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AIBU?

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Original poster

To ask for house keys a few days early to clean?

97 replies

AliceRR · 18/03/2019 12:50

We exchanged on a purchase on Friday 15th and due to complete on Friday 22nd.

The house we are buying is a deceased estate so is empty and it seems they have moved the furniture and everything out.

DH got garage keys on Saturday so we could start moving in our belongings in there so we don’t have to do it all on Friday. It didn’t occur to him to ask for house keys
🏡 🔑 The garage is however large and very clean so we moved half of our stuff into the garage over the weekend.

I’ve now asked if we can have the house keys as I would like to give the house a good clean before Friday if possible. Estate Agent seemed to think it would be fine but said I had to go through the solicitors and he said he would ask.

Is getting the keys before completion (but after exchange) unusual? I don’t know what the “done” thing is but would have thought it’s fine if house is empty and we sign undertakings to insure etc.

We do plan to replace everything (including kitchen and bathroom) but I want to be satisfied everything is clean before I move in and it’s easier before furniture is in there. I might even try to clean the carpets properly. I’ve got a steam cleaner but not sure that will work very well so might need to hire a carpet cleaner.

Any advice on cleaning carpets / a new house welcome too 😀 (I’m particularly concerned about the bathroom and kitchen. They don’t look dirty but not v nice and obviously those areas need a bit of care to be hygienic)

TIA

OP posts:
thedisorganisedmum · 18/03/2019 13:14

You can always ask.

They are nuts if they do and their solicitor should advise them not to do it!

Hopefully completion will go smoothly, and you are decent buyers anyway, but it's really not a great idea on the vendor point of view.

RNBrie · 18/03/2019 13:16

When we did it, the estate agent let the cleaning company in, we never had the keys. Maybe that would be an option?

DontCallMeCharlotte · 18/03/2019 13:20

It is unusual - not least because usually the seller is still living there!

Nomorepies · 18/03/2019 13:20

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ on the poster's request.

Chewbecca · 18/03/2019 13:21

Most solicitors would advise against this.

It is unlikely problems will occur but if they did, they could be serious, time consuming and costly to resolve.

FriarTuck · 18/03/2019 13:22

I bought a brand new house from a small developer and they let me have access to clean ahead of time, and to get carpets laid. We just sorted something with solicitors.

GabsAlot · 18/03/2019 13:23

legally they sholdnt give u the keys as things can still go wrong and fall through right up to completion-i.e your buyer could drop out

so its not usual no

Millimollimandi · 18/03/2019 13:26

I purchased a house ( a repossession) and had access to it for 2 weeks to enable us to put in central heating prior to moving in!! We had exchanged but not completed. Had to lift the floorboards and everything. So unusual yes, unheard of, no.

NetballHoop · 18/03/2019 13:27

We bought our house through probate and met with the former owners children before completing. As a result they allowed us keys and gave us permission to remove old carpets/light fittings etc. and get contractors in to quote for re-wring and re-plumbing.

I don't remember us having to sign anything and it was all very friendly.

Alsohuman · 18/03/2019 13:30

If I had a buyer who demanded a professional clean I'd tell them to fuck right off, you want it you pay for it. To return to the thread, it's very unusual but when I sold a probate property I said yes. I really liked the couple who bought it which may have swayed me.

PCohle · 18/03/2019 13:32

You can always ask, but IMHO they'd be nuts to agree.

You don't own the property yet. What if the sale falls though and you refuse to leave? It has the potential to be a massive hassle for the seller.

Starting expensive improvements on a house you don't yet own also seems a bit mad to me.

Dippypippy1980 · 18/03/2019 13:37

We had an issue with a very cavalier estate agent giving the key to one for our properties out. We drove passed and saw people coming and going who had no right to be there and had to stop and challenge them.

They had an offer in on the place and we’re getting quotes done, but left muddy foot prints all over the house and damaged a window. Their offer fell through, and we made the estate agent pay for the repairs.

I would never allow anyone a key to one of my houses until contracts were exchanged, and I have never used that estate agent again.

Singlenotsingle · 18/03/2019 13:39

The problem potentially could be a purchaser getting the keys, moving in prior to completion, and then something happens and the Vendor never gets his money.Then he's got a squatter on his hands.

jennymalone · 18/03/2019 13:45

OP tbh you were being vvvv unreasonable even asking for the garage keys - i would never agree to such a request. it's unusual, could lead to legal problems for the seller which would be a massive pain to sort out, and is basically only for your convenience.

if you go back to the seller and ask for the main house keys despite not owning it, my first thought would be to wonder how you were so clueless that you didn't understand they've already gone out on a limb for you.

you don't own the house yet - that's the point of completion. the seller is exposing him/herself to high risk for no reward already - now you're wanting to push further? Hmm

OhDearGodLookAtThisMess · 18/03/2019 13:50

I am astounded they have allowed you to do this. Do the owners know, or have the agents done this off their own bat?

The thing is, although you might have good intentions, others might not have, so it's massively risky from a legal point of view. If they've gone off to check with the solicitors, be prepared for a big fat no.

Dippypippy1980 · 18/03/2019 13:51

Oh and if someone buying one of my houses asked me to pay for a professional clean I would chuckle and politely decline.

woodcutbirds · 18/03/2019 13:52

No idea about keys but massively recommend hiring a rug doctor. It's cheap (about £40 for a couple of days) Easy to use and brings out the dirt really well. The carpets also dry fairly quickly as it sucks up the wet.

I'd bleach the loos and zoflora the rest of the bathroom. Limelite limescale remover is brilliant. Shower screens and taps etc will come up as new. Give the whole bathroom a good rinse. It'll be fine until you get a new one installed.

CielBleuEtNuages · 18/03/2019 13:57

We had the opposite. Because of things outside our control we were buying and moving on the Tuesday, having sold current flat the previous Friday.

We knew our buyer was going to renovate and then rent the flat out, so asked if we could rent it for 4 days. Their sollicitor was horrified and argued strenuously against it, however the buyer was lovely, had children our age and had fallen in love with our 3 month old baby (she'd first seen him less than a week after he was born on one of her visits to see if she wanted to buy).

We gave her all the keys except one set and left the flat clean and with a bottle of champagne.

However, I do admit it was a risk on her part and I'm not sure how happy i'd be doing that now.

OhDearGodLookAtThisMess · 18/03/2019 14:01

I don’t know what the “done” thing is but would have thought it’s fine if house is empty and we sign undertakings to insure etc.

Sign what "undertakings to insure?" What does that even mean?

PrivacyOne · 18/03/2019 14:04

OK, aside from all comments above, I had a very close friend of mine who had sold her childhood parents home after her father’s death and mother going into a home. The chap who had bought it kept pushing for electrician’s visits, the estate agent took him round without her knowledge and at least managed to look a teeny tiny bit ashamed when my friend rocked up, and even wanted to visit the day before completion to measure up for carpets. All these visits happened after exchange. She was in floods. She just wanted five days peace and quiet with her memories. Some bastard railroaded that with his complete disregard of land law. My friend may well have been overly sentimental, but his need to “get ahead” did make him look like a bit of a idiot. Don’t do it! It’s exciting, it will all be lovely, but just wait for completion!

Cornishclio · 18/03/2019 14:06

Our solicitor has always advised us not to release keys before completion or allow the new owners to store anything. Even to the stage where on completion day the money was late coming through due to problem at the bottom of the chain and the new owners were sat outside our house in their removal van. They asked to store the furniture in our garage as ours had already gone into storage as we were renting as moving out of the area and the solicitor said no. They had to put their furniture into storage for the weekend and stay in a hotel as the banks deadline for sending money had passed and it had to wait until Monday. There is a legal reason why keys should not be released before the money is sent for completion.

ChoccyBiccyTastic · 18/03/2019 14:06

The vendor offered us the keys on exchange on our property as vacant possession. Did most of the move ahead of completion.

The deposit has been paid, and the new buyers have building's insurance on the property, so as long as all goes through the conveyancers, it's not that risky in reality.

PrincessScarlett · 18/03/2019 14:07

How can you insure a house you don't own? This is a very grey area as if something were to happen to the house whilst you were in it prior to completion there could be all sorts of legal complications.

Why can't you wait until completion to clean/move furniture in like everyone else? What's the urgency?

StealthPolarBear · 18/03/2019 14:07

What advice do you need about how to clean a kjtcen and bathroom?

PrivacyOne · 18/03/2019 14:08

I guess what I’m trying to say is that although people agree, they’re probably uncomfortable with it - check out all the CF threads where one thing leads to another and another. I’m not saying you’re a CF, I’m just cautioning you to follow process. In the grand scheme of things, a few days really won’t make a difference.