store it for them. So fed up. Not sure I can cope with it all anymore, why is it so stressful

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

I don't know much about storing sheds-could it just go to the same place as their household belongings and furniture which they'll need to store?

[Halfwayoranges]

Assume not otherwise they would have just done that...

I'm not sure what the issue is really, I'm guessing it's probably cost of storage? Or that there's no room to store it at the friends house they are staying at in the interim

[ineedamoreadultieradult]

Why are you willing to pay for storage but not willing to leave it in your garden for a couple of weeks? Is it really that big of an inconvenience? I would just say yes but set a time limit for it being collected.

[Halfwayoranges]

Because I think it could get messy... When will it be collected, who will collect it etc?

Do you think we are being unreasonable offering the storage costs as an alternative?

[AbyssinianBanana]

Agree to keep the empty shed and agree a removal colony can come disassemble it at your convenience. Otherwise, you will come home one day to find these people and their crap all over your garden, as they inform you it will take them next 3 weekends and evenings (when their mate's van is free) to come pick up all the pieces they've left over your back garden

[AbyssinianBanana]

Company not colony

[Sleepybunny]

I think you are being very reasonable offering to pay storage. I can see why you'd want to offer too.
To reinforce what the others are saying, don't let the stress of the situation affect your judgement.

Your solicitor will no doubt what you to just accept, as clearly it's easiest for him too! I'm presuming he gets a reduced or no fee if you walk away from the sale.

If you don't want the hassle of the shed, say so and be firm. You owe them no favours

[wowfudge]

I agree with pp - do not offer to pay for storage, but do have a financial penalty if the shed isn't collected by X date. They must agree a date to collect it with you, not just turn up. I would also insist the electrics are safely disconnected - you don't want them keeping their freezer running in there at your expense, for example.

Hopefully you can resolve things - the EA can probably help to smooth things over as they will want to get their sale. Change the locks when you move in and padlock any gates to the garden.

[LIZS]

Agree you are getting this out of proportion. As long as it is left empty and you agree it will be removed by a specific date with so much notice at your convenience it is a non issue. Make sure your solicitor gets it in writing. Alternatively offer something to buy it then they can install a replacement. It would be cheaper than arranging a new lease or storage.

[LifeIsGoodish]

Do not pay their costs over this shed. Effectively that would mean they get a higher price for their house because they want to inconvenience you!

Earlier suggestions of holding some of the money back (equivalent to replacement cost) until the shed is collected, and writing into the contract how the shed is to be collected, are far better.

How will having the shed inconvenience you? Was it detailed as part of the sale? Would you have expected to keep it?

[whois]

I'd probably say they can leave it. Retain £1,000 of purchase price until it's gone. Date to be agreed at least 5 working days in advance for removal, at your convenience. Max time 8 weeks, after which you will retain the £1,000 and dispose of it yourself.
All agreed in writing.

Change the locks and padlock the garden so they don't just come in.

On the face of it, they aren't being THAT unreasonable. They are moving out beiges they have found somewhere and it will be a PITA to store a bloody great shed. Not a huge amount of skin off your nose to have the shed in the garden for a few weeks.

[Purplehonesty]

Ach it's no big deal it's only a shed.

Let them leave it and have it written in that if it's not collected within say 3 months it becomes yours?