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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to be really cross with our buyers?

45 replies

Laurat859 · 27/09/2017 14:28

Hi Mumsnetters! I need to know if I'm justified in feeling so frustrated with our house sale. And if anybody has any advice on what is best to do it would be much appreciated.
We sold our house 6 weeks ago, within one week of it being on the market. The buyers are an older couple who are buying in cash for their son. We didn't expect to sell so quickly and there was nothing on the market we wanted for a while. Just after accepting the offer, our estate agent called to say that the son would like to be in by the end of October. I said that is pushing it as we don't even have a new house in mind yet. The estate agent agreed and said he had let the buyers know. That was that...or so I thought.
We found our dream home a couple of weeks ago and our offer was accepted. The lady whose house we are buying is moving into a house that is currently empty, so that is where the chain ends. All is now in the hands of the solicitors.
Last week we had a call from our estate agent to say that our buyers had been cross on the phone and said that they never would have proceeded with the purchase if they knew their son wouldn't be in by the middle of October. We said that it's the first we had heard about the middle of October and we never would have promised that as we only just found somewhere ourselves! We spoke to our solicitor who said that there is no way the sale would go through by the middle of October anyway, possibly the end but then of course we have our purchase to think about as well. She made this clear to our estate agents and all has been quiet until yesterday.
Our estate agent called pushing for a date, and it turns out the son's tenancy agreement ends of the 31st of October and he must be in our house by then. So the middle of October was them trying to push their luck Apparently he can't move in with his parents as he has a cat. Lots of pressure is being put on us to break the chain and move out before our purchase has completed. My boyfriend's parents have offered to have us for this time which I am very grateful of.
Today my boyfriend has agreed with our agent that we will be out by October 31st. He is worried that our buyers will pull out and we will lose our house. To be honest, I doubt they will pull out as they have already spent a lot of money on surveys and solicitors for this house. Also, could they really get in anywhere else sooner?
The reason I am so annoyed is that when they agreed to buy our house they knew we still had to find somewhere. We never promised the end of October. I don't feel we have taken particularly long to find somewhere either! For me, getting to work and back from the in-laws house in going to be a long journey. Then it's the cost and inconvenience of removals TWICE, and putting our stuff into storage. All for the sake of what is probably only going to be a couple of weeks. It is lucky we have family relatively nearby who will have us, otherwise would they really be pressuring us into homelessness?
Thanks for reading, I really need a place to vent as my boyfriend is so laid back and thinks I'm being difficult

OP posts:

BewareOfDragons · 27/09/2017 16:39

Tell them they host their own son until the chain is complete and you can move in to your new home, or you're putting it back on the market.

Mummyoflittledragon · 27/09/2017 16:44

Are you changing mortgage product? The mortgage company generally lets you reinstate the mortgage if you complete a purchase within 3 months of sale. Otherwise it ends. This includes having to pay the redemption penalty if you are in a fixed rate.

Personally I would do as a pp said and ask your solicitor to drag on the sale and push on the purchase. So many things can happen with house sales. They're chancing their hand with you and being massively unreasonable to suit themselves. If you think your house will sell easily again, I wouldn't be too concerned. The EA has acted terribly.

Speak to your solicitor directly. Tell them the EA has pressured you into agreeing to be out by end October. See what they say. Communicate directly with the solicitor, not the EA on this. The solicitor will then be able to word things that you are doing everything in your power to comply with 31st without giving any promises.

Mummyoflittledragon · 27/09/2017 16:47

I should have added. Otherwise, tell him to eff off and put it back on the market. That'll tell you how serious he is about buying the house.

Littlebelina · 27/09/2017 16:50

I had this. Fairly certain the EA told my buyer it was chain free (it wasn't- I was selling due to a relationship breakdown, I was buying exDP was renting). The buyer was living with family and want me to move out early so he didn't have to, never mind I had nowhere to go. Ex didn't help matters either and the buyer had unrealistic ideas on timelines. In the end I moved into a holiday let as I was so sick of it.

Trampoline11 · 27/09/2017 16:51

Call his bluff! If your house sold that quickly then it will again

Whatthefucknameisntalreadytake · 27/09/2017 16:57

We had this, moved in with partners parents for 6 weeks. It was a hassle but would rather that than risk losing our buyers.
It made the day we moved into our new place so much easier as everything was boxed up and I storage already. So in the morning rather than racing round with last minute packing, cleaning the house etc, I just went for a manicure and had my hair done, then picked up the keys at lunch time and started unpacking. It was great.

Loopytiles · 27/09/2017 17:00

I would call their bluff, IF you are willing to take the risk that they pull out.

permatiredmum · 27/09/2017 17:08

where a lender isn't involved sales can be completed within days.This happened in my naice village where neighbours clubbed together to buy a property to block a sale.to an 'undesirable ' buyer

Motoko · 27/09/2017 17:08

If they pulled out now, there's no way they will be able to buy another place and have son move in by the end of October, so call their bluff.

If you moved into your BF's parents, and the house you're buying falls through, you'll be stuck there, accruing storage costs, until you find and complete on another house.

The son can either negotiate with his landlord (assuming he hasn't put in his notice), or put his cat in a cattery. He has options, so don't allow yourselves to be pressured into moving before you are ready.

YOU hold the cards here.

JaneEyre70 · 27/09/2017 17:15

I'd call their bluff too. They're not going to be able to purchase another house in the 5 weeks until the son's tenancy ends. I'd placate as much as possible saying you will keep the pressure on from your end, but I'd certainly not pay for storage and 2 removals.

Original poster

Laurat859 · 27/09/2017 17:24

Apparently the son is unable to extend his tenancy. I have a funny feeling he is being kicked out. I have also suggested a cattery and that seemed to bring no joy. Have spoken to my solicitor today and she said even they can't guarantee the end of October....so how we're supposed to is beyond me! Talked to my boyfriend about threatening to pull out unless they give us the time that we are due. I also believe we will sell the house again quickly, but he doesn't want to take the risk.
Thank you for all your suggestions and for reassuring me that I'm not just being pig-headed!

OP posts:

Slimthistime · 27/09/2017 17:28

I love cats but I would be annoyed that the buyers were acting up because they can't - or won't? - take their son's cat!!

Also the EA might be at fault, they should have told you this expectation from the start.

Slimthistime · 27/09/2017 17:29

PS I also would say you are unlikely to lose them - don't pay twice for storage etc.

Mummyoflittledragon · 27/09/2017 17:32

He may be being kicked out. However, he's not going to be forcefully evicted on 31st October. It's in you solicitors hands. Odds on the paperwork from their solicitor won't be ready anyway. End of October is cutting it fine. Is he getting a mortgage? Have you seen the agreement in principle etc?

loaferloveforyou · 27/09/2017 18:06

I doubt you will lose them to be honest, they will sort something out.

What will happen if your onwards sale doesn't complete? you be paying storage costs for a lot longer while u look for a new place? Are you in an area where the property prices have gone up? If that happens will you still be able to afford somewhere?

Motoko · 27/09/2017 19:00

Even if he has been given notice by the landlords, he doesn't have to leave on the 31st, unless it's a court ordered date. And if he's going to move out on the 31st, then either his parents will have to have the cat, or he uses a cattery. They'll have no choice.

It's not your problem.

Don't pull out though, just let the sale carry on, otherwise your seller might not want to wait while you try to find another buyer.

SingingMySong · 27/09/2017 19:08

I think you should have pushed back earlier to be honest.

You are in a strong position, I'm another who would call their bluff. There is some risk you'll lose them, but it's a smallish risk. Dates get shifted all the time, it's really normal to have to compromise on these things but so far you've done all the compromising.

emmyrose2000 · 28/09/2017 10:25

Where I live, 30 days from the time of agreeing price to the exchange of keys is the norm. In this case, moving out by 31 October would be perfectly normal (would actually be three days extra for the sellers).

I simply don't understand how or why things drag on for months and months in UK house sales (once the price has been agreed upon).

existentialmoment · 28/09/2017 10:45

You haven't exchanged so you have not sold your house. They are cash buyers, they can push for whatever date they want to, it's up to you whether you want to work around that or possibly lose your sale.
You can threaten to pull out if you want but since they are cash buyers and you are in a chain for your dream home, you are not in a strong position here.

CorbynsBumFlannel · 28/09/2017 10:45

Annoying but I bet that the ea told the buyer they would be able to complete in Oct to secure the sale and get them to invest in surveys etc before they told them it wasn't possible. So annoying all round.

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