First time buyer help

[dnilasor]

I'm a FTB and had my offer accepted on 6th July (full asking price). Since then it has been a horrible 16 weeks of delays and stress.
I bought as no chain, we were aiming to complete first weekend of September as my rental tenancy ended on 9th Sept. Vendor's solicitors are crap and slow and so this date was not achievable. Instead we aimed for 30th September - the date when I would officially be homeless. I was able to stay with my brother in September however he moved out on the 30th to go to Australia. I do not have any parents nor do I have contact with other family members so it has been really difficult as I've not had anywhere to stay and I have ended up on friends sofas/floors for the past 6 weeks, something I'm rather fed up of now.
As we approached end of Sept., the seller decides to tie in an onwards purchase which has never been involved before, and she is at very beginning of process with this, which would delay me a further 4-6 weeks again with no where to stay.
I said if its not completed by 19th October then I will pull out - I am in no need to buy at this moment in time and it has been one of the most stressful periods of my life not having anywhere to live. The seller agrees to aim for this date even if it means breaking her chain - however later suggests she would like me to pay for her possessions to go in storage if she has to do this...can you believe!

Start of this week (target completion week) and everything is good to go from my side however it has all been very quiet from vendor's side...I chased on Thursday only to be told they are not ready to complete this week and should be able to next week - as apparently the seller would like to complete Friday 26th as this is convenient for her (half term, gives her time to pack etc) which made my blood boil. She knows how desperate I am to get in as I now dont have any options left for living and will have to pay for hostel/hotel after this weekend. Im finding it really difficult to comprehend how she can be putting me through this when she can easily stay with parents as originally planned, I dont have that luxury and cant help but feel such hate towards her for not having any compassion towards my personal circumstances.
I feel like I'm being forced to succumb to whatever the seller wants, meanwhile I've got my stuff stored all over the place and have a case and a binbag of clothes I've been having to transport round for the past 6 weeks (without the aid of a car) to 5 different people's houses. Each time I speak to the estate agent she is very rude and patronising, and has on 2 occasions left me in tears and I cant help but feel they think I am a bit of a doormat cos I'm a FTB and dont know what Im doing, and dont really have any parents fighting my corner.
Im so fed up of it now Id rather just go and rent somewhere and everytime a date is suggested it always seems to be pushed back and delayed. I know Id lose my fees but that's something Im ok with, as no amount of money is worth the stress Ive been faced with.

Any advice?

[poobumwee]

did you exchange OP?

[dnilasor]

Exchanging contracts today. Me too, I really hope they get karma. Whilst reading all the documents I also discovered she signed something on 17th Aug stating she would be tying an onwards purchase in (I found this out last week of Sept) and that she wanted to complete Fri 26th Oct.

If only I'd known this all along! Would have saved a lot of unnecessary stress.

[reservoircats]

This sounds truly awful OP, given that you are in such an advantageous position being a FTB. As PP said, I hope Karma bites their arses. What goes around comes around.

[Bluelady]

They've bastards, OP, hope karma bites their arses. Have you exchanged yet?

[pacempercutiens]

Have you exchanged contracts then?

[dnilasor]

UPDATE:

They refused any form of price reduction. My solicitor asked them for an ‘allowance’ of a few hundred pounds as a gesture of good will towards my living costs as I’ve been put out by constant change in dates.
Sellers solicitor said they ‘will certainly not entertain the idea of an allowance’.
So I’ve just had to suck it up and leave it, everything has been the sellers way or the highway! We are completing this Friday fingers crossed.

[poobumwee]

what happened OP?

[sahknowme]

That's not unreasonable at all. Give them three options:

1. complete by x date at agreed price
   
2. complete by y date at discount
   
3. drop out now
   
   Make sure you state the original date you sent your offer, so it's clear how long you were waiting. And make sure the email goes to everyone involved (your solicitors, their solicitors, the estate agents and them direct if you can.
   
   Stand firm - you are definitely not BU (though you were U to give notice on your rental before exchanging)

[Alfie19]

I think you need to stop feeling sorry for yourself and start looking out for yourself. The other party doesn't need to worry about where you are living or your situation, it is you that needs to do this and negotiate harder to protect your own interests.

That said, trying to get £5k off the price is not something I would do as I think that is low handed. Your living costs are not IMHO, her responsibility either. I would however, have probably pulled out or threatened to pull out unless my demands for meeting dates were met, a long time ago.

I would maybe not pull out today, but I would say that you want to exchange by say Tues / Wed with a completion date of Friday and if not done by then you are out. Then give it a break until the new year.

[OftenHangry]

They will be messing you about.
Just say the date and say that you are pulling out at 4PM on that date if the completion hasn't happened and you want price reduction. Stick to your guns. You can rent for 6 months elsewhere if the worst happens nad look for another one.

I had to do it when I was buying. They stalled few things and then tried to move pre agreed completion date 2 weeks further.
I simply couldn't due to ending rent contract.

And regarding the agent. Any chance your solicitor would kindly call her once instead of you? Especially with this ultimatum?

[ScotsinOz]

Cross post - demand generous costs for the entire period she has delayed for. You were expecting to be in weeks ago. Costs should be paid as a reduction in sale price only.

[Bluelady]

You can't insist on anything. You can get your solicitor to ask very strongly. You'd really be better off discussing this with your solicitor who has seen every possible property transaction scenario and is the expert on how to handle the situation.

[ScotsinOz]

They do not have you over a barrel. You mentioned they have now purchased a property, which one assumes they don’t wish to lose, so the agent is trying to bully you into doing what they want. I would stand firm - complete now or walk away. Tell her you will not continue to be bullied by anyone - you have been more than generous by delaying several times and it is either complete today or offer revoked. My last words to agent would also be along the lines of “wave bye-bye to your commission” if they continue to be so rude.

I also wonder if the vendor may be looking to get out of their purchase and are trying to get you to pull out so they have an excuse?

As for all the “Estate Agents will blackball you” stuff, that won’t happen. They don’t care who they sell to - as long as they sell for the highest price in a reasonable timeframe. If you had shown previously that you had no intention of completing on a property that you had an offered accepted on, then they would be reluctant to recommend a buyer accept your offer, however that is not your situation.

They are trying to call your bluff - call theirs instead. Stay strong and I wish you the best of luck again.

[dnilasor]

Thanks everyone.

Do you think I am only able to insist she pays for my living costs for the week ahead/until we complete? Or should I ask for the whole 6 week period I’ve been without a home?

I just feel like I’m being treated like a doormat and I don’t want her to get away with me paying the full asking price AND moving at a time that suits her

[A0001]

After all the messing around someone had suggested I ask for a price reduction, and so yesterday I rang the agent and said if we don't have it in writing that it's going to be completed by Monday 22nd, I want £5k knocked off the price.

If you are in England, the only thing that ties a seller into a date is exchange of contracts.

If she was happy that nothing was stopping her from completing next Friday, she should be ready to exchange contracts today.

She is completely stringing you along.

Give her 48 working hours to exchange. End of tues next week if you’re feeling generous.

If not, pull out.

[Yutes]

I would pull out and look for something else. They have not completed when they said. You have not exchanged.

Most people would jump at a first time buyer, no chain and ready to go.

[Justanothernameonthepage]

I'd start looking for somewhere new ASAP.
You might find somewhere you like better and check gumtree for short term let's/rooms.
Our seller acted like this. We wanted to complete in early June and ended up completing late July.

[MrsStrowman]

Your request was not awful, you've been messed around and have needed to source alternative accommodation for a sale that was advertised as chain free and able to complete quickly. Put the same proposal to your solicitor.

[poobumwee]

and insist on a completion date you are happy with OP!

[poobumwee]

Say you will delay by a week, but only if she pays your living costs for the next week. If not then pull out. she is taking the piss

[Murinae]

If they have an ongoing purchase I doubt that will be done in 4-6 weeks. More like 10-12. If I were you I would start looking for rentals and other properties to buy or at least insist on exchange next week and a fixed completion date even if it’s four weeks away at least then you are certain it will happen.

[Merryoldgoat]

I’d pull out. This is ludicrous. Take a break and look again in the new year.

They’re taking advantage and you’d be better off washing your hands of them.

[Bluelady]

Don't talk to the agent. They're working for the vendor. Do everything through your solicitor. That's what you're paying them for.

Regardless of whether next Friday is set to suit your vendor or not, that's a week away. You're so close now that, painful as it is, I'd just suck it op, see what your solicitor can negotiate in terms of compensation before exchange and put all this behind you when you move in. And make sure you've bought half a dozen light bulbs and a pack of loo rolls!

[Thewindsofchange]

Oh and btw, when we moved recently our solicitor said that any change in price (up or down) would mean reapplying for the mortgage so would be more delay.
If you have a solicitor I would advice going through them from now.

[Thewindsofchange]

Sorry, just seen your update.
Jeez the agent sounds like a real charmer.
I suspect they think they've got you over a barrel.