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AIBU?

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House sold months ago, buyers now want a

439 replies

Roseyliv78 · 15/02/2026 11:50

Hi all, wondering if anyone can give me some perspective…

We sold our house a few months ago and the buyers were fine up until last week. Out of the blue, they suddenly asked for £11k off a £300k purchase. They also apparently told our estate agent that, because we’re moving to a much bigger house, we can afford to give them a discount. We have no idea how they even got our new address, the estate agent says they definitely didn’t give it out.

The mortgage valuation guy said there were no down valuations at the end of the visit, and all the surveys came back fine, so nothing has come up to justify this. Our buyers said it was due to local area but the surveyor and bank surveyor both said it’s been extremely strong.

We obviously said no. We also offered to talk to the rest of the chain to see if the £11k could somehow be sorted that way, but they didn’t respond. Then they said they were disappointed we didn’t renegotiate, even though we had already negotiated properly at the time.

Honestly, we’re just a bit confused by the whole thing. Has anyone else had buyers suddenly try this months after the sale?

is this a classic attempt to try and give us a headache?

its strange as know they’ve paid all the legal fees, surveyor fees. Surely very risky as we could tell them to do one, and they could lose all the fees if we didn’t want to sell to them now.

allot younger then us as we both in our early 40s and our buyers early 30s don’t know if it’s a social media trend etc.

OP posts:
Skinpert · 16/02/2026 18:06

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 16/02/2026 17:56

Mykneesareshot · 15/02/2026 18:12

A firm no or you will pull out. If they still buy remove all the light bulbs when you go. CF's of the highest order.

You’d be surprised at how many buyers and sellers take fixtures and fittings. When I worked as conveyancing sec we had one buyer really shocked as all fixtures and fittings he’d thought were being left (as per the form) were taken. I can’t recall what happened but the seller was in breach of contract for doing that.

FcukBreastCancer · 16/02/2026 17:26

Offer them ÂŁ50 for the survey report!

Gloopsy · 16/02/2026 15:56

Roseyliv78 · 16/02/2026 15:29

Update our solicitors said they are going ahead. we asked them if they wanted to withdraw and they ignored that part and asked for an update and said they intend to stay.

Good! Cheeky gits

MinnieMountain · 16/02/2026 15:40

Different people and separate files @ZippyDeer . Did you really expect to not pay for legal work that was done for you?

Roseyliv78 · 16/02/2026 15:29

Update our solicitors said they are going ahead. we asked them if they wanted to withdraw and they ignored that part and asked for an update and said they intend to stay.

OP posts:
ZippyDeer · 16/02/2026 14:05

CarterBeatsTheDevil · 16/02/2026 11:57

Surely this poster must mean they had to pay some of their own solicitor's fees?

Yes, I do, apologies didn’t make that clear. The potential buyers had the same solicitor so I presume they made them pay for their work too.

BananaPeels · 16/02/2026 14:04

ZippyDeer · 16/02/2026 14:01

Our solicitor said we were obliged to pay the fees for the work already done, when I protested they said there was no legal obligation for the buyers that dropped out to pay our fees. I presume they had to pay their own fees as well. As the second buyers paperwork was already being done, it was agreed they could take it out of the final payment.

Yes you would have to pay for work your own solicitors have done regardless - sorry I thought you meant you had to pay towards the buyer’s solicitors

ZippyDeer · 16/02/2026 14:02

MinnieMountain · 16/02/2026 09:10

@ZippyDeer do you mean the solicitor acting on the sale charged for work they had done?

Yes, we had to pay for the work already done on our behalf

ZippyDeer · 16/02/2026 14:01

BananaPeels · 16/02/2026 09:01

i have never heard of that. What contract do they have that would have forced them to contribute?

Our solicitor said we were obliged to pay the fees for the work already done, when I protested they said there was no legal obligation for the buyers that dropped out to pay our fees. I presume they had to pay their own fees as well. As the second buyers paperwork was already being done, it was agreed they could take it out of the final payment.

Bekcee7 · 16/02/2026 13:32

I think this is a new (AWFUL) tactic by buyers: it happened to my mum recently when she sold her flat. Underhand tactics, but people know that the stakes are high and sellers don’t want to lose their buyer so close to exchang, especially if they’ve already lost one due to similar mucking around. Worse than gazumping, imo.

Roselily123 · 16/02/2026 13:20

MinnieMountain · 16/02/2026 09:10

@ZippyDeer do you mean the solicitor acting on the sale charged for work they had done?

yes, got ti be that. The solicitor has done the work and now has to start from scratch which the new house.

CarterBeatsTheDevil · 16/02/2026 11:57

BananaPeels · 16/02/2026 09:01

i have never heard of that. What contract do they have that would have forced them to contribute?

Surely this poster must mean they had to pay some of their own solicitor's fees?

MinnieMountain · 16/02/2026 09:10

@ZippyDeer do you mean the solicitor acting on the sale charged for work they had done?

BananaPeels · 16/02/2026 09:01

ZippyDeer · 16/02/2026 08:53

We had the same with my late father-in-law’s house. Accepted an offer, no chain either way, all proceedings well under way, then the buyer pulled out. We had to pay part of the solicitor’s fee. I did try to argue but apparently that is how it’s legally done! Luckily we were able to sell to the next person who had offered to buy and that eventually went through.

i have never heard of that. What contract do they have that would have forced them to contribute?

ZippyDeer · 16/02/2026 08:53

AlohaRose · 15/02/2026 15:12

What an earth kind of contract do you have with your agent?! If you relist the house and sell they will get their fees anyway so what is this business about having to pay if your buyers pull out? I think you have misunderstood something along the way.

We had the same with my late father-in-law’s house. Accepted an offer, no chain either way, all proceedings well under way, then the buyer pulled out. We had to pay part of the solicitor’s fee. I did try to argue but apparently that is how it’s legally done! Luckily we were able to sell to the next person who had offered to buy and that eventually went through.

user2848502016 · 16/02/2026 08:15

This happened to my friend the day before they were supposed to move!
She said no and pointed out that if the sale fell through the buyers would lose all their fees, survey costs etc and the buyers backed down.
Really horrible thing to do

LlynTegid · 16/02/2026 08:13

DrBlackbird · 16/02/2026 08:09

I can get people making a realistic offer and then deciding to chance it, but this takes it to a whole other level by outbidding everyone knowing that they’re going to then withdraw a significant amount right before completion. Possibly jeopardising the vendors onwards house purchase. That is pure evil.

It should be a criminal offence.

LlynTegid · 16/02/2026 08:11

Wintersgirl · 16/02/2026 01:35

So it's basically blackmail?

I wonder what would happen if you suggested to the chancers that you view it as blackmail, and reminded them that there are laws about blackmail.

My non-legal opinion is I don't think it is.

DrBlackbird · 16/02/2026 08:09

PizzaForBreakfast · 15/02/2026 23:53

We know people who only last week offered higher than they were prepared to pay with the sole purpose of knocking off £50k the day before the exchange. Luckily enough the sellers accepted someone else’s offer and saved themselves a headache. It’s disgusting.

I can get people making a realistic offer and then deciding to chance it, but this takes it to a whole other level by outbidding everyone knowing that they’re going to then withdraw a significant amount right before completion. Possibly jeopardising the vendors onwards house purchase. That is pure evil.

Rainbowdottie · 16/02/2026 06:48

Wintersgirl · 16/02/2026 01:35

So it's basically blackmail?

I’d say it’s more manipulation at its finest!

Wintersgirl · 16/02/2026 01:35

Rainbowdottie · 15/02/2026 18:53

its very common, it’s “a tale as old as time “… they’re just trying to get so far down the line that you’ll be scared not to take the reduction and the chain will collapse if you don’t. But don’t do it, stick to your price. I’m old , luckily it’s never happened to me but they’ve obviously read it or been told about it and thought they’d chance it!

So it's basically blackmail?

PizzaForBreakfast · 15/02/2026 23:53

We know people who only last week offered higher than they were prepared to pay with the sole purpose of knocking off £50k the day before the exchange. Luckily enough the sellers accepted someone else’s offer and saved themselves a headache. It’s disgusting.

Pistachiocake · 15/02/2026 23:10

LlynTegid · 15/02/2026 11:54

You did the right thing in saying no. Hope it can all go through eventually.

I have long argued that the law for the sale and purchase of houses in England and Wales should be changed. Same process as in Scotland would be an improvement and relatively easy to implement.

Agree. I really don't see why it shouldn't be more like buying a car. Seller should have to get a survey done (by a council/neutral party), views arranged, once a price/moving date agreed, all must stick to it or fines, which you could mutually agree to wave.
OP, wonder if the buyer has been looking at socials, or knows someone you know? Cheeky anyway, you can't necessarily assume anything about finances based on where you live.

Womaninhouse17 · 15/02/2026 22:58

We had buyers suddenly asking for a ÂŁ5k discount (for no reason) shortly before the exchange of contracts. We just said no and they carried on with the purchase. They're probably just trying it on, thinking you might cave in rather than risk the sale. Ignore them. I doubt they'll back out and then have to start all over again.