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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To say no to my house buyers wanting to redecorate before completion?

292 replies

Tarantella43 · 09/09/2025 00:09

I know my house buyers slightly as they were parents at the school my kids attended until recently. They found my phone number from a former school year group parents WhatsApp group and set up a group chat with me once they made their offer (though estate agent — it’s not a private sale). Anyway, my house is now empty and it turns out they somehow presumed they would be able to have early access before completion to have floors sanded and walls painted, My solicitor strongly advised against this as it brings various risks, not least that I’d ultimately be liable for any accidents or damage. I said, on an awkward phone call they asked for with me, sorry, no, I’m not comfortable with this. They said it will be hard for them to do the work with kids and furniture. Seems like they’d assumed my goodwill in this. AIBU?

OP posts:
MeridianB · 09/09/2025 07:50

No way. You've told them no and if they persist tell them you have been advised against it by your solicitor. Then mute the chat.

I'd be a bit weirded out by them contacting me having found my number via a school whatsapp group - it shows they have dodgy boundaries.

Toooldtopretend · 09/09/2025 07:53

Some people are just nuts. Anything could happen - the chain could fail, you could pull out etc and they could have done all that work for nothing (aside from all your insurance issues). I bought a new build house from a local family building firm and they let me fit the carpets the day before completion (no chain) - as the buyer I was still a nervous wreck in case something went wrong (thankfully it didn’t!)

GAJLY · 09/09/2025 07:59

I'd say no because of the insurance side and the fact they don't own it yet. If they accidently set it on fire or damage a pipe, they can't be insured as they don't own it. I doubt yours would cover "squatters" you allowed in with keys. They need to wait until the sale is complete.

OreoCookay · 09/09/2025 08:01

The other issue is that if there's work being don on what is essentially still "your" house, you are liable for the invoices being paid on that work.

Notsuchafattynow · 09/09/2025 08:05

We did it once, I worked at the same place as the seller. I think he offered it up (it wouldn't have occurred to me to ask).

It was great. We were just allowed to clean and paint. No furniture.

But I live in a small town and was a small company where everyone was very relaxed and friendly.

Lazygardener · 09/09/2025 08:07

We once (foolishly) agreed to something similar, but not so invasive. It created an immediate sense of entitlement, to the point that they walked through the front door while our removal was taking place, and parked themselves there, under the feet of the removal men. Don’t allow it!!!!

KpopDemon · 09/09/2025 08:07

They should never have asked. And they should not have contacted you privately! The request should have gone via solicitor.

Tell them your solicitor advises not to allow it and if something went wrong the house insurance won’t cover damage that might be done. In the worst-case scenario suppose they left an appliance on and the house burned down, I was always told you may not be able to claim on your insurance as you let someone else in to your property while you’re not there. It’s not like you’re engaging the workmen yourself

The other risk is that they take the inch and go a mile - you’ll find they have started moving in. They might not mean to, but they’ll bring a kettle, and cleaning stuff and so on. It will get confusing and if the house sale is delayed or heaven forbid falls over then it’s a mess for both parties.

This is a very common ask - I had someone ask if they could move their stuff into my empty house before completion day! Hard no.

A regretful no, it would be nice to be able to agree but legal advice is no.

PumpkinSeasonOctober · 09/09/2025 08:09

I think it’s cheeky they hunted your number down in the first place, I would be telling them to contact via estate agent.

Butchyrestingface · 09/09/2025 08:11

Hell, no.

My solicitor said no. The end.

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 09/09/2025 08:15

One of my daughters recently bought a house from her SISTER and didn't try to pull this! The most they did was move a few boxes in before completion date just to get the moving process started - and that was with her sister in the house still. Neither one contemplated starting any work on the house before completion just in case. So much can go wrong with house purchases and even though this was one sister buying a house from another, and the selling sister allowed her purchasing sister to come round and measure up and do whatever planning she wanted, not one finger was laid on the fabric of the house until the money hit the right account.

Anything else is just daft.

Hankunamatata · 09/09/2025 08:16

Just tell them solicitor said no

LinedOverLatte · 09/09/2025 08:16

Waterweight · 09/09/2025 01:35

If they're doing flamible things in there then absolutely but for sanding floors & painting walls in a already empty house that's just waiting for completion. Id get it in writing (or text) that any accidents or damage is on them & leave them to it. Unless there's some backstory like the carpets /walls are fucked & has been hidden by furniture, the electrics cut in & out so not worth risking anything being plugged in. I wouldn't PERSONALLY care.

Show quote history

And when their buyer pulls out and the chain collapses, what then? OP has to market a house which is now half renovated and decorated!!
Not to mention ALL the other issues PP have said.

IsadoraQuagmire · 09/09/2025 08:16

Absolutely not. It's not their house.

PollyBell · 09/09/2025 08:17

If something happened it wouldn't be insured would it?

Swiftie1878 · 09/09/2025 08:17

Not only are you NBU, you would be INSANE to say yes!

godmum56 · 09/09/2025 08:17

Dippythedino · 09/09/2025 01:19

Get your solicitor to send a letter stating as they do not legally own the property, they can't have early access to it. This carries all sorts of risk; they could squat, refuse to hand over the keys, change the locks & pull out of the sale. All sorts could go wrong.

If they ask again, turn it around and ask if they would do the same for their house buyers. I suspect the answer will be no and they're a pair of cheeky fuckers chancing their luck.

no don't ask this...they could just say oh yes of course we would.

Isitsticky · 09/09/2025 08:19

Leave the chat and block them. All dealings through agents or sols

Isitsticky · 09/09/2025 08:19

Leave the chat and block them. All dealings through agents or sols

Chiefangel · 09/09/2025 08:20

Just say sorry but the solicitor has said no.
How do they think other people manage with kids and furniture?
It would be a disaster waiting to happen.
I would block them on the WhatsApp too. This is the reason why we use solicitors for legal matters.

Pipsquiggle · 09/09/2025 08:20

Hard no.

EasternStandard · 09/09/2025 08:22

Bizarre. It’s a no

smallsilvercloud · 09/09/2025 08:23

So many things could go wrong, damage, fire, sale falling through, incomplete jobs would be up to you to finish.

BellissimoGecko · 09/09/2025 08:25

It’s still your house until they complete! Hard no, and they are CFs for asking.

teaandyarn · 09/09/2025 08:29

We were allowed to do this by our buyer, the house was empty and bought by a building company in a part exchange. I’m not sure if there was a delay between exchange and completion to allow us to do this, maybe two weeks or so.

theleafandnotthetree · 09/09/2025 08:30

I knew the people who I bought my house from and they let me in to get exactly this done. I wouldn't have held it against them if they'd said no obviously, and I very much appreciated it, offered to pay them 'rent' for access, etc, gave them a nice gift to say thanks, etc. They said themselves that their solicitor said it was a bad idea but they decided to trust their instincts and the knowledge of me in our small rural community as being a good 'un. Not saying you should allow it at all, just saying it does happen!