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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to tell our buyer to fuck off?

297 replies

AppleWin · 31/08/2022 09:41

We put our house on the market in March. On the first day of viewings we had multiple offers. We went with a particular couple (even though their offer wasn’t the highest) because the agent stressed that they were very proceedable and had a high deposit so wouldn’t have any hiccoughs with their mortgage - and also because they weren’t a landlord.

In July, they still hadn’t booked their survey or had their mortgage approved. It’s a character property and you’d be bloody stupid not to have a survey (even though we know the property is fine). This was very concerning because, when we had the survey on the house we’re buying, there was a six week lead time. After a few weeks of the agent chasing them and them dicking about, they said that they didn’t want a survey and their mortgage was approved. We thought they were stupid as hell not to have a survey but it’s their choice.

They’ve been pushing for a very quick move and this has mostly been held up by searches and the solicitors. We were due to exchange tomorrow and complete on Friday. As such, we spent the bank holiday moving all our possessions into a storage unit (we have a toddler and a newborn and are now living off a few items we can fit into just our car). We’ve got DS booked into a new nursery from Monday and DH has a new job near the new house (this is two hours from our current house). Obviously our risk but it’s not physically possible for us to have moved out on time with a short turnaround between exchange and completion - especially with DH and I both working full time.

Our agent phoned this morning to say that they’ve changed their mind and want a survey. We’ve told the agent that they had their chance and there’s no way. Even if it’s quicker to let them have their survey than find a new buyer, I no longer trust them not to fuck us around at every stage. We’re not reducing the price so the survey won’t help them anyway.

AIBU to say no to the survey (and curse them to hell for good measure)?

OP posts:
ReneBumsWombats · 31/08/2022 12:44

Zeus44 · 31/08/2022 12:36

Should’ve gone with the landlord, they are chain free, have funds and no issues with access to finance.

Now your unlikely to get a sale done by Christmas. You gambled and it’s a losing hand.

Gutted.

The property's gone up in value...

Piffle11 · 31/08/2022 12:46

Stick to your guns, and tell them they either do it as originally planned or they can walk away. And I would be telling the EA that you will be listing the property with a different agent: that should light a fire under their bum. They are not going to want to lose the commission on a property they have worked on since March.

vera99 · 31/08/2022 12:55

Probably stuff like this is in their minds.

propertyindustryeye.com/house-prices-are-plummeting-new-figures-show/

Ablababla · 31/08/2022 13:02

We had something similar and ended up sharing our survey from when we brought the house four years before. We told them it was for info only and there would be no price reduction. There are pros and cons to this of course but in our case it did enable them to see there was nothing major wrong with the property.

mumda · 31/08/2022 13:04

Does it affect your stamp duty not selling your original house?

balalake · 31/08/2022 13:04

Call their bluff.

There should be a register of those who mess around over house sale and purchase, which they remain on for at least 25 years. Or better still, Scottish law on house sale and purchase replicated in England and Wales.

wingardium8 · 31/08/2022 13:06

Other way round but I had a seller try to mess me about by increasing the price £1k the day before exchange. Tiny proportion of the total cost, but it was the final straw (lots of other crap along the way) and I lost my shit at him and said I’d pull out.

I bought the house and did not have to pay the extra £1k 😁Call their bluff!

ChristmasSirens · 31/08/2022 13:10

Unless your house is difficult to sell (ask your and another estate agent) then definitely ditch them. They are probably trying to gazunder you.

So sorry, its crap but there are better buyers out there.

LovePoppy · 31/08/2022 13:12

I will never understand this system that takes so long and allows buyers (or sellers) to screw the other party so close to the finish line.

notanothertakeaway · 31/08/2022 13:12

silverbubbles · 31/08/2022 11:09

If they insist on a survey then you should also relist the property and see if you can get another buyer so that you are not wasting any more time.

No need to totally bin them as they could come up trumps in the end - keep focussed on the fact that its the sale you need. But you should make it clear that it is being relisted now in order to attract other interest as you feel they are not committed.

This is sensible advice

billy1966 · 31/08/2022 13:23

If they do buck up, do not give them a key or access before closing.

These are not trustworthy people.

SimonaRazowska · 31/08/2022 13:31

Yes, go with silverbubbles advice

Emotionalsupportviper · 31/08/2022 13:35

Ditch them.

They are going to use the survey tho knock £X,000 off your asking price and do it at very short notice in the hope you will cave in to their demand.

SavBbunny · 31/08/2022 13:36

I am trying to buy with two sellers upping their price since March. We have paid a fortune in valuations and legal fees. It is like the wild West in our neck of the woods (1 hour from London) with gazumping and one seller trying to get us to pay their agents fees, greedy git!
However I would not delay and would say it was going back on the market ready for Saturday viewings unless they stump up as agreed. If it is in the southern shires I might like it myself!

cansu · 31/08/2022 13:40

Seems pointless. You need a buyer. It is not in your interests to do this. You can say no but they will then think you have something to hide and will walk. The fact that you have moved everything out and into storage is really your problem.

Backtobacknow · 31/08/2022 13:42

YANBU!

beachcomber70 · 31/08/2022 13:46

Survey should have been booked/done in the 2 months [max] following an acceptance on their offer in March. Estate agent should have been tracking the process. I'd have given up with them in May as alarm bells would be ringing for me.
Tell them no survey or property is going back on the market [at realistic current price] if they don't agree. Never worth dealing with people like this.

cormorant5 · 31/08/2022 13:47

We had a buyer who seemed a bit too knowledgeable, So we sent him packing at first sign of prevarication.
We sold to next viewer. Who is chain free. Now we are waiting for searches.

Blossomtoes · 31/08/2022 13:50

Pushmepullu · 31/08/2022 11:46

I know someone who set out right at the beginning of the process to wait until the day before exchange of contracts to tell the seller they wanted £10k knocked off the price or they wouldn’t proceed. They gambled that the couple, who were in a similar position as OP would have to accept.
Tell your buyers that they had their chance and try and find a short term let or AirBnB to move into, especially if your property has increased in price.

That happened to me. Unfortunately for him he’d told me when his mortgage offer was due to expire and he’d invested in a full structural survey as well as solicitors’ fees. I told him to fuck off. We exchanged the next day at the agreed price.

LovedFedAndNoonesDead · 31/08/2022 13:57

When we were selling my parents home (probate sale) we went with the offer the EA said was best from point of view of it being a second property, cash purchase, large deposit. We were moving county and renting so no chain and easy for house to be empty on completion. Accepted offer 5 weeks after putting house on market and then waited almost 4 months for buyer to get their ducks in a row - they came up with so many ridiculous delaying tactics including not k owing whether to buy in their name and pay higher rate of stamp duty as second home or buy in son’s name and have lower rate; then worried what would happen if they bought in son’s name and something happened to him between exchange and completion. In the end we told the EA to re advertise the house and arrange viewing asap. This was the only thing that got buyer to shift themselves and they finally exchanged 2 weeks later!

Zeus44 · 31/08/2022 13:59

Doesn’t matter if property has gone up in value as what they were going to buy I had as well. It’s fake money.

Truth is you lost out.

LadyLapsang · 31/08/2022 13:59

In addition to resisting I would also consider going with another / multiple agents. What type of agent lets this carry on over five months? They need to earn their commission and make sure the sale proceeds.

Zeus44 · 31/08/2022 14:00

Sell the house with another agent, don’t multi agent it as that’s annoying.

Ensure they vet prospective buyers before viewings, if they aren’t ready to do a deal then they can’t view.

AIP in hand and proof of deposit are usual things.

JinglingHellsBells · 31/08/2022 14:01

If you are happy to wait another 3-4 months to find a new buyer and complete, then send this buyer packing. You may get a higher price for your house. OR you may get less as people will have less money with the cost of living, higher interest rates and fuel costs. House prices may well fall.

But you will need to be sure that delay won't impact on the buying of the house you are going to.

It's no good making decisions on an emotional reaction, however pissed off you feel, it's what will work in your best interests.

Backtobacknow · 31/08/2022 14:04

cansu · 31/08/2022 13:40

Seems pointless. You need a buyer. It is not in your interests to do this. You can say no but they will then think you have something to hide and will walk. The fact that you have moved everything out and into storage is really your problem.

I disagree, they have had ample time to arrange a survey, they have done it this close to exchange to try and get leverage!

It won't work because the OP is well aware of their intentions.

The purchaser can walk away of course, however they will also have lost money, searches, valuation, legal work etc! But that of course is their prerogative.