House buyers delaying continues..

[elvislives]

We are having a nightmare trying to move. We accepted an offer (lower than we wanted) back in mid April. It was supposed to be a quick sale. Ha ha.

2 weeks ago we were getting concerned about the lack of progress- our solicitor said we'd been ready to exchange for 3 weeks. Turned out there was a problem with their mortgage- ie they didn't have one

Cue many phone calls between us and the EA and the solicitor. Thought it was all sorted and last week the EA said all was fine and we'd exchange this Friday with completion anticipated for 23rd. Longer than we'd planned but at least it was a date.

Also got a problem with the house we are buying, so been trying to get our solicitor all day. She finally rang back at 6pm (so too late to get hold of anyone else). She's heard from the other solicitor. The buyers are concerned there is furniture in the house and we "seem to be keeping animals" and they think they will withhold £200 for cleaning

It is our house, and we are perfectly entitled to keep animals there (cats and birds, being fed by family locally). There is furniture there because we haven't moved out yet . We had actually planned to clean properly once we'd finished moving our stuff, but there has been no urgency for us to do so because there has been no sign that they are ready to proceed. (we are living in rented 200 miles away and we don't have room to store everything as our own house is 3x the size of where we are living).

Worst of it is that you can't see into the house from the road (mid terrace with no ground floor windows at the front) so it sounds like they have come into the back garden and up to the house to peer in the windows, without permission. They are costing us money with their endless delays and now they think they are going to charge us

We are actually getting the distinct impression that all these delaying tactics are because they are going to pull out. If they do we are completely stuck. If it wasn't that we can't afford the time to start again we'd have told these time-wasters where to get off a couple of weeks ago I just wish somebody would tell us the truth.

Anyone been through this and got a happy ending?

You need to ask the EA to talk to them, and reassure them of the situation.

The £200 for cleaning is taking the piss. Ask the EA explain the house will be cleaned when you move out.

They are taking the piss but I'd suggest the EA has shown them round again without telling you - maybe to measure up. When we bought we arranged a seocnd opinion on spome aspects fop the survey, employing a friend who I accompanied and we were left alone by EA - bet our vendor didn't know ! You're not obliged to clean it anyway so a quick reassurance that it will be vacant and clean should suffcie. Are they ftb's by any chance?

Furniture seems a bit of a non-complaint but I have to say, if the house does have cats and irds in it and no one looking after them on a full-time basis, it probably is a bit whiffy, especially in this weather. I'd be a bit horrified, if that were the case.

EA couldn't have shown them round again because they don't have the keys.

The cats live mainly outdoors and the birds are in cages. Our children live literally across the road, so they haven't been "left", but all the animals were there when the people looked round the house all those months ago, so it's hardly a surprise.

Does it not sound like they are stalling/ ready to drop out, then?

I've no idea how much your house is selling for but is it really worth letting the process drag on for #200? It's such a tiny fraction of the price, just suck it up and say yes if they complete by such a day. As you said earlier, you are losing money by not getting the deal in the bag.

Hmm. If it were me I would say you will accept the £200 reduction as a goodwill gesture if the exchange happens on Friday (ie today). If the exchange doesn't happen on Friday the house goes back on the market on Saturday and will stay on the market until an exchange of contracts has been made, whether it is with them or with a new buyer.

Well DH spent all day on the phone to the EA and the solicitors. Now the story is they didn't say that at all . EA says he hasn't taken them round. Solicitor says this is another delaying tactic.

Why is housebuying so complicated?

I had this earlier on in the year and ended up three months down the line eventually I ran out of patience and pulled the plug and put it back on the market - you have nothing to lose by giving them a deadline. Instruct your solicitor to tell them it's a certain date or not at all, honestly if they aren't going to buy it you might as well get on and find someone that will. I am now waiting to complete again fingers crossed.