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

[sootspritez]

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, my dad was a builder before he was retired, and I learned a surprising amount.

Your solicitor has advised walking away. Given the description of the chimney breast issue, I'd do just that. Her evasiveness on the issue isn't reassuring, and I'd suspect some dodgy building work has gone on.

You have mentioned another house to look at; take the good advice offered on here and use it to look for another house.

If you get asked for feedback, then be clear about pulling out because of the chimney breast and the vendor's evasiveness. I suspect this vendor is going to have this issue crop up again with another buyer after a survey, unless she's willing to be upfront about it.

Hey OP, pull out of this sale and go find yourself another place. It seems that the EA and solicitors are not helping to guide you in your new and naive adventure. The seller has no interest in you or making any efforts to allay your concerns. Good luck.

I hope you do what’s right for you and are happy with which ever decision you make. House buying is such a stressful business.

Buying a house is a huge commitment of your finances. If course you want to view more than once.
We sold our last home to buyers who only viewed once and although I invited them to come and measure up etc they declined saying it was the house for them and they didn't need to see it again until moving day.

Your seller is being difficult here.. I would reconsider my offer if I were you

Catchingbentcoppers in Scotland isn’t the offer binding, like exchanging contracts is in England? In which case that would be sensible.

@yabadabadontdoit Well, you could back out before the missives are concluded (which is really contracts exchanged down here), and that used to take about a month ish, but in all honesty I can only think of about half a dozen times in 12 years that this happened. It was really badly thought of someone did this too and I can remember one solicitor refusing to act for a client again when she did.

When you offer a price you offer a date of entry (moving date) too, so everyone knows what needs to be done and by when. It was a much 'tidier' process.

However, like I said, this was 15 or so years ago so the process may be different now.

We sold our house last year to first time buyers. They viewed 3 times and then put an offer in.

You don't put an offer in and then view again. That's just not how it works.

I think you've misunderstood how things work OP, because you should have viewed again BEFORE putting in an offer. Your options now should be to proceed with the surveyor's valuation (lucky you getting £13k extra to fix the chimney etc!), or to walk away and find a new property. What you shouldn't do is expect to traipse a bunch of people through someone else's home whenever you like, because until you've bought it the house remains another family's home and they have a life to lead. You've "agreed" on a price twice, now it's clear that you lack integrity because you're demanding the right to reconsider the price AGAIN; you can do that, but don't be surprised if others in the process are less inclined to help you. I had first time buyers who dropped the price once, then tried again - I was very clear that the answer was no and if they tried again then the property was to go back on the market; there was nothing wrong with the house but nobody likes dealing with CFs like that. They stopped being idiots so I sold to them, if I was selling to you then I'd just back out and find a better buyer. Next time get all your viewings done up-front before you start making promises that you have no intention of keeping.

I find it utterly bizarre how many PPs have suggested to just go ahead and sort it out later.

In no universe would I ever, ever proceed with a RE contract if the initial survey was significantly incomplete, or if it had flagged potential structural or hazardous issues of an unknown nature and degree.

OP, your legal representative has advised you to move on; to do otherwise is emotion-driven madness that almost everyone ends up regretting.

Catchingbentcoppers it does sound a much better way of doing it, everybody knows where they stand

Sadly the position in Scotland is very different now

I'd pull out if she didn't allow a second viewing under these circumstances.

So confused... surely EA has the keys and tells vendor you are visiting. They don’t need to be there, in fact it’s best they are not. So what’s issue??

It does sound like she’s going to potentially pull out but hope it all ends well for you.

There is a house on my road that has been on the market for 5 years. It's been 'under offer' 3 times, and each time it has fallen through. I think some sellers are just BONKERS, OP! I would cut and run. There's always another house.

We moved last year. We had one viewing to measure up, then got a full structural survey. Our buyers simply got the bank to check for value, then sent their builder round to take notes for alterations. Further viewings as such? No. Walk away OP.

2nd and even 3rd viewing entirely normal. It's the single biggest purchase you ever. You also might need measure for carpets/furniture and any work you might need done.
If I'm honest I'd walk away as she doesn't sound committed and could pull out at a later stage causing you more grief.
Good luck OP x

I've not read all the posts so apologies if I'm repeating what others have said. It is perfectly normal to want to go back and see a house after you've had an offer accepted. (It wouldn't normally be called a "second viewing" though as that is normally done before an offer is made).
That said, the vendor of our current house was obviously hacked off that we reduced our offer after we lost our buyer and had to accept a lower offer on our own house. She refused to allow us in and said it wouldn't be convenient at any time until completion.
I'd be wary that your vendor is still hoping to get more money from another buyer and is still showing the house. I'd also be worried that her builder husband had not bothered to get the building inspections done and get the completion certificates to show that everything has been done properly.
All in all, unless your solicitor can quickly get full information about all the work that's been done on the house, I'd pull out now before your legal fees get too high.

Op, take no notice of the idiots here. ALL offers are subject to survey, and what you've described sounds significant. SInce you can back out at any point up to exchanging contracts, she would be well advised to let you revisit with and without your builder. If she won't allow this, then I would back out of the sale.

Having said that, some vendors are totally batshit!

If you live in an area where the market moves quickly, it’s unlikely there will be time to have a second viewing before submitting an offer.

Our house was on the market and sold within 4 days.

It was therefore totally reasonable that the buyer wanted to come and measure up, bring a builder etc. after having their offer accepted.

As PPs have said, the house is not ‘sold’ until contracts are exchanged, so the vendor isn’t being reasonable if she wants out of the house!

And I would also be wary OP - it’s very odd that she won’t let you come and see the house again!

Good god. This thread belongs on the most bonkers one. I've never seen such batshit replies.

Op, I suspect you're right, she's pissed off the price is dropped and she's making it difficult for you.

You've followed the correct process. And she should allow second viewings, it's the norm and if she was being nice, even a third, and normally no issue with bringing a tradesman.

Speak to the agent and demand a second viewing, take whatever time she offers. Sorry if that's been done, in this instance I've not read the whole thread, the bat shit comments got to me. 🤣

Haven’t read all the replies.

Possibly everyone is saying this already.

You can’t be sending in builder contractors etc when you haven’t bought the house yet!

You don’t keep viewing it after offer is accepted.

I’d be annoyed too. You’re buying it, it’s not yours yet.

I had a batshit vendor, who was all awkward. Tell the estate agents you want a set date and time every week she can accommodate, and you will arrange for contractors to do quotes in those slots. Tell her that either she agrees, or the house is back on the open market - and good luck selling it to someone who can’t view it, and that the bank can’t lend more that 137k on.
It’s butt-clenching - I did exactly this to my vendor, but 2 days later he decided to play ball (I felt sick all those 2 days, it was horrible, and my house sale had taken 6 months to complete the chain, I had no where else to go and really didn’t want the sale to fall through, despite the structure problems my survey found)
Good luck!

Sorry if this is repeating what others have said but my biggest concern would be why the she is wanting to move on with the sale. Even if she wasn't prepared to let you have any further access post your offer - and as others have said we have been advised not to do that as well - she should want the sale to progress. I think you may need to chalk this up to experience and lose the £500 on the survey unless you really are in no hurry to move as clearly she isn't.

Of course second, third and even fourth viewings are totally normal. This is the biggest purchase of your life. I renovate houses and sellers are usually totally happy to let me come in with contractors etc a few times. In this market most houses are sold below asking and if she’s accepted your lower offer then she should also be accommodating.
Play tough. Say you will withdraw your offer unless you can have a second viewing with your builder within 10 days. End of.

Walk away.
If he is a decent builder, they would be able to provide all of the information regarding the chimney breast work and the rsj. I would be suspecting a bodge job and no end of other work that needs correcting. Relative is a carpenter and the work he has done ( finally got round to ) on their house is done to a high standard- just takes forever for him to get round to do it as he takes paid work in preferance.
Yes she is peeved at the price reduction but she should be able to produce the info you need.
I ould liten to your solicitor- e were advised to pullout of a purchase once - so grateful to the solicitor