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!

no. it's not normal and you have no obligation to do it.

likely, they know you are leaving the country and know that you are pressed to sell. the laws here mean they can back out at any time.

but because it's not normal doesn't mean you shouldn't pay. it depends on how much you think the sale depends on giving in, and can you take the hit if they back out.

Don't pay it, and report her to the law society for the dodgy goings on. When you are renting you factor in some overlap. We wanted to exchange contracts 4 weeks before completion when we bought our first house but then completion was delayed by needing some additional reports and they wanted to exchange and complete same day. We said no, exchange needed to be 2 weeks before completion so we didn't have to pay too much overlap. This happened but they left the house dirty when we moved in, even though I think our request was totally reasonable.

We never expected them to pay the rent for the overlap at any stage!

Not the only one Whereisegg.

We are trying to sell for the first time - I'm already fed up as half the views have come across as time wasters.

When we bought our first house the seller suddenly week before exchange demanded two extra weeks- yet the house appear empty. We were lucky landlady was in a position to be flexible with us. It never occurred to us to ask for the extra rent.

Day of exchange - she disappeared without handing keys in - out of phone contact. We ended up camped in estate agent office with our young DC at 5.30. She apparently forgotten she was selling that day and we got the keys at 6pm.

Only shear luck we'd booked the moving van and people for the day after. Then months later we found she was trying to stick the utility bills for those two weeks on us - we didn't own the house and sure as hell weren't living there so how she reasoned that I don't know.

Beggar's belief was some people behave.

I hope your sale went though OK OP - if it did report her afterwards - and if it didn't better luck with next buyer.

Our house was left dirty and full of junk despite the two extra weeks.

This time we will try and put a chain together as we'd like to avoid renting if possible due to cost and upheaval twice. I suppose it would be wise to look into storage options possibly get a removal company that has some just in case we get into difficulties.

I hope this is resolved one way or another OP, and definitely do report her!

I'm no conveyancer, but I really don't understand what this new issue is about. All that she's doing in effect is negotiating a £700 reduction in the purchase price, which is something that house buyers do every day, and it's perfectly legitimate. All she has to do is to tell the mortgage company that the price has been reduced and either request £700 less or return it at the end of the transaction. I really can't see that it's going to cause massive problems or delay the purchase.

I realise of course that the reality is that she doesn't want to do that and wants to keep the £700, but that is obviously something you shouldn't touch with a bargepole.

If she's representing herself, I'm assuming the mortgage company has instructed its own solicitors. Can your solicitor make contact with them and sort this out?

I'd tell them you've got another buyer interested and if they don't stop messing about you'll just call it off and sell to someone else.
Call their bluff.
Ars*holes.

^ place marking

They're taking the piss OP.

We were in a similar situation earlier this year, only we were the buyers coming from rented accommodation. When it became clear we would not be getting into the new house without a cross over period of rent/mortgage which we didn't want to pay, we asked the LL to take the continuing rent out of our deposit on a day by day basis.

(However we had the LL over a barrel with regard to returning our deposit in full, because there was never any inventory signed.)

Despite being a shit LL, he was a nice man, and he agreed.

God. Just saw the last page.

Buying/selling is a nightmare. I'm never moving again.

well that's the oddest thing I've heard of.

I know that you're moving abroad, so too far to say yes to the new completion date?

They do sound like trouble!

Hope this all gets sorted OP. Also hope your solicitors first call if she holds out is to the Law Society. Right here, this is what everyone selling a home dreads and that fact she's a solicitor is shameful.

Finally exchanged after last minute demand from buyers for full access to the property during period of exchange and completion. We said no way and they still exchanged. First call this afternoon - the Law Society!... Thanks for all the feedback and advice, I really appreciate it. Our solicitor is also informing whoever it is she needs to notify about this woman's conduct. Thanks again!! :-)

Wonderful news!

Now start changing the lightbulbs, etc...

I've been lurking on this one, and I really didn't think they were going to go through with the purchase, so I'm very pleased to read that you've exchanged - at last!
"full access to the property" ? cheeky sods! Good for you standing up to them.

Why on earth would they demand this? that's so weird!
they want their rent paid and to access the property early?

they wanted to move in earlier to skip the rent?

good for you

I'm glad they exchanged. Very odd behaviour. I still find it hard to believe that your buyer was a solicitor.

Wow. Well done for standing up to them. If you haven't worked it out already, you need the SRA now. www.sra.org.uk/home/home.page

Glad you're reporting it and that they went ahead with the exchange. Definitely report both the woman AND the EA.

excellent news; they were trying it on.

hate to be a Cassandra, but have a plan B in case completion fails. Discuss with your solicitor.

and no, don't vandalise the place. But I see no reason to leave flowers and wine.

If they know you moving abroad id be worried they move in early. Be careful but well done re exchange x

I also wonder if they intended to move in as soon as you went abroad. I can't see any other reason for wanting full access before completion.

I would be very careful about access before completion. Report her as soon as completion is finalised.

I wouldn't bother even cleaning it. Fuck it. Pair of douchebags.