To think our buyer is really out of order.

[PrincelySu]

We are selling our property, it's a detached cottage in a rural location, and was valued at £750k. We need a fairly quick sale due to our circumstances, we got an offer of £725k, we countered with £735k, and the buyer agreed. The cottage has lovely original features and is very quirky.

On the initial viewing, before they'd even made an offer, we pointed out a couple of things that may need to be looked at, one of those being the roof. Due to this, the buyer got a surveyor round, who agreed that the roof should be looked at. That is the only thing that has been flagged on the survey. The buyer organised a roofer to come and have a look, and the roofer said it's a quirky cottage and roof, but there is nothing wrong with the integrity. There are no leaks, damage, the felt is fine. There are a few tiles missing and it doesn't look great, but this is only cosmetic. The roofer said it is optional to replace the roof, and you'd probably want to at some point, but it's fine.

In between all of this, the buyer also came back to view the house twice more, to measure up for their furniture, plan where to paint and how to redesign the house, both of these visits totalling 4 hours. Which we were happy to do and accommodated.

The buyer has now decided they want the roof replacing and wants £10k off the house price! We said no, the roof doesn't need replacing, the roofer said it was optional and we've already given you a £15k discount from the listed price. The buyer has come back saying that they 'only wanted to pay £725k in the first place and they are fed up to be honest.'

AIBU to think they are being really out of order?! I feel like saying they can't have the house out of principle.

Good that you’ve reached an agreement, I can understand your concern that it might not hold but at least you have a definite plan for how to respond if so.

This is just how it works I think, the value of the house is what you can find someone willing to pay within the necessary time frame for you. If it isn’t worth for you to sell at 725 then no one will get it for that.

Just seen your latest update. That’s what we did too - readily agreed to a reduction based on the price quoted for repair.

They agreed but it didn’t meet with the amount they’d told our agent they ‘wanted to pay’?!?! So there was some risk they’d try and drop another £7k at the 11th hour.

This was annoying because we’d accepted an offer that allowed them to avoid stamp duty as 1st time buyers and were happy to do so as they were a young local couple in an area where a lot of people struggle to buy where they grew up.

Interestingly the more I visited to sort final preparations to give vacant possession, the more I fell in love with the cottage again. It had been rented for a couple of years due to us being away for work. It wouldn’t really have been ideal to move back - but it was now possible - weirdly this helped as I’m not great at keeping a poker face. I don’t know what the agent told them but I think she felt there was enough risk if they further messed us about that the buyers didn’t try anything in the end and completion actually happened ahead of time, on the same day instead of the day after exchange as planned.

Not saying you try this OP. I’d remarket now if you’ve had other interest. It’s horrible not knowing if they’ll try something later on.

Ours were incredibly motivated buyers and one of the outbuildings was perfect for a business they wanted to start - and it’s gone really well. BUT despite all this, they didn’t want to pay the price we agreed, even after it was adjusted for the repair.

I agree that it’s more of a trend now. Definitely wasn’t such a thing in the past when there was more morality about it. An accepted offer was only renegotiated for specific things identified in survey - not because the buyer wanted to pay less all along!! Wouldn’t we all??

I don't think it's surprising at all. This is how negotiations work. Nothing to suggest they are likely to try further reductions nearer exchange. All very normal part of buying and selling.

I don't think it's surprising at all. This is how negotiations work. Nothing to suggest they are likely to try further reductions nearer exchange. All very normal part of buying and selling.

Normal to renegotiate over repairs after survey.

Saying they ‘only wanted to pay x amount’ after their offer has been accepted is a red flag I think

I see you've gone back already. Personally, I have been there and from brutal personal experience I would expect him to continue dicking you around some more.

Hope it’s all straightforward for you from now on op. Good luck.

If it's that much of an issue ask to see the roofer's report.

You might think they're being difficult but having recently bought a house and realising that my vendors screwed me over a bit at the survey I can understand why they're doing it. If you want to be agreeable meet in the middle at 5k off.

I have bought a few houses in my time and always started with a 10% reduction in price and negotiated from that starting point. I have also expected the same on the other side so therefore worked with estate agents to decide a suitable start point. Our current house we ended up with a 5% discount, and I didn't go harder because of the fixtures and fittings included in the sale. Otherwise I would have def been looking for another 2.5%.

Depends where op is and how competitive the price was to begin with. We cannot get something, where we offered 40k over asking as we’ve been outbid.

That's great news. Just hold your breath now. Hope it'll be plain sailing here on in!

You are taking it personally but its quite normal. I've always offered 5% less than asking price and haggled once the survey is back.

Same with selling houses.
To be honest, 25k off a 750k house is about right.

You haggle after the survey even if there is nothing on it?

@Flopsythebunny the moment for haggling is not after the survey.

Houses are priced for their current state - old bathrooms, old boilers, ancient decor - so anything that can be seen is already priced in.

Surveys are for the stuff you can’t easily see or haven’t the expertise - breaches of fire regulations, dodgy structure, rotten rafters etc. If those are found, then I’d be as likely to walk away as to negotiate.

No, the roof does Not need replacing. If they want it replaced they can do it at their own expense after the purchase.

Of course it is! If you placed an offer on a house and then the survey brought up a load of issues not previously declared as if you’re going ahead! You cannot “see” everything which is precisely why you have the survey. To establish the true condition of the property.

I don't think I've ever had a full survey that hasn't brought something up.
You're damn right that I'm going to pay as little as I possibly can.

Say bye bye and pop it back on the market.

Just hope the buyers aren’t on here reading this post, they may want more off in recompense 😁

I can see it from both sides to be honest. It’s difficult to value a cottage as it’s a unique property. Was £750k the top valuation or the middle. It might be that the buyer feels you’re asking too much, and given interest rates is questioning the additional £10k they agreed to pay. It might not be about the roof. If it is about the roof, it pisses me off when buyers try to knock you down because they want to undergo home improvements that aren’t a necessity. Like ripping out a perfectly good kitchen because they don’t like it. Or wanting to replace a bathroom that again isn’t dated and works perfectly well. You can’t expect the person selling to reduce it because they can’t afford the repairs or renovations they plan on doing.
I’d stand firm if there’s nothing wrong with the roof as £10,000 is a lot to replace a few tiles. But equally £10,000 wouldn’t pay for a whole new roof either.
If you loose this sale you also have to decide whether it will have a detrimental impact on you, depending on how far into a purchase you are yourselves and the fact you’ll have to go through all this again and could still end up with less than asking. Go with your gut.
We had a v young couple mess us around, they came for a second viewing, measuring up, then didn’t have all the paperwork in order and said they were chain free when in fact they weren’t as one of them was relying on a property to sell. She was dragging her feet with her own sale and we felt she was a serial time waster so we were relieved when they withdrew their offer!
we got another sale of asking price a week later so it turned out to be the right choice.

Tell them to do one op.

I don’t get it. Have you agreed to the fix any you paying for it or knocking the price down?

For 735k most people would want a solid roof that didn’t need repairs.

I'd either hold firm or at most offer £1k for the cosmetic work to the roof and leave it at that.

Entirely depends on the house.

Totally missed this! Hope it goes smoothly from here on.