To say no to our buyer

[Flev]

We are in the process of selling our house. We accepted an offer just before lockdown (following 3 visits by the buyers and their parents) but our buyers have moved at a speed that makes a slug look like an Olympic sprinter

2 weeks ago we finally had a surveyor round for their mortgage.

Now this morning we get a call asking if the male buyer and his dad can come and visit again as they think this will be quicker than getting a survey done for themselves.

AIBU to say no?

1 they're clearly not actually bothered about speed or they might have done something about it 4 months ago! We suspect they just don't want to pay for the survey
2 the buyer and his dad are 2 separate households - government guidance for house viewings is very clearly limited members of immediate household only
3 when they came for previous viewings they took ages (small 2 bed terrace) and touched everything. I cant see that changing. And our rooms are so small there's no way they can social distance in them.
4 the only person we've let in the house since lockdown started is the surveyor for their mortgage.

We are sticking pretty strictly to government guidelines as we have a close family member who has been shielding but has felt comfortable to see us briefly outdoors in the last couple of weeks since they know we've kept ourselves with as little contact as possible.

Am i just being grumpy and should find a way of dealing with this to just try and get the blasted deal done, or has their CF-ness now reached the stage where we are justified in telling them to just pay for a survey - or that we will accommodate just one of them?

@excuseforfights

In this situation the buyer and his dad want to do the survey themselves - so not shelling out for a survey, and suggesting that they are indeed ‘pisstaking time wasters’.

But OP says:

In response to a couple of questions, we have already had a surveyor round 2 weeks ago for their mortgage, so this is just for them.

That was the mortgage valuation, to satisfy the lender.

What they are now proposing to do is carry out a more detailed survey themselves. I’m pretty sure if either of them were surveyors the OP would know, because they were in her house 3 times before making their offer.

Op, I’d be giving them a deadline and putting the house back on the market. In some areas houses are moving very quickly just - could be worth a shot.

Present them with gloves and masks upon arrival, and give them a time limit, you can go sit in the garden.

@rwalker

I'd let them they are making the BIGGEST purchase of there life and only seen it 3 times.

It is a huge financial commitment, but it is the norm to have only one or two viewings before making an offer. Surveys are carried out by professionals, and usually once the offer is accepted you don’t see the property again until the process is complete and you have the keys in your hand.

I’ve bought and sold several times over the past 30 years, and that is the way it works. As a FTB buyer, I viewed twice, then visited once to measure up for curtains, having asked for that visit as a favour. I have bought on the strength of one viewing, and didn’t see the place again until the date of entry.

You do your research in advance, make sure you know what you need to see when when you view, rely on professionals to do their bit and show respect and consideration for the sellers.

@excuseforfights

In this situation the buyer and his dad want to do the survey themselves - so not shelling out for a survey, and suggesting that they are indeed ‘pisstaking time wasters’.

But OP says:

In response to a couple of questions, we have already had a surveyor round 2 weeks ago for their mortgage, so this is just for them.

Yes, but she clarified that was the mortgage valuation.

To be fair to the buyer I know someone who put an offer in at end of Feb / beginning of March and the survey wasn't allowed to happen when originally planned. 2 days into lockdown

I assume they are planning on doing the home buyer survey themselves rather than the bank valuation survey. I mean unless one of them is a qualified surveyor, any survey they did would a waste of time. And if they tried to get a discount "oo we saw a crack in the paint work" they have no leg to stand on. Relative is a surveyor (commercial) and whilst he is qualified to do the survey he isn't experienced enough in the field to feel comfortable doing it. I'd say no if you can afford to lose the sale.

Another issue i can't see if anyone has mentioned is surveyors are insured. If they cause any damage they would be liable and without insurance how are they going to pay that? Surveyors have strict rules about moving things and where ladders can go etc.

I would say one person only due to the current rules around covid but I wouldn't take notice if they try and get the price down now without an actual survey being done.

These people are not surveyors. So if they come round and then start messing around with their offer I'd immediately confirm to them I wouldnt be accepting a lower offer based on them "surveying" the house.

However, I do think you should let them come. They are buying your house and may have a very valid reason for wanting to come and new-look at something. It's a buyers market right now.

I'd give them clear instructions on face masks etc and to be honest I'd make myself scarce and tell the agent to do it.

If I was buying something as major as property I would expect to be allowed to check it over as much as I want-

Agree, I simply don’t get this whole thing of you can view it twice then hand over what could be hundreds of thousands.

If they were wanting to be in there all the time fair enough, but three viewings, come on. It’s their new home.

When we bought this house we ultimately viewed three times, the second time actually at the sellers request as they wished to make sure we were sure, as they had previously been messed around. We then requested the third,

If they’d said no fuck off you’ve had your two viewings I’d have thought they were deranged.

I dunno, I'm living in the 7th home I've purchased and most I viewed once, one I visited to measure after buying and one I didn't see at all as it was a new build bought off plan.

I've never done a 2nd viewing before buying. You make up your mind usually in the first few seconds and then a surveyor checks it over for you.

When selling, I don't think I've ever had anyone ask for a 2nd viewing either before making an offer and having it accepted.

As a seller i'd be okay with a 2nd viewing and one post purchase measure up visit and obviously accommodate valuer/surveyors but I wouldn't be happy with more than that being honest.

This will be their viewing and they haven't invested any money yet by the sounds of it; I'd be dubious of their commitment.

sorry 4th viewing

Selling houses is annoying and time consuming.
But realistically there wasn't much they could have done over the last 3 months.

I would say let them, unfortunately. It's just one of those things.

Having said that and depending on your area, it's suddenly a good time to sell(!) so unless they are progressing towards an exchange date I'd be tempted to put a time limit with view to re-list it if sale is dragging and seems stalled.

The valuation from the mortgage provider will have cost money so they are serious.

Look at them not having a survey as the absolute gift it is. No surveyor ever comes back without finding something wrong (they need to justify their fees).

Just say yes. Ask them to social distance and wear masks and gloves.

Worst case scenario is that you lose the sale and the chain breaks and you lose your house you want to buy. You're the one with the chain and are literally the weak link. Why risk it by saying no?

If you're so nervous of these people visiting what are you going to do when you're back on the market and people want to view?

This is the lesser of two evils. Don't mess it up.

I wouldn’t let them in personally.

Are they cash buyers? Cos if they are getting a mortgage they will need to pay for the banks surveyor anyway.

We had a slow buyer who said weird atuff like this. Turned out they were viewing a lot of other houses / waiting for market to fall while stringing us along. They pulled out at last minute, costing us a lotta cash and the house of our dreams.

Get the house back on the market OP

What else is here to see or do? 2 viewings is enough surely. We are mid purchase / sale but only went to see the house twice

The phrase going through my mind is they need to shit or get off the pot. They need to commit and move forward, rather than faffing about. I know lockdown slowed things down but they need to crack on now

@Daisydrum

Get the house back on the market OP

Agreed.

How’s your local market looking, OP?

When I look at Rightmove, properties in my area are moving quickly. As in, showing as ‘under offer’ or ‘sold stc’ within a week or less.

Sounds like they only got a valuation rather than a homebuyers and think Dad will make up for it.

Or they have had a Homebuyer's survey (Op has clarified that she didn't know exactly) that has thrown up something that they want to look at before deciding whether or not to pay for a full structural survey, e.g. if it has phrases like, "The buyer will need to ascertain xyz for themselves...", they may be doing just that.

@seeingadistance
rwalker
I'd let them they are making the BIGGEST purchase of there life and only seen it 3 times.
It is a huge financial commitment, but it is the norm to have only one or two viewings before making an offer. Surveys are carried out by professionals, and usually once the offer is accepted you don’t see the property again until the process is complete and you have the keys in your hand.

I’ve bought and sold several times over the past 30 years, and that is the way it works. As a FTB buyer, I viewed twice, then visited once to measure up for curtains, having asked for that visit as a favour. I have bought on the strength of one viewing, and didn’t see the place again until the date of entry.

You do your research in advance, make sure you know what you need to see when when you view, rely on professionals to do their bit and show respect and consideration for the sellers.

Well good for you personally I saw mine a few times.
Also is the dad coming to have a look then can make there mind up weather to go just for a valuation as house looks fine or sees something that doesn't look right so you go for a full survey .

I’m afraid you really need to play to their tune, you wanna sell, they clearly wanna buy

It may be inconvenient and stressful but you are selling your house. Grin and bare it would be my answer

When we sold a couple of years back we had a 15 year old house yet buyers so friggin’ anal they wanted a full structural survey. Totally over the top, I wasn’t happy but had to let them get on with it and waste a huge amount of their money

It’s probably a huge purchase to your buyer and they wanna be sure.

When we bought our houses in the past, we have used the bank surveyor/valuer to do a more thorough survey on our behalf. It's actually worked out cheaper for us this way and the bank uses a well respected firm. They have moved really slowly so far, if you let them in it is only fair that you make the rules re hygiene and time limits and explain you're shielding. And perhaps follow them round with some antiviral spray wiping everything once they're done!

No.

They're just dragging it out, enough is enough.