People buying our house want us to pay their rent - is this reasonable?

[ragle]

Hi,
We are leaving the country on October 30th and agreed to sell our house to a couple on condition that completion occurred on 24th October. Today they said they wanted to delay completion until 10th November unless we paid their rent (£700). On all the property documents the completion date has been set for 24th October. They have also delayed exchange, which was supposed to have happened by now and we have bent over backwards to accommodate their every whim in order to keep the sale on track. I feel completely over the barrel and I am so angry with these people! But is this normal to pay the buyers rent so they are not left paying rent and a mortgage to get the completion date originally agreed on?
Any advice very welcome!

Any sign of an update Op?
I hope you've called their bluff.

Hope you haven't given in Op. I am of the opinion that once an offer has been agreed, then that is it and I don't budge (dates are a different matter).

I'd make it clear to the agent that there will be no cheque for the seller's rent, no drop in price, and that I dont want to do business with anyone who behaves in this way (both them and rhe sellers). It the sellers exchange punctually I could, perhaps, accept a later moving date, but only a couple of weeks. Tbh though, I avoid fussy sellers and buyers like the plaque and would rather lose the sale than do business with unscrupulous extortionists.

Thanks for feedback everyone. So it turns out that the buyer (she is acting as her own solicitor) got very panicked this morning because I had told our solicitor that she was wanting £700 for rent and apparently this is mortgage fraud, which she could get struck off for if it got found out that she had instigated and accepted this money without disclosing to her mortgage provider. So because it was MY fault that I had talked to our solicitor about it, WE now had to delay everything once more so she could clear the money through the proper channels. I said no way, our agent put massive pressure on us. I said I think as a solicitor and human being, if she proposes something that is frankly illegal she can either proceed and complete as said and ditch the money or she can find another way of getting the £700 if it is so important to her. I didn't think she would want the £700, I thought surely her career is worth more than that. However, in a heartbeat she said to the agent to tell us to write the cheque to her landlady/friend!! We haven't responded and are waiting to see what happens tomorrow. They should exchange by midday or it's all off... Fingers crossed they do, but if they don't then they and the agent can get stuffed. I appreciate all that has been said, thanks so much!

Good for you ragle.

I am not sure if I hope it works out or falls through and you sell to a lovely mumsnetter. Fraudulent solicitor in training doesn't deserve your house.

mortgage fraud? Would that implicate the agent as well?

Hate agents who put pressure on sellers like that, they are supposed to be representing you, otherwise what are you paying them for!

Well done for sticking to your guns. Here's to a happy and smooth house sale for you from now on, ragle.

See what happens and then report the bitch.

Given her job it is even more unreasonable and shitty. See if you can drop the EAs in it too! They maybe part of an Association.

Basically, have at her - once the sale goes through or falls through - fingers crossed she just backs off and completes!

I work in financial crime. You should tell your solicitor to actively consider their obligations under the Money Laundering Regulations as there may be cause for them to file a SAR to the NCA. (They shouldn't need reminding to do this, but often it is easier to turn a blind eye than fill in the paperwork)

It is absolutely a gigantic red flag to ask you to pay a cheque to another person. Whatever you do, DO NOT DO IT. There are massive implications. I can't believe a lawyer would jeapordise her career for £700, which surely is a fraction of her take home pay.

I would also put in a phone call to the Law Society, tell them the story and that she has asked to receive payment via an unverified and undeclared third party.

You need to put in writing, to the buyer, EA and your solicitor, acknowledging the request to make payment to the landlady and that you will not do this.

Pisstaking cow. Report her no matter what! The agent needs reported, too.

Fuck them. Don't pay money. She is trying it on.

They exchange by midday or it's off. Sack the agent, get another.

Ragle, well done for not letting her take the piss.

I would grass her up personally. Dodgy character not required in the legal profession.

Can you report her as soon as it goes through? I wouldn't want you to lose the sale as it sounds a really rubbish situation for you - but she shouldn't be allowed to behave like this, and neither should your solicitor.
All very murky and unethical. So bloody infuriating!

Blimey, that's a dramatic turn of events! Stick to your guns, OP, don't be bullied by her, any delays for which she is incurring costs are not your fault, but hers.

Ooh GermanHouseCat, your job sounds interesting! How did you get into that?

No way I can't believe that have the cheek to ask you

report her once the sale has gone through. I fucking hate people who put you through more shit during what can be one of the shitiest times of your life.

it is so weird that this is all about £700, when they are spending thousands on a house.

Or are they? Are they actually serious buyers, or would they have pulled out after receiving your cheque?

....so weird, maybe they are just scammers?

If it goes through, and once it's all done and dusted, I'd report her. No more delays, either. She's a scammer.

The whole thing seems very odd. Do you have any evidence that the "buyers" actually intend to buy the house e.g. has a survey been done? I suspect that the "buyers" may not be solicitors as I can't believe that anyone would risk their career over a few hundred pounds.

Do you have anything in writing that they asked for a cheque for £700?

Absolutely report her if/when the sale goes through - and ESPECIALLY if it doesn't go through. She's either dodgy as hell or thinks she's above the law and needs taking down a peg or two.

And report the EA too - they're either ignorant of the law or willfully ignoring it. Are they a branch of a larger chain, or independent? If part of a larger chain make a complaint to their head office.

Dying to hear what happens at midday ....

Did the buyers tell you that one of them was a solicitor or has this just been assumed by estate agent/yourself because they are doing their own conveyancing?

Hoping to buy our first home next year.
This is terrifying reading

I second what German has said, she's playing professional roulette.

If by some chance you do exchange please ensure that you replace all working lightbulbs with non working ones, forget to flush the loo for a number of days and liberally sprinkle the liquid from a tin of tuna in various corners, before she takes possession if the property.

Also by you not making payment directly to her she us avoiding stamp duty on the amount. You could report her to HMRC for tax dodging.