buying an empty house - can we ask to decorate before completion?

[dimpletree]

We're moving into a house that's been vacated 6 months ago (gone to a care home). What would our chances be of getting the vendors (old lady's son) to say 'yes' to having a decorator/carpet fitter in after we've exchanged but before completion? we hope to exchange this week., but not move in/complete till 3rd week july.

anyone had this question - either as buyer or seller?

[Tortington]

why risk decorating - wha is legalyl someone elses house - they could change their mind for all sorts of reasons within those weeks

[GrapefruitMoon]

It can be done as long as you are happy to take the risk of the sale not going through (though that is pretty rare after exchange). We had some work done on our house before completion. Obv you need to get both solicitors to draft paperwork to cover it....

[Tambajam]

After exchange I would risk it.

[mummygogo]

You can ask your solicitor to have a clause added to the contract if the seller agrees. It will usually say that you are going to carry out specific work, not take up occupation, insure the property, hand back keys to agent at the end of each day etc etc. This can be done when the property is empty but you need to be aware that if it falls through you won't get your money back. If it improves the property the vendor is usually amenable to this

[lalalonglegs]

I've done this a couple of times after exchange - it is very sensible and, when sales do break down after exchange, as it is virtually always the buyers who pull out not the sellers, the risk is minimal.

[Speckledeggy]

No way!

I know somebody who did this for their mother. He decorated most of the flat then the seller pulled out and said he wasn't selling.

Good way of getting your property decorated if you can stoop that low!

[LIZS]

You 'd have to have an access agreement but that probably couldn't be effective until after exchange. Our vendors wouldn't agree to one, we would have liked to have had some work down to roof and remove the bulky furniture they had left, but they were having it decorated anyway.