Bought a small holding the owners are chopping down the trees.

The thing is what they wanted to buy no longer exists. All they can do is pull out or massively reduce their offer. We get a lot of legitimate clear felling near me. The land is being returned from conifer plantations to natural species. Even with care and doing it for the right reasons, the land is left a mess and costs a lot of time and effort to return to it to something attractive. Land is the same as anything else. Until exchange has happened, the seller can do what they like.

Either the local offspring is trying to sabotage the sale, or just trying to gouge as much money as they can and doesnt give a shit about the consequences. I wonder if the one who is very attached actually wants to stay and is mad at siblings for forcing the sale. Whatever the reason, I would be out of this deal as soon as possible, this does not bode well.

Cut your losses and pull out-this will just be the tip of a very unpleasant iceberg-let them realise that actions have consequences.

Drop offer price but ensure the message has been personally delivered to whichever of the adult children is doing this. Say the offer is based on no trees being chopped. That would pee me right off. I’m hoping we can buy something with fruit trees next year (very fruit oriented area)

Your friends need to pull out. If they are truly cutting down the trees for the sake of selling firewood, they should be persuaded to stop on the basis of the sale, which is obviously far more valuable. If they won't, your friends shouldn't buy it anyway for all the reasons already given. It's become a fairly simple situation, albeit a bit sad for both your fiends and the poor trees.

I would call the local council about the felling of all the trees. Pretty sure that you can’t cut down woodland or an orchard without some sort of permission. TPO or No TPO

I would be running in the opposite direction from this unhinged individual

He is likely to pour diesel all over the land as a parting gift so there won’t be any land your friends can grow anything on

I would also be wary that this person won’t get it through his head he doesn’t live there anymore and either won’t move out or will be around daily sticking his nose into their business and getting irate if they don’t do as he wishes

I'd withdraw from sale and tell EA why.

Looks like your friends have found out why it hasn't sold.

also its to do with the diameter of the tree as well, so if these are mature trees then its highly probable that a felling licence would be needed

Speak to a solicitor - they should not be doing this.

I'd ask the estate agent for another visit. Then see how it looks. If it's really bad I'd pull out of the sale, explaining that you wanted it with the trees.

They may already have one. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tree-preservation-orders-and-trees-in-conservation-areas#tree-preservation-orders--general
The fines for unlawfully cutting down a tree are massive.

I couldn't even live there.. all those mature trees gone!! Awfull memory of that not exactly a good start is it? Thank god for karma...!! it will get them. Vile creatures.

You can't legally fell a tree if it has a tree preservation order on it. Would be worth reporting this to the Tree Officer at their local council. They can receive the images via satellite.
The wood will be of no value,it has to be dried out for a couple of years before it makes good firewood.

I certainly would pull out of buying this land - obviously there's some really bad feelings so God knows what else would be done - including after the land is sold. I wouldn't risk the welfare of any animals being put there!

Sounds like the tree fellers are deliberately sabotaging the land / sale, whatever the reason. The only sensible action is to walk away as it could be a messy, indefinite saga with ongoing trouble.

.

It's very clear that the friends have been informing OP of what's happening...making it her business. What is your problem? Also, who cares if she is indeed the 'friend'?

They have to pull out. I am sorry (lawyer but not property lawyer). This is a nightmare. They are buying something which will be significantly physically different when it is handed over. This is sad but ridiculous. They’d be fools to not pull out immediately.

I'm thinking horror stories like revenge sabotage after sale has closed. Someone doesn't want it sold and while optically it's up for sale, the vibe is not good.

I'd be terrified to own it. Midsomer Murders comes to mind....😮

2 cubic metres max per calendar quarter can be sold. Out of the 5 cubic meters which can be felled, before a felling licence is required

Your friends only have a couple of options, don't they. They can advise that with the trees gone, they are no longer interested in buying the property and are going to pull out of the sale, or they can state that with the loss of the trees, the property is no longer worth the amount they had offered, so their new offer is £whatever.

There's nothing else they can do. It's heartbreaking to see healthy trees cut down just to make a few bob but while it's still the vendor's - or their parent's - property there's nothing to be done.