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House Sale

27 replies

sanityisamyth · 16/06/2019 17:55

Put house on market on 10th March. Several viewings that week. Had offer at full asking price 15th March. Said he was a cash buyer and wanted to be completing by 29th March. I knew this was totally impossible (2 weeks!) but estate agent said he was very keen and was in rented accommodation so there was no chain.

Survey done on 16th April. All came back fine except for slight damp (old cottage and was pouring with rain). He asked me (directly by text) to stain and paint house. I said no, as it had recently been done and I'm a single mum. The survey was for NatWest so not a cash buyer.

He has sent me several messages directly (not via solicitor).

He only asked for searches to be done late May. He asked me some queries that should have gone directly to his solicitor. I tried to answer them as best as I could. Essentially everything came back clear.

He sent me a very unexpected message on Tuesday reducing his offer by £7.5k to £122,500. This didn't go between solicitors so it's not "official". My solicitor said he doesn't have legitimate reason to drop offer.

Which offer still stands?

My solicitor hasn't heard anything for ages. My estate agent can't contact him. He's not responding to my messages.

He keeps pushing back dates to exchange and complete and there's been no deposit paid. He's had utility bills put into his name which are now at my house.

What would you do? It's been 13 weeks already for a no-chain sale.

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Hecateh · 16/06/2019 21:39

I had similar - eventually dropped out, after pushing exchange back 3 times. I'd paid for stuff that he had demanded - unwillingly as I suspected his game but bothe EA and solicitor said I should pay - this was for an electrical survey and I had already sussed he was looking for an excuse. The survey was fine so then he came up with something else - and then pulled out on the day he had agreed to exchange. Bastard!

Tabitha005 · 16/06/2019 21:44

I wouldn't respond to any direct messages if he does get in touch with you - except to say; "All further communication must be through solicitor or estate agent".

I'd be inclined to re-market immediately and ask estate agent to clarify any future offer by 'cash buyers' as legitimate.

sanityisamyth · 16/06/2019 22:09

@Hecateh I have a horrible feeling he'll do the same. He's suggested 21st May, 21st June, 21st July now 1st July. I've already moved out so paying rent and mortgage.

He's come up with 5 points to justify the drop in offer but solicitor said none are valid or necessary.

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sanityisamyth · 16/06/2019 22:11

@Tabitha005 I have done that now :( solicitor did suggest one more to him though asking him to contact his solicitor ASAP to clarify the situation (I.e. does offer at £130,000 still stand and is he still going to complete/exchange on 1st July) as he hasn't got back to his solicitor, and is ignoring calls from estate agent.

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BreakfastAtSquiffanys · 16/06/2019 22:14

What utility bills has he had put in his name?

FermatsTheorem · 16/06/2019 22:19

Time to put the house back on the market, sadly. You're being played. Yes, you will unfortunately have lost money over his fuckwittage (rent plus mortgage) but - sunk costs fallacy and all that - not as much as you will lose if you continue to let him fuck you around.

And as PP said, get your agent to check "cash buyers" more thoroughly in future.

Didiusfalco · 16/06/2019 22:20

I think one way or another he’s going to drop out. Either way he sounds like a bit of a loon putting bills in his name for a house he doesn’t own. I think a letter from the solicitor that if he plans to proceed with the sale to confirm by x date or the house will go back on the market.

sanityisamyth · 16/06/2019 22:21

@BreakfastAtSquiffanys The water bill. Although it got more interesting today.

Last week a letter came through addressed to "Mr First Name Surname, House address ...". I haven't given the water board these details.

Another letter came yesterday addressed to "the new occupier, house address"

Has he told them he's no longer moving in?!

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Hecateh · 16/06/2019 22:23

Yep, I've already moved out too.

Paying council tax too, and having to cover interest on debts until I can get a sale

sanityisamyth · 16/06/2019 22:25

@FermatsTheorem @Didiusfalco

Thanks. I think you're both right. I have told him (via my solicitor) that unless I heard by Thursday 13th 9am that he was still proceeding it would go back on the market by the weekend.

I physically went out and removed the sold section from the for sale board so now it reads for sale again but it's not live on any websites. I think that might be a Monday job.

I don't think the mortgage is the issue. I think he was chancing his luck and seeing if he could push a "pathetic and desperate single mother" (likely his opinion) into accepting him moving the goalposts massively. He's not going to be pushing me into accepting a 6% drop in my house.

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sanityisamyth · 16/06/2019 22:26

@Hecateh that really sucks.

I have cancelled all my bills except mortgage on mine so I'm going to have to sort out setting accounts back up to be able to cover the period where it's vacant but still mine. Going to be very expensive 😢😢😢

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Pipandmum · 16/06/2019 22:35

Once he missed the first exchange date I would have put the house back on the market. He could still buy it of course.
As for bills in his name? What’s that about? You don’t do that until you complete. Why does he have your contact details anyway? Your solicitor needs to get in to his solicitor, you need to get your agents to explain what is going on.
You both have to sign the sales contract. Have you? Has he? That’s the contract that’s valid. That lays out the price, the conditions if any and completion date.

Didiusfalco · 16/06/2019 22:42

It sounds like you sold very quickly so I would carry on as you have planned and take no more nonsense from this person.

sanityisamyth · 16/06/2019 22:53

@Pipandmum there was never a fixed exchange date as he kept pushing it back. To be honest I think my solicitor has been shit. She's never pushed him to commit to a date.

I've signed the contract (did it in early May). I have no idea if he's done it too.

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sanityisamyth · 16/06/2019 22:54

@Didiusfalco Will try to be brave!! I just desperately need the money to come in on 1st July as paying for two houses as a single mum is not cheap 😢😡😢

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GreenTulips · 16/06/2019 22:59

Is put it back on the market as of Monday and walk away from him.

I wouldn’t sell to him on principal

sanityisamyth · 16/06/2019 23:03

@GreenTulips I'd love to be able to stick to that principle but desperately needing the money on 1st July!!

It will go back on the market tomorrow though. Hopefully it might make him stop pissing about.

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FermatsTheorem · 16/06/2019 23:03

Flowers I'm a single mum too, and the cash drain of paying for two houses must be really stressful.

Why did you move out? Did you need to be in your new area? If not, any chance you could look for someone to take over your tenancy and move back into your own house?

sanityisamyth · 16/06/2019 23:18

@FermatsTheorem I'm starting uni in September so selling the house to pay for tuition fees etc.

Uni is 100 miles away so need to relocate. DS needs a school for September so had to find somewhere to live before applying for a school place.

I moved out in May so everything is already in the new place but now staying with friends/house sitting for other friends until DS finishes school in July.

Very complicated!!

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FermatsTheorem · 16/06/2019 23:31

Flowers That really sucks. Fingers crossed that the agent can get it back on the market and sell it quickly.

sanityisamyth · 16/06/2019 23:37

@FermatsTheorem fingers, toes, arms, legs and eyes crossed!!! 🤞🤞🤞

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AshGirl · 16/06/2019 23:40

Suggest you mention the utility bills to your solicitor. Probably nothing, but people use utility bills as proof of address so you need to alert the utility company that this person doesn't live at your house.

Good luck with finding a new buyer! Thanks

sanityisamyth · 16/06/2019 23:41

@AshGirl yeah I've told her. She didn't seem to care. I don't have a lot of faith in her ...

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AshGirl · 16/06/2019 23:43

@sanityisamyth OK, well do contact the utility companies too so that there is a record of what he has done at their end.

sanityisamyth · 16/06/2019 23:44

@AshGirl that's a good idea. I'm going to have to contact them anyway as I'm now going to have to pay standing charges whilst it's vacant and on the market 😢

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