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Nightmare house sale! Advice needed

10 replies

Sophiesuze · 12/06/2018 17:57

We sold out house about 8 months ago to the most horrible people! From the very start they were difficult, making demands and supplied a snag list! We agreed to do some of the things out of good will. This included repairing a slight fault in a door! There were emails back and forth via the estate agent at the time. We had it ‘fixed’ the best we could and thought that was the end of things.
Following their move they decided it wasn’t fixed to their liking and have now decided to take us to small claims court!
We did all the work they asked and even gave them £1000 after the sale as they were going to pull out on the day of exchange over a maintenance fee they claimed they hadn’t been told about! We had paid so much towards surveys etc and had a place for our daughter at a school and at this point we’re desperate. They very much used this to their advantage and in hindsight I regret giving them the money (which we couldn’t really afford)
Please can someone advise whether they have a case? They literally pulled out of the sale every other week and it was hell! They just won’t leave us alone! They want the money for a new door.
If anyone can advise id be really grateful Smile

OP posts:
sprinklesandsauce · 12/06/2018 19:26

People generally buy a house as seen so if you have made the repairs that you agreed to do for the sale, then I don't see that they have a leg to stand on but...... I am not a solicitor.... but have seen this first hand a couple of times.

Can you get free legal advice on your house insurance? or depending who you work for, some companies offer this to employees?

If they do take it to the small claims court, then you can defend yourself to save costs, but you would need to have evidence that you did everything that you agreed to do for the sale to proceed.

A lot of people threaten the SCC though just to scare people into paying, when they have no intention of actually doing it.

Bl7589 · 12/06/2018 19:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hendricksy · 12/06/2018 19:36

A new door is probably cheaper than the Legal fees .

ReservoirDogs · 12/06/2018 19:42

Non-practising solicitor here - tell them to get lost!!

Racecardriver · 12/06/2018 19:45

No chance. They are trying it on.

prh47bridge · 12/06/2018 20:59

A new door is probably cheaper than the Legal fees

What legal fees? The OP can defend herself in the small claims court. No lawyer required. She won't have to pay any court fees. So, since the OP's legal fees should be zero, a new door will be a lot more expensive.

Sophiesuze · 13/06/2018 23:01

Thanks for all the replies.
They seem to going through their solicitor (the one they used for the house sale). I don’t know if this is an indication that they don’t really know what they are doing (as in small claims you would usually represent yourself) or whether they think they have a case.
I know someone who is a conveyancing lawyer and she asked whether it was in the contents of the sale. I’m not 100% but if it was surely it’s their responsibility to check prior to moving in that it’s up to their ‘standard’. I don’t want to keep asking her questions incase she charges me Confused.
If they do use a solicitor and they win would we have to pay their legal fees? Even in a small claims court? Sorry for all the questions Smile

OP posts:
prh47bridge · 14/06/2018 00:09

No, you would not have to pay their legal fees. They could claim their court fees but not their legal fees. If they used a solicitor they would probably end up out of pocket even if they won.

Hissy · 19/06/2018 14:19

If you have correspondence that backs up all of your OP, just ignore them as if it went to court, they would get the measure of these 2 bullies

Don't engage.

wowfudge · 20/06/2018 21:21

But if these people follow through on their threats and the OP doesn't attend the small claims court, they'll automatically win, won't they?

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