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AIBU?

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To want to send an angry email to our house buyer after he pulled out days before exchange

235 replies

Parkingbird · 28/05/2025 22:48

We sold our house in late Feb and we were so close to getting a date to exchange - we were looking at early June. Buyer wanted an earlier date in late May, but we were out of town so it wasn't possible. Then we received news that he pulled out yesterday. I'm devastated as it took us a long while to sell and also we may now lose our dream house - no word if our seller is willing to wait for us.

We have never communicated with our buyer but a quick Google search turns his company profile up and I'm this close to sending him an angry email asking why he chose to pull out and how he has wasted our time and money, and all the effort involved to change my toddler's preschool and activities etc, not to mention the risk of losing our new home!!! I know this changes nothing but I want him to know what his actions have done to us.

This system is so broken. Why can't a deposit be made so that nobody can back out as and when they like???

OP posts:
cestlavielife · 28/05/2025 23:05

You didn't sell in feb
You had a possible buyer.
You will not change anything by emailing.
Put it back on market

KatyaKat · 28/05/2025 23:05

Parkingbird · 28/05/2025 23:02

We couldn't exchange while we were away as the buyer wanted to move in immediately and we don't have the time to move our things out.

Do you mean complete? You can't move in on exchange of contracts unless that's happening the same day as completion, which is when the full amount of money is paid/released from banks, etc.

PeapodMcgee · 28/05/2025 23:04

You didn't "sell", you accepted an offer and declined to exchange contracts. This is on you.

CoastalCalm · 28/05/2025 23:04

His spouse or child could have died or become very unwell , they could have suffered a financial loss , they could be divorcing or facing redundancy . Their mortgage offer could have been pulled who knows but better to just accept it and move on it won’t have been an easy decision for them either and cost them money too.

Parkingbird · 28/05/2025 23:02

DelphiniumBlue · 28/05/2025 22:55

Presumably the estate agent will know why the buyer pulled out, you could ask them?
No point getting angry, people's circumstances change, the buyer will have had their reasons.
IME, the longer the lead up to exchange, the more likely it is to go wrong.
Why did being out of town mean you couldn't exchange? The solicitor normally does the exchange, you don't have to be present. Do you mean that you couldn't agree a completion date?

We couldn't exchange while we were away as the buyer wanted to move in immediately and we don't have the time to move our things out.

OP posts:
Arquebuse · 28/05/2025 23:01

Yes, neither DH nor I were even in the country when we exchanged on our last house, come to think of it!

NoBots · 28/05/2025 23:00

Hmmm, it might have happened if you could exchange earlier.

MrsBlondie · 28/05/2025 23:00

You sd have exchanged - being out of town doesn't matter as solicitor does this.

Someonelookedatmypostinghistorysoichanged · 28/05/2025 22:57

Yabu it’s really frustrating but it’s also a great deal of money and needs very careful planning and certainty.

DelphiniumBlue · 28/05/2025 22:55

Presumably the estate agent will know why the buyer pulled out, you could ask them?
No point getting angry, people's circumstances change, the buyer will have had their reasons.
IME, the longer the lead up to exchange, the more likely it is to go wrong.
Why did being out of town mean you couldn't exchange? The solicitor normally does the exchange, you don't have to be present. Do you mean that you couldn't agree a completion date?

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