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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Access to property buyer

66 replies

Brum1992 · 20/01/2023 13:21

We’re moving house in a week and a half in Scotland. We’ve just concluded the missives. We have a young baby and a 3 year old. Our buyer asked for access to measure things ups…we asked if they can hold off until the move date, which is just a week and a half away. They came back and said we have to legally allow access…we didn’t realise it’s a legal requirement. So therefore, they’re coming on Tuesday. Although they legally can come, we’re pissed off that they pushed the legal demand rather than wait a week.

are we unreasonable to be annoyed? It’s chaos and stressful enough with moving and two young kids….it just seems so off for them to pull the legal requirement on us.

OP posts:
Rainbowunicornsprinkles · 20/01/2023 13:50

We measured for curtains before we completed. We moved in the summer with 2 young dc so curtains were a must from day 1. In fact they were up before we even moved in.

Original poster
Brum1992 · 20/01/2023 13:51

@Movinghouseatlast we’ve had safety certificates etc done on everything as part of the process, and they have 5 days to come back to us with any issues after the move date. We’ve had contractors in checking things to make sure it’s all good for them when they move

OP posts:
StillWantingADog · 20/01/2023 13:52

I’m in England and we asked this of our sellers.

Our buyers came round at least 4 times after offer accepted which was a bit much.

I think it’s entirely normal. It is round here anyway.
People need to know if certain furniture isn’t going to fit etc so they can come up with a plan b etc if not.

Original poster
Brum1992 · 20/01/2023 13:54

One thing to add also, is that we are leaving the blinds, as leaving curtains or blinds is a requirement here. Even leaving a nice light fitting they asked for! It wasn’t cheap

OP posts:
NewIdeasToday · 20/01/2023 13:57

Why be so mean? Just let them measure up so they can plan their move.

Original poster
Brum1992 · 20/01/2023 13:59

@NewIdeasToday it’s absolutely not to be mean! It’s not easy trying to do this with a young baby and toddler. It’s a stress thing. We’re incredibly stressed and not trying to be mean. We have already gone out of our way to accommodate these guys, and especially when they nearly collapsed the chain

OP posts:
GasPanic · 20/01/2023 14:01

If they are planning work then it is a real pain.

Its difficult enough to get trades when you want them in the current environment, let alone make them jump around to suit other peoples requirements.

I would let them in - surely it will not be too hard for you to do.

Original poster
Brum1992 · 20/01/2023 14:04

We are letting them in!! Funny thing is, we could do this to the person we’re buying from, but we don’t want to do that to someone in stressful moving situation. It didn’t even cross our minds to push it on them. We just thought it’s stuff we can sort when we’re there

OP posts:
ripandhishorse · 20/01/2023 14:07

I do conveyancing in Scotland. It happens all the time but only when missives are concluded.

Original poster
Brum1992 · 20/01/2023 14:08

@ripandhishorse thank you. Good to know. We hadn’t heard of it before…in fact we had thought it’s not something that’s allowed.

OP posts:
ripandhishorse · 20/01/2023 14:10

Brum1992 · 20/01/2023 13:54

One thing to add also, is that we are leaving the blinds, as leaving curtains or blinds is a requirement here. Even leaving a nice light fitting they asked for! It wasn’t cheap

It's not a requirement in Scotland. You could have taken all of that away with you however many leave curtains and blinds as you've no guarantee they will fit in your new property. You were perfectly within your rights not to include them in the sale. Your Solicitor should have gone through that as part of the standard clauses.

PacificallyRequested · 20/01/2023 14:12

You're making a mountain out of a molehill. You don't need to tidy up for them. Just let them in and tell them to go and do what they need to do, they'll probably be fifteen minutes maximum.

SirGawain · 20/01/2023 14:13

Brum1992 · 20/01/2023 13:34

It’s not the time they’re here, it’s more trying to get it looking reasonable for them.

Why do you want it to look reasonable? Since they are inconveniencing you I would do only what you are legally obliged to do.

Changingplace · 20/01/2023 14:13

Brum1992 · 20/01/2023 13:34

It’s not the time they’re here, it’s more trying to get it looking reasonable for them.

You’re under no obligation to do anything else except let them in, don’t create work for yourself - they’ll have to take you as they find you.

Star81 · 20/01/2023 14:17

I live in Scotland as a d say it’s a pretty standard request. Every house I’ve bought / sold had this. They know you’re close to moving so will be expecting chaos.

GrinAndVomit · 20/01/2023 14:32

We bought our fist home in October.
We requested to measure up for a few things a few weeks before completion.
It was incredibly helpful to us and meant we could have furniture arrive the week we moved and we could order variations and curtain poles for the kids’ rooms to take with us. It meant my children had their beds and curtains up on the first night. We had a fridge freezer (after living in rental with integrated) delivered the morning after the move so we could then have a big shop that afternoon.
I was very grateful to our vendors for allowing it. We were only there for 15 minutes taking the list of measurements we needed but it made moving with three small children so much less stressful.

RunnerBum · 20/01/2023 14:37

I think people too often forget that moving is stressful for both sides. It’s just as stressful for them as for you. YABU to act like the whole world should accommodate your needs because you’re going through a stressful time whilst expecting them to get to fuck when they’re also going through the exact same stressful time.

DappledThings · 20/01/2023 14:38

It doesn't need to be a stress at all. You don't need to tidy up or change anything. Just open the door, leave them to it. Total mountain out of a molehill.

Ponderingwindow · 20/01/2023 14:43

You are going to be in the midst of packing. You do not need to tidy.

Original poster
Brum1992 · 20/01/2023 14:45

@RunnerBum we are absolutely not expecting the whole world to cater to our needs. Not even in the slightest. Not sure how you came to that conclusion from this one thing! We have been very supportive to them, even when they nearly collapsed the chain. We nearly even lost our new home due to them. We organise lots of communal repairs for other properties in the block, including cleaning, which we’re have been handing over to others. We’ve been going over and above requirements.

we’ve had contractors in doing boiler safety checks, fixing small things etc to make it perfect for them. We just asked they hold off a week l!

OP posts:
EsmeSusanOgg · 20/01/2023 14:53

Brum1992 · 20/01/2023 13:34

It’s not the time they’re here, it’s more trying to get it looking reasonable for them.

Don't. If you have to let them in, let them in. But don't do a special tidy. Moving is stressful enough. If they need access ahead of time, they just have to accept it won't be move-in ready.

Original poster
Brum1992 · 20/01/2023 14:55

@EsmeSusanOgg thank you. I think that’s part of me worrying so much about this. Not wanting to disappoint them with the mess.

OP posts:
EsmeSusanOgg · 20/01/2023 14:57

@Brum1992 if you're worried about that, just go back and politely say that the place will be hectic as you get ready to move out.

Any reasonable person will understand.

Pipsquiggle · 20/01/2023 15:03

Brum1992 · 20/01/2023 14:04

We are letting them in!! Funny thing is, we could do this to the person we’re buying from, but we don’t want to do that to someone in stressful moving situation. It didn’t even cross our minds to push it on them. We just thought it’s stuff we can sort when we’re there

@Brum1992

You are doing the right thing. They are most likely working out what to buy or sell before moving in.

Measuring up massively helped us before we moved into our new property.

We discovered that none of our wardrobes would fit. We then asked our buyers if they were interested in them. They offered us £200 but we left them for free. You are passing good will forward

Incidentally, when we moved with 2 young DC, the £500 packing service we used was the best money spent. No stress at all. They achieved more in 2 hours than I did in 4 weeks

Wonnle · 20/01/2023 15:13

Brum1992 · 20/01/2023 13:34

It’s not the time they’re here, it’s more trying to get it looking reasonable for them.

Who cares what the place looks like ?
They have virtually bought it , a bit of mess isn't going to send them running to the hills is it