Buyers messing us about - WWYD

[mardarse]

This is week 13 since accepting the offer on our house, so far we've had a request for £4000 off for a new roof which didn't actually need doing, useless buyers solicitors who have done nothing at all since contract papers were sent 8 or 9 weeks ago - no enquiries raised and the same line "searches have been applied for and we are checking the title deeds" has been the response for weeks. Buyer screens calls so the estate agent leaves him messages and he responds when he sees fit - sometimes nearly 2 weeks later. This is someone who has sold their house and is downsizing so I expect they know they hold all the cards.

I feel so messed about with, there must be a reason why they keep going AWOL. Do we put our house back on the market accepting that it may take time to sell (market here is fairly bouyant and we accepted this offer 2 weeks after it went on the market)? We've bought and sold before but it's never been like this. I'm surprised how much it is getting to me. I think it's because it affects my whole family and which school we apply to later this year for my little girl. Any advice? Sympathy? Wine or cake????

get your lazy good for nothing estate agent to earn their commission, pronto! they should be on the phone DAILY to buyer and their solicitor pushing this along for you. What were your terms with them on length of exclusivity? because i would tell them that if this sale is not progressing materially towards exchange within two weeks, it's going back on the market with a different agent.

Thanks Bobbi, I think they are. I don't think they have been until I started to jump up and down a bit but certainly they are now. One of the problems is that the solicitors are one of these call centre type solicitors - so they never seem to be able to get through to anyone who can help. There was no set exclusivity for them we just need to give them 28 days notice. I'd agree we probably need to think about getting it back on the market with someone else. Gah! I hate this.

give them notice in writing today just in case.
Those call centre solicitors should be well set up to do all the searches online so what teh bollox they can be waiting for unless you happen to be in some area where tin mining or something v obscure like that is relevant, i don't know

Agree with Bobbi, get it back on the market. Get EA to start arranging viewings, and let the buyer know. EA might find their calls get returned a little quicker once they leave that particular message!

Yep, 3 months is more than long enough for the buyer to get his arse in gear. I'd start re-marketing with a new agent asap. It's not unknown for buyers to simply melt away rather than coming right out and saying they've changed their minds.

Thank you all. The EA has managed to speak to the solicitors and they have promised it's a priority - apparently the searches are back. The buyer appears to have bobbed off on holiday without letting anyone know which doesn't fill us full of confidence. I will be on to the EA for an update tomorrow and we will make a decision this week. Good to hear everyone thinking the same as us and we would be quite reasonable of us to get it remarketed.

Write to the buyer yourself.

"Dear mr buyer, i notice that it is now x weeks since we acceoted your offer, subject to contract.

I am wondering if you have a date in mind when you exoect to be able to exchange contracts, or if I should be putting the house back on the market.

Please let me know your plans."

If he makes no commitment, put it back on the market

If he makes a vague commitment, put it back on the market

If he makes a commitment which is too far away, put it back on the market

If he makes an acceptable commitment but doesn't deliver, put it back on the market.

Can you spot a pattern here?

But seriously, are there any of those responses to which that is not the right decision?

A call centre solicitor 'promising it's a priority' means nothing. They'll say that to get the EA off the phone. And even if it is a priority for them, apparently it isn't for your buyer if he's gone on holiday without telling anyone.

I'd put it back on tomorrow. It might focus his mind when he comes back from his holiday; at the very least you'll find out if he's serious or not.

Put it back on the market, will be a nice surprise for them when they get back from holiday.

Sadly you have wasted time by allowing these "buyers" to prevaricate for so long. You need to remarket the property straightaway and I would go to another EA.

I changed EA after five months and the new agent sold within three days to a cash buyer, who wanted completion in two weeks. You could tell the difference immediately, sales particulars ready immediately, photos done the same day and on the website.

Our original solicitors said two weeks was too soon for them so I went elsewhere - to a small local firm who did what the client wanted, not what they wanted - and yes, they did it. The only problem was it was a probate sale and the solicitor who was an executor was on his hols - they simply agreed to have another partner at the firm sign for him. Nothing was insurmountable to them.

They are messing you about and you need people who will look after your interests working for you and you pay them enough. Good luck.