Buyers suddenly asking to view again on day of each change is this normal?

[ShortHamstrings]

We were due to exchange today but at 4:47 this afternoon the buyers solicitor emailed mine saying the buyers want to go in to have a look before exchanging to check everything. I’ve never done this, is it normal? Bearing in mind we are on the verge of the end of the stamp duty holiday and they stand to miss out on a few grands worth of saving if this doesn’t happen I’m feeling pessimistic that they’re going to pull out now. My estate agent said from day one that they don’t recommend letting buyers back in before exchanging and offer them as many visits as they want before they make their offer. They told the buyers this at the time and they’ve viewed twice and had 2 surveys done. Having said that it is 5 months since they made their offer, they have been making noises about reducing the price so I’m also worried they’re looking for an excuse to lower their offer. Should I just accept that if they’re going to pull out they will anyway so I may as well let them have another look or stick with the estate agents advice and say no?

You could always allow them to look again but reinforce beforehand (via estate agent) that the price will not change.

So did you exchange?

We were advised to do the same. It’s really just to make sure the house is still the same house eg the vendors haven’t knocked any walls down since you first viewed it, or painted all the walls black.

Our solicitor always advised us to visit close to exchange to check all was still OK with the property and it hadn't been damaged since offer accepted. Of course we did this a bit before exchange, not on the day it was planned for!

We have always done another viewing on the day before/of exchange - on our solicitors advice.

@Redwinestillfine

So did you exchange?

No! The buyers announced at the last minute they want to view the property again first. This was at just before 5pm. Estate Agent says they advise not to but it is up to me.

No idea what I should do.

It just seems really weird for them to say this out of the blue literally at the end of the day we were supposed to have exchanged. If they’d said at the start of the week they wanted to do this I don’t think I’d be so freaked out by it. I’ve never even heard of doing this and have moved loads!!

My solicitor advised this too to make sure the vendors hadn’t damaged, removed, or changed anything but we did it a couple of days before.

Ok so maybe it’s normal then. Just seems a bit off to wait until this late in the day though, why couldn’t they have said they wanted to do this a bit earlier in the process?

I’ve been on the verge of a heart attack all day thinking any minute we will be exchanging and then right at the end of the day this comes up!!

We were told to view before exchange of n case the vendor had painted the whole house bright pink etc

I got cold feet close to exchange (not the actual day, mind) and had another look before finally committing. I don’t think this means they’re definitely going to pull out. At worst they aren’t sure. But could most possibly be confirmatory as pps are saying.

We’re buying at the moment and will be doing this- though I’ve already told the estate agent.

It’s been a few months since we’ve seen the house, and the vendors have been difficult so I want to make sure they haven’t stripped every single fixture and fitting. They’re emigrating, so it’d be hard to pursue them if there was an issue.

I don’t understand why you didn’t make a decision today though, OP.
What’s happening now? Will you let them in on Monday and hope to exchange?

Fair enough to want one more look after 5 months, but not to announce it on the supposed day of exchange

They are playing games

You can decide if you play along. In your shoes I’d put the house back on the market

@OffRampHilton

We’re buying at the moment and will be doing this- though I’ve already told the estate agent.

It’s been a few months since we’ve seen the house, and the vendors have been difficult so I want to make sure they haven’t stripped every single fixture and fitting. They’re emigrating, so it’d be hard to pursue them if there was an issue.

I don’t understand why you didn’t make a decision today though, OP.
What’s happening now? Will you let them in on Monday and hope to exchange?

Well they couldn’t have gone in today because they only said they wanted to just before 5pm so too late. I’m not living there and am in a different city , so no one to let them in.

But yes, as it seems pretty normal I’ll ask the estate agent to do it.

Tbh I think @ChubbyLittleManInACampervan might be right but hey-ho I guess I’ll find out on Monday.

Yes it's completely normal don't worry

So you were right, it was just to check everything was ok. We exchanged today. Glad I listened to you lot and not the estate agent!