Bought house but they’re still in it now!

[ItsOnlyRainFFS]

So we exchanged contracts last week and completed by 10am today. We vacated our house by 12.30pm as our buyers keen to get in and contract said 2pm. The house we bought was supposed to be ready 2pm but it’s still
not ready! Now the seller (house we now own!) is saying they’re going to struggle to empty it by 8pm! And that sounds optimistic. They just don’t sound like they packed up properly. Anything we can do? Solicitor and estate agents shut.
We have put most of our stuff in storage - which is shut. We have though thankfully hired medium van which has our essential stuff in it. But we just want to unpack it now. We have 2 kids and have been at a bowling alley and kfc trying to kill time since school.
Would we be unreasonable to demand we move in 8pm?

While you have every right to move in, I'm not sure how you force them to get out. I can't imagine the police will get involved because this is a civil matter.

I think one of you needs to go round there and say that if they're not out by, say 8pm, that you will have to book a hotel and you will pursue them for costs. Then take pictures showing they're not out and maybe a video if you can do so without causing drama.

Hopefully this will work, otherwise it's a hotel until they're out and contact your solicitor on Monday.

Essentially they have failed to complete.

In reality, you need to be "reasonable", as threatening police or anything daft will just prolong things.

I would TELL them that at 7pm, you will be accessing the house and moving your stuff in, and that they need to either put everything onto the driveway to the side, or leave any remaining stuff in one room at the front of the house, then return at 10am to collect it tomorrow. Make it clear that they do NOT have access after 7pm.

If they cannot make this deadline, then you should inform them that they will need to pay for hotel rooms over night for you, along with any additional costs e.g. meals out. If you ate out at KFC, then pass the bill on to their solicitor as they failed to complete on time.

Get in there and 'help' them remove their things. You don't need to be too careful either but everything needs to be out by 8pm. They don't get to stay another night. You book yourselves into a local hotel and seek costs back from them via solicitors but make sure they are out and you have keys before you go.

Definitely go there now. You can help by throwing all of their stuff out onto the drive.

You are moving into your own house. Of course you are not unreasonable.

This happened to a relative. He went into his new house and moved all of the previous owners stuff into the garden, then moved in.

For me, it would depend on how the previous owners are with you. I remember starting to empty our loft, the night before we moved out. Goodness, we had seriously underestimated how much stuff we had and how long it was going to take! A genuine mistake.
(saying that we stayed up until 4.30am to get it done, before starting again at 7.00am and were still out in good time).

Did you speak to your solicitor before they closed? Take advice? You may be due compensation and certainly your extra costs charged to the previous owner - extra van hire, storage, hotel bills if you need to stay somewhere else until tomorrow).

There’s no way I would be waiting for them. Park as close as you can and start unloading your things.
Don’t let them store anything there either - tell them you’ll dump anything that is left out on the street.

It’s your house. Don’t be so soft.

You have to take possession, OP. Otherwise your home insurance is not valid. They can still be there as your guests whilst they pack and stuff (only if you want them there, you can kick them out). But you must take possession.

If they need more time, they can get you and the kids a hotel room and pay for it for the night.

But it’s absolutely not acceptable to not vacate the house, any damage they do now when moving is on your insurance. They must’ve agreed this date and time with plenty of notice so there’s no excuse not to be ready!

Yeah go and start unloading OP. It's your house!

Second the suggestion to take photos as proof they've breached the contract. You can switch time stamp settings on, on your phone camera.

Awful behaviour from them, I'd be seething. Moving is hard enough without this fuck wittery.

Happened to my aunt and uncle. My aunt called as many pals / relatives as possible and they all just started moving the seller’s stuff out and chucking it in their van, whether their wanted them to or not.

Please don't go to a hotel tonight. If need be, one of you go with the kids to a hotel but one of you needs to stay at the property as if you leave they have squatters rights. Also, change the locks asap

I think you need to threaten legal action. They need to be out in an hour. Any damage they cause to your house while moving won't be covered so this is very risky. Get them out asap.

You can give them 30 mins to take what they need tonight and then get them to leave. They will need to come back tomorrow to finish off. This will give you time to sort yourselves out for tonight. If they object, call the police non emergency line.

Their property does not entitle them to access.

Keep us updated! This is outrageous

Get in there and 'help' them remove their things. You don't need to be too careful either but everything needs to be out by 8pm.

The OP would need to be careful as an involuntary bailee.

Keep all the receipts for extra storage etc, get your solicitor onto charging them on Monday, they are inbreach of contract

Are they just really entitled or dim or are there real challenges for them - infirm or impaired? Either way it’s totally unacceptable. How are they not embarrassed and calling for more help to get out faster?

Agree with PP to take photos anyway. They clearly spent the hours you were gone just pootling along. If you’re present you can keep up the pressure and get your children’s bed set up.

Explain to them that unless they have vacated the property by X time, you will book yourselves into (the most expensive) local hotel and send the invoice including a meal for you all, to their solicitors tomorrow.

Hopefully that will get them moving.

A skip should chivvy them along.

I was wondering about insurance as well, not just in your new house, but your stuff in the vans and storage.

Effectively, they’re squatting now.

We had this happen to us - years ago now - we just went in and started putting their stuff in the garden, by then it was late and our removers went home! We slept on the floor that first night.

Agreed, threaten the expensive hotel and meal. But then what are the chances of the solicitor actually recovering this cost? Any lawyers on here?

This happened to me! The woman was batshit crazy.
We did move in around her. Got her to clear one room at a time and we went in there behind her. Start with kids bedrooms. She left a load of stuff on the front garden and came back for it next day. Then tried to come back for some light fittings etc weeks later and I sent her packing.
Sympathies! We spent a lot of time and money to be organised and she made it all really stressful. I like the suggestion of anything not shifted by x time gets put in one place and they can collect it tomorrow.

I would be very wary. If they cause damage now it is down to you and you may have real problems claiming on the insurance. I would be in the house whilst they continue to pack and they must be out today.