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AIBU?

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Original poster

Or is the person we're buying a house from totally fucking batshit?

463 replies

sootspritez · 27/04/2019 23:20

I'm gonna start by saying I know I'm not being unreasonable, however I am inexperienced, so looking for some guidance on where you think things have gone wrong and what I can now do to placate this nutjob vendor. NC as outing. Will try not to drip feed.

Dh and I are first time buyers. Visited a house. Loved it. Offered full asking price. All fine up until this point.

3 weeks after offer is accepted the survey happens. This is when things start going south.

Let's say that house was on market for 150k. Survey came back and said the house was only work 137k due to needing new Windows, chimney work, roof tiles, etc and the bank believe this was all the house was worth.

Survey cost in excess of £500 so fairly decent survey for a reasonable priced house. Put it to the agents that unfortunately this is now all we can offer as the mortgage lenders I.e. bank believe it's all the house is worth due to work needing doing. Fully prepared to be told tough and that they're holding out for the full price as I know they rejected a previous offer for being slightly below asking.

Vendor agrees to sell for 137k immediately. Phew... Or so we thought.

From this point on the following has happened via estate agents -

  • vendor has cancelled 3 second viewings because they were inconvenient though she initially agreed
  • she has denied entrance to the property for a contractor to come out with us to estimate how much work needs doing
  • pointlessly got in touch to specify that now that they had gone below asking that all appliances wouldn't be included (I didn't want her appliances)
  • asked EA to ask us TWICE if we would be willing to offer them more money despite accepting price given by mortgage lender
  • when we have asked for another viewing she has proposed just insane times '20 mins at 6pm on the last Sunday of the month' '30 mins at 10.30am exactly 4 weeks on friday' despite us offering to be entirely flexible where possible (I.e. evenings and weekends at her convenience but would be willing to book an hour off work if she can guarantee the time). She says she cannot guarantee time as she works fill time and has 2 boys who play football until 8pm every single night and all day every weekend and they are her priority.

She has told the EA that she thinks we are inflexible and both the EA and the branch manager have apologised to us for her behaviour but obviously won't challenge her on it.

Am I right in thinking she's pissed off about lowering the price and just doesn't wanna sell her house?!

OP posts:
Passthecherrycoke · 27/04/2019 23:22

I wouldn’t want more viewings after I’ve accepted an offer. You’d just have to wait until your owned it tbh.

The EA is probably stirring some of this up so be wary. That said people do go batshit when it comes to buying a house. I’d just get the process done ASAP and get her out, stop asking to go back etc

MoveOnTheCards · 27/04/2019 23:26

Doesn’t sound like she’s that keen to see the sale through to me (been there!). I would ask the agent if she’s serious and arrange to see more places if I were you.

ohnoessexgirl · 27/04/2019 23:28

It sounds like she's pissed off at having to lower the price. Trouble is for her, if your survey pointed this stuff out and your lender valued it at this price then others will to so she's sort of stuck. If you really want the house just leave it until you complete then you won't have to have anything to do with her as the conveyancers will deal with it. If it really matters all you can do is pull out really.

PinkiOcelot · 27/04/2019 23:28

I think I would walk away tbh. Stuff her, she’s taking the piss!!

Original poster
sootspritez · 27/04/2019 23:30

Really @passthecherrycoke? I thought second viewings were normal?

Especially as the vendor has a custom made kitchen and has a specific sized cooker that I need measurements for and I also want a builder to come out as there's a specific issue regarding a chimney breast that has been removed that may need work doing and I don't want to move forward with the sale until I can check on how much this is going to cost with a professional. A survey is just a cursory examination to flag up any issues surely, which can then be checked by an experienced contractor?

Surely it's easier to play nice and let the buyers come over than have them.pull out and have to start the whole thing over again?

Should also mention that I know she's put an offer in on a house and wants to move so it's not that she doesn't want to move, more that she doesn't feel were entitled to have another viewing or check done.

OP posts:
RSAcre · 27/04/2019 23:31

I wouldn’t want more viewings after I’ve accepted an offer.

That's not going to help the vendor sell is it?

Where is the EA in all this? Why can they not conduct 2nd viewings?

MyKingdomForBrie · 27/04/2019 23:34

Annoying, but depends how much you want the house. If you're determined just work with her stupid timings, turn up with your contractor and leave when he's ready.

Passthecherrycoke · 27/04/2019 23:36

Second viewings are for before you have an offer accepted. Just to check you want to make one

RSAcre the vendor has already sold the house. To the OP Confused

Original poster
sootspritez · 27/04/2019 23:36

@RSAcre she won't allow them to do the viewings for her! She said she doesn't see why she should have to allow strangers access to her home.... well love because you don't want it to be your home any more, surely?
@ohnoessexgirl this is exactly what I said! Tbh her husband is a builder and I actually said if he wanted to do the work and bring it up to market value I would actually prefer that as I cba doing work and it would probs save her some money but it went over her head. I did really want the house but I have a feeling she's hiding something and as I'm.not experienced I don't know how much the work in the survey will cost and how urgent it is, hence I want someone to look it over for me. I don't want to haggle with her one bit, I just don't wanna be indebted to a house that's buggered

OP posts:
Passthecherrycoke · 27/04/2019 23:37

ETA no I’ve never allowed buyers to come over and measure up or poke around with builders. It’s my house and I’m still living there! Viewings are intrusive enough, the main relief about accepting an offer is they end

Original poster
sootspritez · 27/04/2019 23:39

@passthecherrycoke well no it's not sold- it's taken weeks just to get the new mortgage agreed because she kept coming and going.

We have been advised not to proceed further by our solicitor due to wanting to clarify issues raised in the survey. The house is currently SOLD STC which means either of the parties can walk away

OP posts:
HeddaGarbled · 27/04/2019 23:40

I think you are right that she is pissed off about having to lower the price but I don’t think you are right that she doesn’t want to sell it.

There’s no obligation on a vendor to allow second viewings or visits from contractors. People do, out of goodwill, but unfortunately the goodwill here has gone.

Don’t let it get to you. If you still want the house, just accept she’s not going to do you any favours and press on regardless.

Passthecherrycoke · 27/04/2019 23:40

Well obviously Hmm but she’s not having anymore viewings to try and sell it is she? She doesn’t need to. She just needs to wait for you to buy it. If you chose not to she’ll put it back on the market

DoormatBob · 27/04/2019 23:40

You made an offer, she accepted.

You had the survey and made a lower offer based on the mortgage value, she accepted.

You now want a builder to go in and quote you for work. Are you going to make a lower offer if it's more than the surveyor estimated? I can see why shes not keen!

Original poster
sootspritez · 27/04/2019 23:43

I'm a bit confused here- surely people don't just expect sellers to drop hundreds of thousands of pounds based on seeing something once?

Our viewing lasted 7 minutes. We had a 10 minute slot so we never had the opportunity to measure up or ask questions and I fail to see when you would expect to be able to do that without a second viewing? I get that it's a courtesy but surely it's less inconvenient than having to relief the property and have loads of people traipsing in and out?

OP posts:
newcat12345 · 27/04/2019 23:44

The world's gone mad when you can't take a
2nd look at something you're about to fork out £137k for!

newcat12345 · 27/04/2019 23:45

Beat me to it Soots Grin

Original poster
sootspritez · 27/04/2019 23:45

@doormatbob no not at all! I just want to know if it's worth buying at all! A lot of the things on the survey couldn't be ascertained due to access issues or lack of knowledge about works done to the property and as such could be significant structural.issues..why would I buy a house that could have major structural problems without checking on the extent of them and whether it is worth me doing?

OP posts:
Passthecherrycoke · 27/04/2019 23:45

But you’re supposed to do the second viewing before you make the offer OP, whilst you hold some of the power.

You don’t get to go back after it’s agreed, why would they let you? As a PP said they might do for goodwill but it’s not expected or even that common tbh.

CoraCoo · 27/04/2019 23:46

Our solicitors have advised that once you have accepted an offer don't let the buyers back in the house until moving day and the money is in the account!
The buyers might notice new issues and withdraw or reduce their offer. We're in Scotland though so will be different to you if you're not.

LillithsFamiliar · 27/04/2019 23:46

If you'd made an offer and had it accepted, I wouldn't expect you to then try to arrange another viewing and/or a builder visit. There's nothing to be gained from the seller's pov by giving you more access.
Also you said you were flexible for visits, she offered two options but you're not happy with either of them.
I don't think she's batshit. I think she's annoyed that you've offered less, you want to tie up more of her time and you want to traipse in and out of her home rather than waiting till it's your's.

Passthecherrycoke · 27/04/2019 23:46

I think you need to pull out OP. You don’t have a right to the answers you want. It’s just the way it goes, and if you’re not comfortable enough with that you shouldn’t buy it.

Hadenoughofitall441 · 27/04/2019 23:46

The previous owner of our house was like this. When moving day finally came, baring in mind we were travelling from london to the south coast we got here to find she had left stuff in literally every room. Then to top it off, when we came back from a shopping trip a few days later, her son and grandson were happily emptying the garage of other stuff she had left (she had asked us if she could leave the stuff until a few days later) that was fine except she was suppose to be calling to arrange a suitable time instead of taking a garage key with her so they could help themselves. Needless to say we got the key off of them before they left and changed the locks later on down the road.

VelvetSpoon · 27/04/2019 23:46

Completely agree the time for second viewings and fucking about generally is BEFORE you make your offer. Once it's accepted then you just bloody wait. I had all this nonsense when I sold my house many years ago. The buyers relentlessly asked to come round and do X or Y even though I had a toddler and a new born. They literally had np respect whatsoever for the fact I was busy and clearly thought as buyers their wants got priority. On moving day they were banging on my door within literally minutes of completion insisting I let them in.

Either wait and sort this out when you move in. Or learn a lesson, pull out of this purchase and in future don't make offers until you've done your due diligence.

Titsywoo · 27/04/2019 23:47

Normally you do a 2nd viewing before you put in an offer, have it accepted and get a survey done!