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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Can I change completion date

40 replies

Sellinghouses101 · 26/04/2024 22:59

Aibu

Sold my house STC

Used to be my home, had to relocate due to health reasons .

We didn't agree to a completion date.

Found out they want to complete on the same day the tenants move out.

I emailed solicitors saying I want to move date to a month later

Shit hit fan - buyer goes crazy

EA says she will walk if irs not tht day.

Back story , me n dh work full time , daughter is slap bang middle of gcses plus we are now 7 hours away too .

We wanted to go on the weekend the tenants move to empty

Loft etc .

EA now phoning me tomo and feels like he will ply on the pressure.

Aibu or should I be allowed to change date?

OP posts:
Mnk711 · 26/04/2024 23:04

YABU. A month is a big delay. Why can't you just move it a couple of days if you feel you can't do that same day?

SalviaDivinorum · 26/04/2024 23:04

The buyer may have equally strong reasons for wanting to complete that day.

They may be bluffing - or they may not.

Original poster
Sellinghouses101 · 26/04/2024 23:09

Mnk711 · 26/04/2024 23:04

YABU. A month is a big delay. Why can't you just move it a couple of days if you feel you can't do that same day?

I have now asked the EA for a week but they want to phone me tomorrow .

Should a date have been agreed beforehand.

OP posts:
Hall84 · 26/04/2024 23:16

Have you exchanged? If so, then no. If not, fair game but a month might be too long.
They wouldn't find another house that would complete in time depending on the dates so you can be equally firm.

Scampuss · 26/04/2024 23:17

Do you mean exchange or complete?

Your buyers would be very naive to exchange, let alone complete, with tenants in situ.

Are you prepared for if your tenants don't leave?

And, do you really need a month to empty stuff?

TeaKitten · 26/04/2024 23:19

A month to empty stuff is unreasonable, im not surprised they want to speak to you

Mnk711 · 27/04/2024 07:34

Should you have agreed a completion date when? Before exchange? Yes definitely. That can be one of the things that can make people pull out. Good luck sorting it.

whistleblower99 · 27/04/2024 07:36

A month delay is huge. Personally that would have caused us to pull out of our sale for specific reasons.

Catinmyshedoh · 27/04/2024 07:37

If you haven't exchanged you can do what you like but equally they can choose to pull out.

A month between exchange and completion is quite long, most people these days seem to expect a few days to a week. We had 3 weeks but that was on the long side.

WonderingWanda · 27/04/2024 07:39

You usually agree a completion date at exchange and you should have been very clear about the date your tenants were leaving. A month after that is really unreasonable but maybe having a week would be ok.

MultiplaLight · 27/04/2024 07:39

If you've not exchanged then legally you can, but the buyers can pull out too.

A month is a huge delay and you should have shared a prospective date frkm the start, not drop a month delay just before exchange.

Duckinglunacy · 27/04/2024 07:40

Why don’t you find out the issue. It could be the mortgage offer running out. I think a few days is reasonable but anything more is less so. A month is ridiculous and I’d be fuming.

is the place furnished, as in do you have things to move out? If it’s unfurnished and you’re just going to check it’s clean and tidy for the buyers then you may be justified in negotiating that date but refusing to accept liability for the cleanliness and condition of the property.

But the buyer is insane if they want to move in the day the tenants move out as they may not be motivated to be cleared the moment the property ownership hands over (usually sometime in the middle of the day). That’s a fairly big risk and one I wouldn’t take on actually.

ElinoristhenewEnid · 27/04/2024 09:02

As a buyer I would not exchange contracts until the tenants move out because you could end up committed to buying a house you can't move into if the tenants fail to vacate.

Original poster
Sellinghouses101 · 27/04/2024 09:06

Sorry , yes I mean exchange,
It's a furnished property so I need to empty it. And realistically can't do this in one day. I assumed completion and exchange was the same thing but I'll clear it up today I suppose!

OP posts:
Haggisfish3 · 27/04/2024 09:09

Exchange is when contracts are exchanged and no one can pull out after that. Completion is when the property is no longer yours and the buyer can move in. Usually a few days or weeks between exchange (happens first) and completion. Be very clear about when each bit is expected when you are on phone today.

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 27/04/2024 09:12

Duckinglunacy · 27/04/2024 07:40

Why don’t you find out the issue. It could be the mortgage offer running out. I think a few days is reasonable but anything more is less so. A month is ridiculous and I’d be fuming.

is the place furnished, as in do you have things to move out? If it’s unfurnished and you’re just going to check it’s clean and tidy for the buyers then you may be justified in negotiating that date but refusing to accept liability for the cleanliness and condition of the property.

But the buyer is insane if they want to move in the day the tenants move out as they may not be motivated to be cleared the moment the property ownership hands over (usually sometime in the middle of the day). That’s a fairly big risk and one I wouldn’t take on actually.

This. But completion is either same day (very stressful) as exchange and quite rare or it's within a few days to a week.

You've been a bit naive assuming completion and exchange is the same thing.

This is what a solicitors is there to ask advice on, they should explain this to you. Or worse case scenario, estate agents can explain this (but they're usually as thick as pig shit so don't realise you need to have the report on title as a buyer and have read and agreed with it) before you exchange and then complete.

I'm not surprised all parties are angry with you, this is one of the worst things you could do as a seller. And not 'clear it up today I suppose' - make bloody sure it is cleared up today, get someone else to help you, even an external cleaner/house tidier if need be. And then, update your tenants as to what's happening e.g. what date they're moving out, this should be fixed.

Have you sorted out where the furniture will go, storage units, garage, elsewhere? You could tell a small white lie (not usually advised) about storage issues for the furniture falling through, but at the end of the day all parties won't be that sympathetic as your issue to deal with.

Duckinglunacy · 27/04/2024 09:12

Clarify what they mean but exchange the day they move out and complete a few days after could work. You personally are not moving house so if you’re well organised on storage or whatever it’s not a big deal

LittleBearPad · 27/04/2024 09:17

Don’t agree to exchange and complete on the same day. However it’s pretty easy to get movers to empty a house in a day or so. A month is completely unreasonable

Do you want the furniture or will it be sold/donated/chucked.

If it’s being binned it’s even easier.

Youcannotbeseriousreally · 27/04/2024 09:21

I’d move the completion date by a couple of days and hire removers to empty to a storage unit ( these you can usually get half price for 8 weeks or so) then you can sort at your leisure. I’d be furious if my seller wanted to push back a Month! Totally unreasonable

sweetpickle2 · 27/04/2024 09:21

If they want to exchange the day the tenants move out that seems reasonable.

Completion would normally happen anything from a few days to a week or so after that. A month is unreasonable, I’m not surprised they’re miffed.

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 27/04/2024 09:22

LittleBearPad · 27/04/2024 09:17

Don’t agree to exchange and complete on the same day. However it’s pretty easy to get movers to empty a house in a day or so. A month is completely unreasonable

Do you want the furniture or will it be sold/donated/chucked.

If it’s being binned it’s even easier.

It's quite funny, I was over at DB and SIL's the other day as they're selling their flat and were filling in an online Fixtures & Fittings Form together and deciding what should be left and what shouldn't be left.

Lots of items including white goods, if no longer needed, you can't just chuck them, you have to take them to the dump to be disposed of properly, if they no longer work. DB was laughing about the tiny fridge e.g. the freezer storage space for it, as though it's perfectly workable and they'll probably leave it if the buyer wants it, they'll be getting a tall fridge freezer or an American style one for their new home.

TimeFlysWhenYoureHavingRum · 27/04/2024 09:22

Do the tenants know the house had been sold?
If so have they agreed to vacate?
If so do you know for sure that they will?
I'm surprised both sets of solicitors were happy to arrange an exchange date with the potential for tenants still to be in situ. Seems very risky.

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 27/04/2024 09:26

Youcannotbeseriousreally · 27/04/2024 09:21

I’d move the completion date by a couple of days and hire removers to empty to a storage unit ( these you can usually get half price for 8 weeks or so) then you can sort at your leisure. I’d be furious if my seller wanted to push back a Month! Totally unreasonable

People here are talking about moving the completion date as though it's really easy, which it is in theory, provided all parties are happy with this. Not clear here too whether exchange (of contracts) has happened yet, but doesn't seem like it.

EA is furious as it means their commission cheque will be later than expected. I normally wouldn't pay any notice to EA's, be polite but that's it. Let them be angry.

A completion date should've been fixed at the start, what sort of solicitor doesn't name or ask for a completion date, from both sides, not just date.

Health issues and being 7 hours away could also be a factor in moving completion date, didn't see the 7 hours away in OP.

Youcannotbeseriousreally · 27/04/2024 09:29

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 27/04/2024 09:26

People here are talking about moving the completion date as though it's really easy, which it is in theory, provided all parties are happy with this. Not clear here too whether exchange (of contracts) has happened yet, but doesn't seem like it.

EA is furious as it means their commission cheque will be later than expected. I normally wouldn't pay any notice to EA's, be polite but that's it. Let them be angry.

A completion date should've been fixed at the start, what sort of solicitor doesn't name or ask for a completion date, from both sides, not just date.

Health issues and being 7 hours away could also be a factor in moving completion date, didn't see the 7 hours away in OP.

Show quote history

Completely agree it’s not easy but the OP sounds like she’s screwed up but not being in control of this and also the tenants not leaving until that date . What they SHOULD have done is have them move out a few days before the completion date but it sounds too late for that so it can shift by a couple of days ( if they haven’t yet exchanged ) then that seems like the best of the bad plans.

BuddingPeonies · 27/04/2024 09:29

You need to clarify the difference between exchange and completion.
Exchange the day after the tenants move out isn't unreasonable - however completion can be after that. Probably not a month after that tho.
The date of completion isn't fixed until exchange. And until exchange, anyone can pull out at any point.