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Property/DIY

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Original poster

Buyer wont sell at last minute! :(

24 replies

ooopppaaaaaaa · 05/09/2013 17:56

Meant to be moving out of à rented flat ,having given 2 months notice, and into à 2 bed flat we are buying in 3 weeks but the chain we are in has collapsed. The thing is, as we are first time buyers and our seller is moving in with her family we could still move. However, her family dont want the inconvenience of their dad moving in with them. So they would rather us be homeless then! We dont know what to do now. Have lost thousands on fées and now have to somehow find the deposit to start renting again. To top it all off, we are getting married in 2 months as my mums dying. Weve already had à mortgage extension of à month and not likely to get another mortgage as we are spending money on a wedding which wont look good to mortgage lenders! At a loss as to what to do now. Anyone else had à simular experience with sellers?

OP posts:

specialsubject · 05/09/2013 18:03

if this is England/Wales then unfortunately you have no guarantee until contract exchange, and that is when you should have given notice. If you have exchanged then they are liable for all your expenses.

I find it hard to believe you have spent 'thousands' on fees.

there's nothing you can do about a buyer who doesn't want to sell, you are not their problem rotten as it is. So contact your landlord and see if you can restart your contract, and if not get looking for another rental. Scale down the wedding if you can't afford what you have now.

LIZS · 05/09/2013 18:09

sorry am confused, if your seller wants to/needs to sell then they could and even rent themselves. However it is their prerogative to change mind, whatever the reason and it won't be personal. Equally you don't need to be spending a lot to get married that is your choice. Fees won't be thousands at this stage - survey, arrangement fee and some legal. You will only be homeless if you waste time and staying put if you can negotiate it may be your best bet.

Original poster

ooopppaaaaaaa · 05/09/2013 18:41

Is that your experience or are you both having à go at me? You dont know the ins and outs. I was hoping for some uplifting answers. The only reason we are getting married is because my mums dying and I want her there and we arent spending loads, i got my dress for 150 and my shoes for 12!

OP posts:

LIZS · 05/09/2013 18:48

no not having a go , just it seems at this point you are pitching wedding vs. mortgage and if only a few hundred is making things that tight maybe now isn't the time for you to buy. You may simply have to accept that this property isn't going to be yours as circumstances are not working in your favour.

Original poster

ooopppaaaaaaa · 05/09/2013 19:07

Have already accepted it thanks. Wasnt asking for financial advice but thanks :/

OP posts:

nocarsgo · 05/09/2013 19:12

Oh I'm sorry, that is shit.

Giving notice to leave a rented place after exchange just isn't workable, since most people exchange at the last possible minute - we're set to exchange tomorrow and plan to complete next Friday (we sold at the end of MAY )

I feel for you OP. The house buying process in this country is just appalling.

Original poster

ooopppaaaaaaa · 05/09/2013 19:21

Thanks nocarsgo. Giving in notice was à risk worth taking but its the loss of à beautiful flat that im devistated by. Good luck on your move.

OP posts:

specialsubject · 05/09/2013 19:46

not getting at you, simply stating the facts that there is nothing you can do if the seller messes you about. Can't offer 'uplifting', just reality. Sorry.

giving notice after exchange IS workable - tenant notice is a month. So that's the most rent you pay for a place you don't use, and 'most people' leave a week or two between exchange and completion. Two weeks rent nothing in the costs of house moving, although it is obviously good if you can reduce it.

Original poster

ooopppaaaaaaa · 05/09/2013 20:00

We have to give TWO months notice where we rent not one. I know the facts, I dont need you to tell me just wanted to hear other peoples experiences.

OP posts:

teainteacher · 05/09/2013 20:38

People are mean! I'm so sorry to hear that, it sounds awful!

We are buying and we've spent loads on surveys and fees to solicitors and things and we haven't exchanged contracts yet, so I know what you mean about losing money (hopefully ours will all go through).

I don't really have any advice, but I'm so sorry. Finding rented properties are a nightmare. Could you move in with relativeS?

RandomMess · 05/09/2013 20:40

Has the landlord got new tenants lined up, worth asking if you can stay longer?

guineapiglet · 05/09/2013 20:42

Hi. Is there any way you can negotiate the notice? If they have no prospective new tenants they might be prepared to ' roll ' your kease on if you have been renting for longer than 6 months... We had a break clause put into our lease and insisted on a month's notice. The whole process stinks... You have acted in good faith and really your solicitor should have outlined the importance of exchange when you were renting.

Sorry to hear about your mum. You have a lot of stress going on simultaneously so go easy.

ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged · 05/09/2013 20:53

The bank won't know or care about the wedding will they? I doubt that'll make any difference to whether you get a mortgage or not.

Good luck with it all.

northernlurker · 05/09/2013 20:58

OP - people have tried to help you and you've been rather rude. I know you're under stress but you can still muster some manners.

Your experience reflacts the property market I'm afraid. If the seller won't sell you can't buy. You're right, they don't give a stuff about your situation. If you've qualified for this mortgage you'll qualify for another and lenders don't care about short term costs like a wedding. Only problem is if you're buying it all on credit or with a big loan - and if that's the case you shouldn't be buying a flat.

You could offer slightly more if you're desperate and can afford to but personally I would say 'stuff them' and look for somewhere new to rent - or see if you can withdraw your notice on your curent place.

When looking again if you can afford it you could look at a new build. Not without hitches even so but less likley that the vendor will pull out.

specialsubject · 05/09/2013 21:58

sorry about your mum.

Bye.

bimbabirba · 05/09/2013 22:09

I can understand why OP got offended by the replies. It's difficult to understand the tone of a message and there was no constructive advice, just "live with it" kind of thing.
First of all OP, it's very sad that you're been let down at a time when your mum is dying and money is tight. Secondly, yes it is selfish and totally rubbish to decide not to sell so late in the process when the buyer has spent good money on the purchase. A lot of people take a long time to save enough to pay survey and searches and it is crap that they're pulling out.

northernlurker · 05/09/2013 22:21

But bimba - in the English property market you often do have to just live with this kind of thing. Telling the OP that was constructive imo.

bimbabirba · 05/09/2013 22:25

Sure you have to live with it but I would be mighty pissed off too if I had spent £1,000 of my hard earned savings and then the seller had chosen not to go ahead! Money down the drain it is.

Original poster

ooopppaaaaaaa · 05/09/2013 22:32

This all happenned today so Im not trying to be rude Im just very upset. The seller always said that if the chain broke they would move in with their family so they havent honoured this sadly. I understand that sometimes things dont work out but I am under more stress than just the house falling through. Tomorrow I will just get on with it but as a human being with à heart, I today could fall apart and to be honest didnt expect such meaness from à couple of you. I appreciate the kind words of the others. Thank you

OP posts:

Zingzilla · 05/09/2013 22:40

Sorry to hear this - it sounds like an awful situation for you and I hope you get through it. I don't usually post and am a lurker, but felt I had to say something here. I too can see why you have got offended by some of the replies you have had. Yes, life can be harsh, and the property buying process in this country is shit, but sometimes we all need a bit of sympathy rather than patronising 'deal with it' style remarks.

Zingzilla · 05/09/2013 22:43

I should add that I have recently been gazumped, so am particularly sensitive to the emotional turmoil involved in property buying at the moment. You have my sympathy!

AFishWithoutABicycle · 05/09/2013 22:51

I thinks it the emotional investment that hurts so much in these situations.
I'm sorry op, it's extremely stressful and that is probably the last thing you need right now.

LIZS · 06/09/2013 07:20

I still don't think we were "mean", I was suggesting that with so much going on and the evident emotional strain, pursuing this property shouldn't be your priority. We've had buyers pull out days from exchange, not nice but often it turns out better in the long run . Anyway sorry if that isn't what you wanted to hear. Enjoy the wedding and time with your dm .

northernlurker · 06/09/2013 08:24

Nobody has been mean - not even the vendor who has pulled out. It's just the sort of tough thing that happens when buying property and in all probability OP through your lifetime you'll find yourself in this sort of stressful position again.

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