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AIBU?

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Original poster

Would you pull out of this house purchase?

120 replies

ZazuMoon · 06/03/2020 21:10

We have made an offer on a house built in 2016. Enquired during viewings about broadband and were told by the sellers it was connected. It turns out this is false and there is no connection and not even a phone line. There is no infrastructure at all. When BT installed the fibre to the door on the development the sellers refused it, the only ones on the estate to do so. As there is no infrastructure or ONT box at the property there is no serial number with which BT can help us. BT tells us to contact open reach for an ONT and open reach tells us without an ONT and general infrastructure they can’t do anything. Sellers and estate agent seem to think it is just a case of putting standard broadband in which is worse than what we have now in our much older property. They are unwilling to take any action to solve the issue. I don’t want to risk waiting until exchange of contracts before discovering we can’t get fibre to the premises. DH and I both need this broadband as we work from home one day per week. WWYD?

OP posts:
JavaQ · 07/03/2020 09:18

Sell. Rent. Find a house. Buy it.

I feel for you
Don't buy that house. You need internet.

FallonSwift · 07/03/2020 09:29

Pull out.

The broadband issue is frustrating but the breach of covenant and their general attitude would be a deal breaker for me. What's the betting that there's a whole host of other shit that they haven't told you?

Find somewhere else.

TheRealHousewife · 07/03/2020 09:30

If it’s so easy & cost effective to sort (according to sellers) get the sellers to agree initiate and pay for install. Get this agreement written up by solicitors.

Noconceptofnormal · 07/03/2020 09:33

Offer to continue if the seller gets fibre broadband installed before exchange.

If it's so easy then they can do it easily without much cost to themselves.

NoMorePoliticsPlease · 07/03/2020 09:34

We have radio transmitted mast broadband for £29 month. Cost about £50 for a very small dish on the roof. Very fast and so we have declined the fibre that has recentlyy been made available

CrotchetyQuaver · 07/03/2020 09:36

I'd start looking for something else this weekend. The boiler doesn't sound a big deal, how much warranty is left anyway and get them to have it serviced/repaired as necessary before exchange and a safety certificate issued.

TheAugusta · 07/03/2020 09:46

Hmm. I’d be nervous about this because, as others have said, what have they left undone/bodged that you can’t see? (I speak as someone who moved into a house previously owned by people who had bodged and neglected huge amounts). Do they realise you’re thinking of pulling out because they aren’t addressing these? If they did would it give them the impetus to fix it do you think?

SudokuQueen · 07/03/2020 10:29

Run away, fast. They've screwed up on numerous things and there's not a chance in hell that they will fix the Internet issue or anything else. They've bodged enough jobs already on that house, do you really think they'd give a shit about screwing you over too? They'll do it happily.

Sell your house and rent until you find a new one if you can't.

Lovewinemorethanhusband · 07/03/2020 10:49

I'd pull out of the sale, we have issues with lines and connections in our house we can only have virgin unless we spend thousands rectifying the problem with the connections, it's an absolute nightmare, bt tried to resolve the issue without new services but it took 8 weeks and then they said its never going to happen without our whole driveway being dug up and the side of our house!!

wombat1a · 07/03/2020 11:45

Pull out, if you can't work without it it's too much of risk
to continue.

limitedscreentime · 07/03/2020 11:46

Cardibach - that's for 3 mobile phones and the house Wi-fi. We have no line rental to pay. It's considerably cheaper.

limitedscreentime · 07/03/2020 11:48

Actually I should have taken the mobiles out of it. They are with another supplier anyway. The house WiFi's is unlimited and costs us £22 per month.

madcatladyforever · 07/03/2020 11:48

You really do need to pull out unless the sellers take off the sum of money it's going to cost to rectify this problem.
What do you think will happen if you don't pull out. Go through all the scenarios realistically and act accordingly.
Never ever buy a house with your heart not your head as it will inevitably be a nightmare.

Original poster
ZazuMoon · 07/03/2020 13:13

Thank you everyone. As it happens something we both really like has come on the market just this morning. Hopefully that will work out.

For context we currently have broadband at 37mb per second. The house we made an offer on was advertised as 100mb per second. Even if we are able to connect at all at the new property, it would be 1mb per second. That’s just not enough to work from home.

OP posts:
InfiniteSheldon · 07/03/2020 13:23

I would also bar it back to seller, happy to proceed as soon broadband is sorted. They did say it was easily sortable after all. Either that or reduce offer its definitely doable but it will take 6 to 8 weeks.

pussycatinboots · 07/03/2020 13:44

Good luck with finding a different house.
Don't bother with this one, let your solicitor know ASAP to keep your fees with them down.

Patch23042 · 07/03/2020 14:01

The vendors are liars. And weird.

Hope the other house works out.

partofthepeanutgallery · 07/03/2020 14:17

I’m surprised at all the people saying they wouldn’t buy a house without broadband. What about all the houses lived in by older people who don’t want it? Would that be such a deal breaker?

Absolutely for us. High tech jobs, 3 kids in school who need good internet access for education and entertainment. Zero or poor internet access would be a dealbreaker in this family and many others I know.

SudokuQueen · 07/03/2020 17:51

I’m surprised at all the people saying they wouldn’t buy a house without broadband. What about all the houses lived in by older people who don’t want it? Would that be such a deal breaker?

Yeah it would be. Tech job, need to work from home sometimes, phones, smart TV, computer, PlayStation. All need good and fast WiFi. No way would I buy a house that didn't have the ability.

Reginabambina · 07/03/2020 17:58

You could use a 4G dongle to get broadband (speed will be slightly higher than what you currently have). I would tell them that unless they sort the issue out (and show proof that they’ve made the effort by the end of next week) that you will reduce your offer by £(outrageous amount that will make the hassle worth it for you). If they refuse to take action then just pull out.

Nanny0gg · 07/03/2020 18:09

What's the use of Virgin or Sky? They don't do infrastructure (well, Sky don't) you need Open Reach to sort it first then you can have the others as your provider.

WalkingDeadTrainee · 07/03/2020 18:10

As soon as I read your OP I KNEW there will be crapload of other stuff.
Pull out. This would not end well for you. It's their fault

WalkingDeadTrainee · 07/03/2020 18:11

What's the use of Virgin or Sky? They don't do infrastructure (well, Sky don't) you need Open Reach to sort it first then you can have the others as your provider.

Virgin carries their own infrastructure. They put their own cables around afaik

Daisier · 07/03/2020 18:12

This would be a total deal breaker for me. MILs house has very poor broadband and spending the weekend there is so bloody infuriating.

Jaxhog · 07/03/2020 18:44

Make it a condition of sale that they install broadband or you'll pull out.

This.