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Legal matters

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you have any legal concerns we suggest you consult a solicitor.

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Original poster

Advice needed for house sale

60 replies

Movinbaby · 06/01/2021 20:57

Hi
We sold our house some months back and are still waiting to complete.

Our buyer had a survey and we have never been made aware of any issues. She is starting to request some things and I am not sure if they are right??

She wanted someone to come to measure up for carpets, despite us not having a completion date and during Covid. She then wanted and electrician to come to conduct a 4 hour check. I did agree but then we got put into Tier 4 lockdown and I was really worried about someone coming into our home when we are all working from Home at the moment. She also wanted me to pay for this.

Now she is saying that I told her we had a guarantee for our flat roof which is 5 years old. I was very honest with her and told her that I couldn't get a guarantee so I have never mislead anyone. She wants me to call around for quotes to have the roof replaced. She also keeps telling our estate agents that she may renegotiate the price she offered despite the fact that property prices have increased by 14% since we accepted her offer.

I don't know what to do or whether I am legally abliged to do as she wants. I am started to feel like she is trying it on so she can offer less.

Any advice is appreciated xx

OP posts:

cabbageking · 06/01/2021 21:18

Only questions asked and answered via you solicitor have any standing.
Does the survey refers to any issues?
Ask for a copy so you know what repairs/estimates are needed. If there are none identified then it is a waste of everyones time to look at the roof.
Give her the measurements yourself. They should not be far off the estate agents info anyway.
You renegotiate based on the survey results. Tell the agent you need to complete by X date or are considering pulling out. The agent is usually paid on results and won't want to see it slip away. They should find out where the delay is.

underneaththeash · 06/01/2021 22:08

Have you exchanged OP?

Original poster

Movinbaby · 06/01/2021 22:27

Hi everyone

What great advice. Thank you.

I asked if there was anything we should be aware of on the survey and the estate agent wouldn't really answer me and just kept skirting around the issue. I am not aware of any problems at all.

My estate agent called today wanting to know why I had cancelled the electrician. I told them that I did not feel it was safe for my family during a national lockdown and my Mum is ill and could not risk it. I advised that it is not needed urgently. I advised the same about the carpet fitters coming. My estate agent warned me that we could lose our buyer which she has said a few times. She seems to be working more for her than us. I was very frustrated and emotional so told the estate agent that my decision was final. There are no problems with the roof etc that I know about and that she either wants to buy the house or she doesn't. I said I do understand that she is nervous and is spending a lot of money but why try to fix issues that are not there. In every house sale we must accept an element of risk. I asked my estate agent to get an answer from our buyer and confirm tomorrow. The estate agent was not happy and kept telling me that it would be a real hassle trying to get another buyer. I that point I was so tired of hearing it that I told her I would not sell the house again so no hassle to me.

We have not exchanged . Its been 3 months since we got our offer accepted on a house and there is a chain on our side. The estate agent has always pushed us to comply to all her wishes, threatening us with the "she will pull our" or "she is going to renegotiate if you don't "

OP posts:

notapizzaeater · 07/01/2021 00:07

I'd let her renegotiate- upwards !

Lineofconcepcion · 07/01/2021 00:55

You've done the right thing. I do wonder what planet some people are on.

Lineofconcepcion · 07/01/2021 00:58

I know someone else in this position and I do wonder whether the buyers are taking it close toward March so they can ask for a reduction at the last minute knowing that if it goes beyond March it could cost you a lot more in stamp duty.

Original poster

Movinbaby · 07/01/2021 08:02

She now wants me to get 3 quotes for a new roof but its not leaking and I know of no problems on the survey. I could just get general quotes of the Internet. Any advice on that? Should I tell them no unless she can show me the survey and where is states there are issues. She had the same survey as us, the homebuyers, and they don't go up and check the roof, they do it from ground level so it is always listed as an advisory note. She has viewed our house many times and can clearly see there are no leaks. I get she is cautious so she could get a roofer to check our roof, no problem there?

OP posts:

avidteadrinker · 07/01/2021 08:05

Unless she can prove via the survey that there are concerns, tell her where to go! Or any checks should be at her cost, why should you pay?!

Theunamedcat · 07/01/2021 08:08

You dont pay for her surveys

Tell the estate agent you want it back on the market

Didiusfalco · 07/01/2021 08:12

Is your solicitor any good? At this point I would be asking mine to intervene. The estate agents just want the commission and don’t have your best interest at heart it would seem. Of course the buyer may walk, but I would be only allowing reasonable checks which would possibly include a damp report and an electrical survey as this would not be picked up by homebuyers. I would not be paying for a single report or repair though, without evidence of a problem eg. Unable to secure a mortgage because of a particular issue.

Mrswalliams1 · 07/01/2021 08:19

I would pull out. She's trying her luck and messing you around. If you want to remarket I'd choose a different estate agent

AwkwardPaws27 · 07/01/2021 08:24

If she wants surveys done, she pays for them.
Time to be firm; you aren't paying for a non essential electrician or getting roofing quotes. She either agrees a completion date within the next x period (ask your solicitor when they'll be ready) or you're going back kn the market.

Bluntness100 · 07/01/2021 08:24

I had a buyer who did this. I eventually jist said no, put it back on the market. She pulled her neck in.

Her requests are unreasonable in asking you to get quotes etc, however you should have a safety check done for your electrics, that’s normal and any buyer would ask for it.

EdwardCullensBiteOnTheSide · 07/01/2021 08:29

Definitely just put it back on the market, it shouldn't be this complicated. She is trying her luck and she sounds a bit batty!

VanCleefArpels · 07/01/2021 08:30

It’s not unreasonable nor uncommon for buyers to want to do more checks before exchange. You don’t know if there are any problems with the roof but that doesn’t mean that there are not in fact any issues. A roof inspection would presumably be mostly conducted outside and you can make yourself scarce from any rooms inside while the surveyor is doing their job, ask him/her to wear a mask and dettol spray everywhere when they leave. Refusing this is likely to lose you the buyer - are you prepared to lose out on your purchase?

Measuring for carpets is a different matter. If you have a good floor plan your buyer will be able to get a rough guide as to costs by using square metre figures

Collaborate · 07/01/2021 09:19

Put it back on the market at more than you originally asked for it. Don't take it off the market until contracts have been exchanged.

LemonBreeland · 07/01/2021 09:26

Your estate agent wants an easy sale and wants their money. I agree with others, say no to the ridiculous requests and put it back on the market at a higher price, unless she exchanges.

minniemoll · 07/01/2021 09:31

I'd tell her where to go, then put it back on the market with a different agent, at an increased price.

torquewench · 07/01/2021 09:34

You havent exchanged? Then you haven't sold your house. Buyer is taking the piss, and your estate agents will be fully aware of this fact. Id get it back on the market with another agent tbh. (I did conveyancing for about 20 years and without exception EAs were solely interested in their comission and had no problem lying to their clients, and caused more problems than they solved).

greenbattery · 07/01/2021 09:40

I sold my house this year. Some people act like you're so desperate you'll do everything for you. If the buyer wants your property they will buy it without measuring for carpets etc.

My buyer started to take the absolute biscuit right before completion date.
In the end I got so fed up o told our estate agents sure fo ahead put it back on the market. Wow did the estate agent do a u turn emailing our buyer saying they will lose the property if they don't proceed. You've nothing really to lose because if they want to not purchase a house for such reasons they were never going to purchase it anyway imo.

greenbattery · 07/01/2021 09:40

Sorry meant to read you'll do everything for them*

movingonup20 · 07/01/2021 09:44

A visit to measure up close to exchange is normal but should be her not contractors. Unless the survey has flagged a specific issue with the roof or electrics the rest of her demands are unreasonable - I'm assuming you didn't claim a guarantee in the original description? It may be possible to get indemnity insurance for the electrics and roof which would be considerably cheaper than replacing the roof and safer than a survey - your solicitor can advise

torquewench · 07/01/2021 09:48

You havent even exchanged. Why on earth would someone want to measure up for carpets etc at this point? Do they even have amortgage offer, or a related sale? You might as well let a random dogwalker passing in the street come in to measure up, they have the same legal interest in your house. They are absolutely stringing you along and the agents are complicit.

Dragongirl10 · 07/01/2021 09:52

This is ridiculous.

You do not need to do any of what she is asking, none is what l would consider reasonable and l have bought and sold several houses.

As the roof is not leaking there is no issue, unless in obviously poor condition or flagged on a survey. She needs to take a view.

Electrical Certificates are important although not required by law.
I would go somewhere for the couple of hours, (if possible) it would take and pay for it, but ensure l got a full detailled report to show to any future potential buyers.

Carpets, plain stupid, she has not bougt the house. I would only consider this after exchange of contracts (and not in COVID times.)

If this has been going on for 3 months then you don't actually have a serious buyer. How far has the sale gone?
Have searches been received?
Is her mortgage offer with her solicitor? Has yours seen it?
Is she having a survey and if so has it been booked or completed?

Ignore your useless EA and ask your solicitor the above questions, about how far this has gone, if it has not progressed beyond the offer, then cut your losses she is a timewaster.

Remarket with a much more proffessional EA and have all your documents ready with your solicitor for a new offer.

Good luck

dontdisturbmenow · 07/01/2021 12:30

They have most likely set their minds to agree to slower value and are looking for reasons to try to justify it. They won't give up.

Of course the agent is not happy they want to settle deals asap but it's not your problem. From experience they won't give up. Put it back in the market.

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