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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to ask seller to cover stamp duty?

49 replies

GeordieMamma · 10/07/2021 19:06

I’m debating whether this is unreasonable or not, all opinions welcomed as I’m really not experienced in house buying and selling.

So. Our property is STC and we accepted this offer in February. We then found a property we really love (ideal location, in budget, great garden, good nursery and schools in walking distance). It really couldn’t be better for us.
Seller took a week to accept our asking price offer as she “wanted to be sure she found a property she liked”. She found one and had her offer accepted a week later and subsequently accepted our offer against everyone else’s offers as we were “in the best position” as we had sold. Others were waiting to sell or in longer chains. This was early March.
All has been fine, slow, but no issues. Solicitor informed me they were pushing for completion dates 2 weeks ago.
Then just over a week ago I had a call from our estate agent to tell me our seller has backed out of the sale as their homebuyers report (which she ordered very late in the day), has come back and the property requires work she isn’t willing to do. New roof I believe.
Fine. You can’t buy a property you don’t want. I asked estate agent if they could ask if they’d be willing to rent as to not hold up the sale. Seller says no and they’ve asked us to wait until she finds another property.
From what I’ve gathered the seller is only interested in properties on a handful of streets in a very sought after area. We could certainly be waiting a long time.
We’ve decided to go ahead with our sale and arrange to stay with family as to not lose our buyers.
We’re now going to miss the stamp duty deadline.
A few family members have advised me to request the seller knocks this amount off the sale price.
So, AIBU to request the seller foots the bill for stamp duty?
I should add we have been very speedy with everything, our survey and searches were completed weeks ago. We really haven’t put a foot wrong.

OP posts:

lalafafa · 11/07/2021 00:50

we offered on a house then found out the seller regularly put her house up for sale and never followed through. 7 years later it still regularly pops up on right move. move on OP.

WalkingOnTheCracks · 11/07/2021 02:45

You don’t have much leverage, because she knows you’ll have to pay SD on anywhere else you buy.

WalkingOnTheCracks · 11/07/2021 02:47

Then again, don’t tell her you don’t want it. But do tell her you’re shopping around.

Letsallscreamatthesistene · 11/07/2021 03:45

Find somewhere else. I know its a shame but she sounds like a nightmare who going to cause more stress than its all worth.

Unsoliciteddeckpic · 11/07/2021 05:59

@lalafafa

we offered on a house then found out the seller regularly put her house up for sale and never followed through. 7 years later it still regularly pops up on right move. move on OP.

We rented somewhere, where the owner does this. Just after I found out I was pregnant with ds, the couple that owned it knocked on the door and said they wanted to sell and asked if we would sign a 6 month contract after our contract was up. We said no as that would mean moving out around my due date. We said we would move when the contract finished in the September before.

Then they weren't selling it so we stayed, then they were selling it so we bought and moved when ds was 6 months.

Ds is now 10 and a friend knows the owners and they are still doing the same. The agent has been getting annoyed because tenants get fed up with the owner turning up and telling tenants they are selling. So tenants end up moving out because they don't know what's going on. They have had several offers, that have been accepted then dropped out and rented it out again.

I don't know why people do this. Surely, people realise they are messing people about.

For some people they end up waiting so long for the seller of the property they are buying they end up being priced out of anything similar. I think its really shitty to do.

Original poster

GeordieMamma · 11/07/2021 06:07

Thank you for all the advice and stories. I appreciate all the useful responses. In her position I’d have arranged rent or offered a reduction because of the stamp duty, I feel like that’s just the ‘right’ think to do.

OP posts:

user1483387154 · 11/07/2021 06:09

You can ask but if I were the seller I would not agree.

maddiemookins16mum · 11/07/2021 06:14

@m00rfarm

If she isn’t happy paying for a new roof then she sure as hell won’t want to pay your stamp duty!!!

This.

CandlesBlanketsandTea · 11/07/2021 06:26

@GeordieMamma

How recently have you rented property? The market is flooded with people who are being evicted and there are not enough properties. It's taken me three months to find somewhere and I had to pay 6 months upfront. In her position I wouldn't rent, but it doesn't sound like she wants to sell either.

SW1amp · 11/07/2021 06:59

I agree with others. She doesn’t want to move, and you’re not going to end up buying that house.

But separately, be careful accepting ‘incentives’ such a the seller paying your stamp duty if you need a mortgage.
You have to declare those to your mortgage company, and they will often then knock something off the valuation

Not an issue if you’re getting a 50% mortgage and have lots of savings but could be a problem if you need a higher LTV to afford it

Original poster

GeordieMamma · 11/07/2021 07:02

@CandlesBlanketsandTea I think given what she wants in a property and how fast the market is moving she’d be at an advantage being chain free. That’s how we look at it. Sorry it took you so long to find somewhere, that sucks. We live in the north east in a large town and there is a lot of choice for renters here just from a few searches however I understand there’s more to it than that.
Hope you’re happy in your new home!

OP posts:

Original poster

GeordieMamma · 11/07/2021 07:04

@SW1amp thanks for this! However I do not think she’ll pay or sell her bloody house!

OP posts:

Themostwonderfultimeoftheyear · 11/07/2021 07:08

We viewed a house yesterday and the seller said they have been looking for a year and keep putting their house on the market and then removing it. Glad they warned us then so we didn't consider it any further. Must be heart breaking to find out further down the road.

Original poster

GeordieMamma · 11/07/2021 07:09

@Themostwonderfultimeoftheyear I think that’s super shitty of them. Yes good to know now! Good luck in the house hunt.

OP posts:

clpsmum · 11/07/2021 07:10

Pull out. I wouldn't buy the house at all tbh

Loudestcat14 · 11/07/2021 07:17

We went through exactly this with a seller. She ummed and aahed about accepting our offer, took weeks to find somewhere, tried to delay us getting a survey done (which I suppose we should be grateful for as it saved us money) then walked away from the house she'd put an offer in on, until eventually we had to pull out because we were going to lose our sale and renting wasn't an option. I was gutted but we found a house in the next street that was so much better that every time I walk past the other one I am grateful we didn't buy it! As for her, she still lives there and every six months or so it appears on Rightmove then disappears again. I don't think she has any real intention of selling and I wonder if your vendor is the same, OP.

millymollymoomoo · 11/07/2021 07:28

Look for another house or you’ll never move

You can ask, they’ll say no., then pull out

SlothinSpirit · 11/07/2021 07:37

I'd pull out. The end of the stamp duty holiday/reduction may take some of the heat of the housing market and will be factored into the price of the next property you offer on. So you won't necessarily pay more.

On this property, you're subject to a double whammy... you agreed a price during the stamp duty reduction, which will have artificially pushed prices up, but you're not ultimately benefiting from that reduction.

Maybe ask that she pays the stamp duty but ultimately be prepared to walk away.

godmum56 · 11/07/2021 07:37

I am not sure why she would cover your stamp duty....she seems not that bothered about selling

Unsoliciteddeckpic · 11/07/2021 07:45

This seems to be a fairly common thing.

What is wrong with people? Why you would you put your house up for sale, again and again. Accept offers, waste peoples time when you don't really want to move.....then carries on doing this. So frustrating.

Original poster

GeordieMamma · 11/07/2021 08:09

So I agreed with estate agent I’d request an update from our seller Tuesday, which I think gave her 10 days to arrange some viewings and consider her options. I suspect she won’t have much to say. I don’t think I’ll bother asking for stamp duty and just crack on looking. I never want to move again!

OP posts:

Billandben444 · 11/07/2021 08:15

In her position I’d have arranged rent or offered a reduction because of the stamp duty, I feel like that’s just the ‘right’ think to do.

Buying and selling properties is a business transaction and nothing more. It's a mistake to befriend the people and any communication is best left to the EA. Why would she be interested in saving/paying your stamp duty, quite an odd idea. Leave her to it and look elsewhere knowing you're in an excellent position with no property to sell and could contemplate somewhere needing a little work before you move in.

Original poster

GeordieMamma · 11/07/2021 08:25

@Billandben444 it is a business transaction but you can be a bit of an arsehole and do business or be a decent person and do business. I suppose it’s personal preference

OP posts:

WalkingOnTheCracks · 11/07/2021 10:45

As my ancient mum says, buying and selling houses does bring out the worst in people. As a test of personality-type, it’s unerringly accurate.

If you’re, for instance, a penny-pinching, nitpicking, selfish arsehole, you might sell your house to a family with several small children and then take all the light fittings with you and leave live wires sticking out of the walls all over the property knowing the incoming family werent going to get there until late afternoon in the depths of winter when it was already dark.

That happened to my family fifty years ago and my mother still cites it as the benchmark of inconsiderate and potentially lethal house-move pettiness.

I might start a thread on ‘dreadful things people have done to you in property transactions’. I suspect it would run and run.

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