I posted this in Property but didn't get the sympathy I need so AIBU ...

[MrsZoidberg]

to post it here too?

AIBU to want to beat the arseholes who have just decided they don't want our house!

They viewed 2 months ago. They had a cash buyer and needed to move quickly. It was imperative that their son sees the house before they decided, and it had to be that weekend but they couldn't give me an exact time.

So we cancelled our plans

And they didn't turn up. They said sorry, son couldn't make it, would come the next weekend.

So we cancelled our plans again (I had been waiting 2YEARS for this weekend). They didn't turn up.

One month after viewing they made an offer. No second viewing, no son, just made the offer. Their buyer had been waiting 6 MONTHS so could we find somewhere quickly with no onward chain.

We viewed and fell in love with a property. It took us 10 days, but we had a nice short chain. 4 people.

Our buyers wouldn't give EA their Solicitors. 2 weeks later, no, son has to see it before we commit (WTF what is an offer if not commitment?)

They were going to come down last weekend. Didn't come. Monday we hear that this is becuase of the accident on the M5. Friends of theirs - 20 miles away from us and near the accident - said the roads were very busy. OURS WEREN'T !

Today is exactly one month since the offer. The val was done on our new property today. EA rang our buyers to chase them up AND THEY PULLED OUT AS THEY DIDN'T WANT TO MESS US ABOUT.

Thank you for reading this far - (if you have) I was hoping writing it down would make me feel better. It didn't, I still want to beat the crap out of him.

The EA has just rung me and said, there is a chance that he may want to continue at a later date. My reply was not polite.

The house I have set my heart on - they had two offers on the table, they chose us. So I imagine that Monday I will receive a phone call that winds me up even more.

DH didn't get text re: gin in time AND he's just told me our mortgage offer will run out in 3 months.

Bastards, all of them

FSL - If you knew the buyers you'd realise why we waited. We knew they were somewhat eccentric, knew that if we pushed they would pull out. EA were ringing them today to tell them they had until Monday to give us the details or it would go back on the market - they beat us to it.

DH is glad we're out of gin as I've just told him that I have the buyers phone number and I'm gonna ring them. He's hidden the phone as well.

Oh you poor thing I really do sympathise, we moved in June and the whole process after having our offer accepted took 10 months.
It really does make you want to cry at times, however there will be a buyer out there for your house.
Gin is the answer

And that is why in the Netherlands one has to enter a written offer, which acts a pre-sale contract, so idiots like this will not mess people about.

Prevents sellers pulling out only to accept a higher offer also.

Bemybebe - we were mailshotted about something similar startiing in England. DH is looking into it. If these buyers do come back we will insist on a bond/escrow thingy - if they will lose money then they may think twice about peeing around.

fannybaws - TEN MONTHS OMG I don't even want to think of that - we were hoping to be in by christmas

Poor you. Offers should be legally binding to both parties, the current system is just shit.
Although I wouldn't have my house now if the previous buyers hadn't pulled out right at the last minute, so I still believe sometimes these things work out for the best.

Sorry, MrsZ. Of course I know nothing about your purchasers - and I can understand why you went ahead with looking for your next house. Sadly there are nutters out there who do behave despicably, despite all the best efforts on your and your EA's behalf, who have no idea how much they mess up other people's lives.

I am genuinely sorry for you.

Not surprised you feel like that OP your buyers have behaved appallingly

If it gives you any comfort at all though, we brought a house and put the offer in 2 years ago next week and completed on December 22nd! Oh and it had terrible damp, numerous other problems and needed three months of building works before we could move in. There is hope yet that you may bget an offer

Op I have so much sympathy. When it comes to moving, everyone's a git. We went through a hellish and protracted move last year including losing the house I'd set my heart on. We were lied to by almost everyone along the way. I'm glad we didn't get it though, the one we got is better!

It will happen and it will be worth it. Things always seem to go wrong on Fridays, to ruin your weekend and make it impossible to do anything about it.

The system needs changing! Have a gin from me op.

@bemybebe. There's a similar system in France - binding promises to sell/buy which are signed rapidly after an offer is made and which carry hefty penalties if either side then pulls out without good reason.

I'm surprised it doesn't exist in England...

our buyer decided she didn't want to move after all! It's crap but we sold 4 weeks later and after losing our favourite house we got a better one.Everything happens for a reason but that wont make you feel better. I went shoe shopping!

Whatmeworry - tell me more. I realise I sound naive, but what vested interest could there be in people being messed around so much? For solicitors, do you mean? Estate agents? Surveyors? Surely we'd all benefit if offers were legally binding?

Really sorry.

There are some real arseholes out there...

Honestly the scottish system doesn't stop this kind of thing happening. We had buyers pull out when we sold our last house and we'd already commited to buying the house we're in now. We had to get a bridging loan for 9 months with a new baby. Some folk are just ignorant and it's really put me off ever moving again

I thought the Scottish system had heavy penalties if you pull out?