AIBU to message my deceitful buyers directly?

[beanbag19]

Someone please talk me down from contacting my buyers directly to tell them what I think of them!

We agreed a sale in June. At the time we knew we wanted a new build but there were none of the one we wanted available so we planned to move in with parents. Our buyers said their buyer wanted to complete by 20 August so we agreed that date. They then came back and asked for 10 August due to a holiday. I said no as we needed more time to sort things out.

From the second the offer was accepted she chased and chased. I did everything on my side as quickly as possible. When I came to booking removals, I had to book in advance as we need storage too. Before I booked I asked the EA to confirm that we were still working towards 20 August, our buyer said yes. After me chasing again on 9 August, their solicitor advised that their buyer was awaiting a revised mortgage offer and some docs from the LA. They also advised that 20 August was not possible as our buyers were actually on holiday then, despite the fact that the buyers themselves had previously requested and confirmed this date. They agreed 31 August instead.

They went on holiday on 13 August and I/my solicitor have been chasing theirs for an update. Finally they confirmed today that their sale had fallen through. Their solicitor said that they weren't even sure if our buyer knew as they had advised that they would be uncontactable on holiday and weren't back until 25 August. I told my EA who then had a call from the buyer directly to confirm the situation, apparently they got back last night, so another lie. I then searched for their house on rightmove to see that they had advertised on open house to take place on 11 August, which was two days after they agreed to 31 August completion, so they presumably knew at that time that 31 August was impossible.

In the meantime, we have moved out (because we didn't want to lose the £90 deposit we paid to the removals for the sake of two weeks) and reserved a new build that we have to exchange on in 28 days or lose. Obviously we're not going to be able to exchange.

I am livid. I need our buyers to know what absolute arseholes they are. Apparently they still want our house, which would explain why they lied about everything. But how can you do that to to people? We're losing money as we should have been saving money at my parents but instead we're paying a mortgage for a house we don't live in. We're probably going to lose the house we've been waiting 9 months for. Who is so selfish and dishonest that they would treat people like that?

Obviously I won't message them, but I needed to get that off my chest so thanks if you got to the end!

I'd stick it back on the market.

It's back on but that doesn't solve our problem. Even if we find another buyer straight away, we could still lose the new house, and even if we don't lose it, we needed a few months at parents with no mortgage to save some money. That's not going to happen now as the new buyer would likely need 6-8 weeks to complete.

Dont sell it to them. Say that you are not prepared to do any further business with them.

You never know there might be some deal to be done with the builders of your new house or they might be able to offer you something else. Go speak to them tomorrow, they will be used to things like this.

And if you have contact details I would wait until you are moved and settled and send them an email explaining just how much trouble their selfish actions caused you.

They’re utter dicks. You have my complete sympathy

But fuck that. I’d put it back on the market. They’ve dicked you around so much with blatant lies. Who says it’ll stop now? Especially when they know they have you over a barrel you can bet your life there’ll be a cheeky demand for a reduction in price

Yeah, don't message them, but I feel your pain.

We had similarly dishonest buyers when we emigrated and their strings of false promises and last minute date changes cost us a wasted set of transatlantic flights (I was so stupid flustered by the move that I hadn't purchased travel insurance) and they very nearly lost us the place we were buying. They didn't even have anywhere to sell - they were just pissing about because they could and they didn't give a damn. And we'd actually accepted a low offer from them specifically because they promised they could complete quickly, rejecting a higher offer we'd been given by lovely family who were in a chain...

That was many years ago and I'm still fuming!!

Sorry just seen your update. I’d have a chat with the builders too. If you’re in your parents and chain free that puts you in a better position. You never know they might do a deal

I really want to say I won't sell to them, partly because I don't trust them not to screw us over again, and partly because they don't deserve my lovely house after their conduct. But then I don't want to cut my nose off to spite my face, as they might still be the best option for us to still get the new house.

Put it back on the market ASAP tomorrow. I wouldn’t sell to them whatsoever

Hopefully the builders can help. I wouldn't message them now. If you still want to do that after you've moved then maybe...
I definitely wouldn't deal with them again. I think you would be perfectly within your right to tell the agent that.

I absolutely hate them.

Is there anything I can do to speed up the sale, assuming we're able to get another buyer?

Also, in the meantime, the same house has gone up for sale down the road for a tiny bit cheaper. Our house is a better plot but I guess it drives the price of ours down too.

Never do anything before exchange . Nothing is binding before that . Put it back on the market but don’t do anything about your buyers they might just sell their house quickly and you will be back on track . I had the same thing happen recently with a house sale and it was upsetting and frustrating and I caught the buyers out telling lies on several occasions. But I made it clear that I would take other offers if it meant a quick completion and finally they got the chain back in place and completed.

In the US it's customary to have a contract with the buyers that includes a deposit. If they don't follow through in accordance with the contract you keep the deposit as what the lawyers call "liquidated damages".

We had buyers who fell through like yours and had to put the house back on the market, but we kept the deposit ($25k) that they had put down.

If you are buying a new build talk to the building company. They may offer part exchange. We part exchanged our house and from start to finish it was 6 weeks. They also offered market value for ours and took a large % off of the agreed asking price for the house we bought.

I'd probably message them and tell them to go fuck themselves... but that's just me ;)

Don't sell to them. In the unlikely event that you find anyone considering selling to them make sure they are aware what they have been like.

It is a pity that the open house is not in the future as one of you could go and disrupt that.

Once you are settled perhaps also contact your MP to ask for reform in house sale/purchase. Scottish Law unless something better can be found, in my opinion.

We can't part exchange as we're doing help to buy.

DH has just gone back to our house to do a few bits and it's nowhere near as impressive without furniture etc.

This is the second sale we've had fall through because the buyers messed us around. Both offered asking price, plus another offering asking price at the same time we agreed the first sale. I'd like to think that means we'll get it again but the longer it's on the market the less likely that seems.

I can't see any reason not to message them! What a bunch of bastards! I wouldn't sell to them now, whatever happens.

I have some sympathy with your buyers, it's not like they gazundered you with two days to go.

The system in the U.K. makes the position difficult for everyone, I'm sure they were devastated that their sale fell through and were frantically hoping anything might change which would allow them to proceed.

@Originalsaltedpeanuts I get that, but they were giving me a date for completion and I couldn't have met that without booking removals etc. I didn't want to be the one to mess up the chain so i did it in good faith.

Be careful as it could be seen as harassment. They’re utter knobs though but you don’t want to get yourself in trouble

@PowerPlayed but if they just told us their situation instead of lying we could have worked with them and we'd at least still be living there in the meantime rather than living at my parents whilst paying a mortgage on an empty house!!

We live in a new build. We did not exchange in time but the builders weren't bothered. I gave them my solicitors details and they spoke, then just waited.

@honeysucklejasmine thanks. I think they'd be prepared to wait if we had another sale agreed, but if we don't, then I think it'll go back up for sale.