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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

WWYD - house chain

28 replies

Lookingforadvice123 · 09/10/2014 22:37

Sorry this is a WWYD rather than AIBU but you were all so helpful with my last house related AIBU!

So - dh and I are first time buyers, private renting. Had an offer accepted on a house over 7 weeks ago. Have done the survey (£500) and paid solicitors deposit (£200). We were told upon making the offer that there was no chain - sellers had an offer accepted on a vacant house, in another area to where they currently live.

Had a call from the agent today to tell me that their purchase is not going ahead, as they are no longer moving to this area, and staying put in the area they're in now (work-related). They still want to move, so the agent says, but they will be looking for houses in this area.

Our tenancy ends in 2 months when we will have to move in with my parents temporarily. This wasn't a problem when we thought there was no chain, as things were progressing smoothly so it probably would've only been a few weeks we'd be with them. Now it's indefinite, if we stick with this house. We love the house, but realistically I don't know what to do. It could take the sellers months to even find anywhere, there could be a huge chain when they do find somewhere, or they could decide the hassle's not worth it and stay out - after all they were previously moving to another area for work.

WWYD? Cut your losses (£700)? Or stick it out?

OP posts:

Charitybelle · 09/10/2014 23:18

Talk to your solicitors about giving sellers a deadline. Explain that you may give up on house if a (reasonable) deadline for them to be out can't be reached. Then push for an early exchange of contracts with a specified completion date. As you can live with parents, maybe give them a few months, but not so long that it massively inconveniences you. My friend is currently doing this so I know it's possible, just depends if sellers agree. If they don't you'll get an inkling that they're not as keen to move on as you'd like them to be and you can decide whether to cut losses then?

Charitybelle · 09/10/2014 23:21

BTW, don't know where you live, but housing market is slowing down in a lot of places, so you're in a good position as a no chain buyer. You may find they're more eager to keep the deal on track than you think.

olgaga · 09/10/2014 23:25

At this stage you're not going to find any other house to move into any faster.

It's just one of those things I'm afraid.

Welcome to the world of property sale and purchase. Its a bloody nightmare!

TouchOfNatural · 09/10/2014 23:33

The property laws frustrate me highly in England. People pull out and gazump and mess people around big time. It shouldn't be allowed. The stress and loss of finance caused by those who are affected is terrible. In other countries this type of behaviour is not allowed. When an offer is accepted its signed and sealed, you vendor and buyer have both committed. WHY is it allowed here?

OP thankfully you have the option with your folks - many don't. Stick with it for a time.. Give yourself a deadline of how long you're prepared to wait. I hope you sort things out.

Original poster

Lookingforadvice123 · 10/10/2014 06:45

Thanks everyone very helpful. The world of property sucks eh! The frustrating thing is that we've literally lost 7 weeks, they might as well have just accepted our offer, but we started looking in August for a reason! If we'd been told there might be a chain at the time it would've been fine, but the sellers have messed us around a bit already as they changed solicitors a few weeks ago which was holding things up, it's been quiet for a few weeks and now this! I have a sneaky suspicion they knew their circumstances had changed before yesterday.

I think I will go with the option of potentially giving them a deadline. And in the meantime look for other houses! In theory they shouldn't WANT us to pull out as we offered near enough the asking price and they accepted straight away. But who knows!

OP posts:

Original poster

Lookingforadvice123 · 10/10/2014 06:47

Ps I'm in South Wales, in Cardiff.

This is another concern I have, houses here are much more expensive than in the area they were looking - so depending on their budget it's likely to take them longer to find anything suitable.

OP posts:

Littleturkish · 10/10/2014 07:18

We're in the same position but two months further along after deciding to wait it out, about to move into in laws. Not happy. No progress on their side at all. And no other houses suitable for us coming up. Feel rubbish about it all!

LIZS · 10/10/2014 07:19

Would vendors move into rented ?

PotteringAlong · 10/10/2014 07:25

A similar thing happened to us but we were the vendor. We kept completion date the same and moved in with PiL (in the end just for 2 weeks) with all our possessions in storage rather than mess our buyers around.

Give them a deadline and ask them to sort it out!

HindsightisaMarvellousThing · 10/10/2014 07:25

When your tenancy ends, if no contract has been signed then it will turn into a month by month rolling periodic tenancy where the LL must give you 2 months notice and you must give them one months notice of leaving. Talk to your landlord & explain- I'm a landlord & would understand & facilitate this situation.

MrsCumbersnatch · 10/10/2014 07:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

fairylightsintheloft · 10/10/2014 07:59

well if they've got any sense they would go ahead with their sale to you and move into rental themselves so that they will be chain free buyers. In the meantime, no harm in looking at other houses and pulling out of this one IF you find something you prefer. It won't delay your overall move to do this and it may be speed it up if you do have to turn your back on this house.

Original poster

Lookingforadvice123 · 10/10/2014 16:13

Thanks everyone who's replied since my last post. My favourite piece of advice that I've been given by friends is to insist on a completion date, and then if they agree, insist on exchanging so they're sort of tied in. I haven't been able to get hold of my solicitor today so still want their advice before I go back to estate agent, but I think it's what we should do. Otherwise the sellers have us over a barrel and can take the piss!

OP posts:

hamptoncourt · 10/10/2014 16:56

Yeah when this happened to me I insisted on exchanging. The couple we were buying from actually ended up getting divorced over it though as they hadn't found somewhere and had to rent and she insisted he had "made her homeless!" This was nonsense of course but she wouldn't move into the rented house with him and went to live with her sister and sent him a petition!!

Don't let it fester OP. Say you want to exchange with a fixed completion date and if they haven't found anywhere they will have to rent. If they refuse then maybe they will have to take the chance of finding themselves another buyer.

These things do happen for a reason I think.

Original poster

Lookingforadvice123 · 10/10/2014 18:02

Thank you hamptoncourt for making me laugh - a petition!

Yes I agree there's no point letting them have their way and just keep us waiting indefinitely. With the rental thing I'm just worried they'll play the baby card - as they have a young baby. They put the house on the market since the baby was born though so I have little sympathy to be honest, a rental flat/house won't affect the baby.

OP posts:

londonrach · 10/10/2014 18:08

Lol hampton. You not near molesley are you.

Viviennemary · 10/10/2014 18:18

There is certainly no point in waiting if you have no deadline or they might even change their minds altogether about the sale. They are the ones who have changed their minds. They're either selling the house or not. So if you have a fixed completion date they are the ones who have changed their minds and they're the ones who should look for temporary accommodation.

But if they won't move on the fixed date, if I really liked the house, I think I'd give them a couple of months and meanwhile look round for something else in case it still fell through.

hamptoncourt · 10/10/2014 18:24

Sorry I meant a divorce petition!! And no I am not anywhere near Molesley - it's a" Stateley Homes" name but I am a fair way away from beautiful Hampton Court.

MrsMarcJacobs · 10/10/2014 18:39

Completely frustrating - I know, but maybe make use of this time to save some money living with inlaws -not ideal but make the most of it.

Original poster

Lookingforadvice123 · 11/10/2014 16:33

They refuse to commit to a completion date as they haven't found anywhere yet, and refuse to consider moving into temp accommodation as they have a young baby - I knew they'd play that card, and I've got no sympathy as why put the house on the market then! Looks like we should start looking elsewhere.

OP posts:

avocadotoast · 11/10/2014 16:49

I'd give them a deadline and if they're still messing you about I'd start looking elsewhere.

We knew very little about exchanging/completing when we bought our house and very nearly got really messed about. I wish we'd been firmer, it would have saved a lot of hassle!

daisychain01 · 11/10/2014 16:53

It does not sound like they have any real urgency to move, so the likelihood of them wanting to be locked into XC/completion dates were slim. They will sit tight for now and reconsider their own position.

They havent lost any money so far, so no skin off their nose if they lose you as purchasers.

It is a risky business, but probably just as well you know the situation.

Next steps - dont burn your bridges with your vendors, you may suddenly find they need you, if their situation suddenly kicks into gear again. Meanwhile start looking, you may find something else you like. Also Christmas is just coming up so things may need to slow down for now.

ILovePud · 11/10/2014 17:00

Sorry you are being messed around house buying is a stressful business. I think they are being naïve, chain free byers are very valuable. You've paid the money now and so you've not really got anything to lose by keeping the option of this purchase open, if I were in your position I'd probably maintain that the purchase of their place is still going ahead but be discreetly looking at other properties.

specialsubject · 11/10/2014 18:22

issue an ultimatum - set an exchange date and then a completion date which can be a fair way away. Without the exchange you don't know if they will ever move.

BTW Moleseley is in Birmingham. The pleasant place near Hampton Court is MOLESEY. As a very confused ebay buyer of mine once found out!

Purplepoodle · 11/10/2014 20:02

I'd tell them you are still interested but will be looking at other properties

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