redirecting post before exchange of contracts

[Alwaysthesame123]

I am selling a buy to let property and the purchaser, without asking me, my solicitor or the estate agent has had their post redirected to the property.

We haven't exchange contracts yet, in fact their side is being particularly slow and over the last few days the estate agent has tried to contact them o ask what the position is.....no reply from them at all. What can I do?

What's the problem? At least you know he's committed.

It's a bit cheeky and could possibly cause issues for the seller if for example the buyer's debts are transferred to the address then the sale falls through.* If the sale falls through (which may not be in the buyer's control, the seller may pull out) then presumably that'd be difficult for the buyer as they'd have to redirect their mail again.

• I am not suggesting that this is a likely scenario.

Just a thought- royal mail allow the redirect to be set up in advance of it becoming effective, I think by a few months. Maybe the buyer set it up and there's been a mistake with the dates.

is it a redirect (stickers) or has the buyer actually changed the address?

if the former, it makes no difference about debts etc, and anyway they go with a person.

if it is stickers, suspect a blunder.

BTW who is ignoring you - the sellers or their solicitors?

I'm on the verge of moving house. The Royal Mail website recommends telling them 3 weeks in advance which I think for most moves is probably longer than the gap between exchange and completion. I've held off giving an instruction til after exchange but if you followed what it says on the website you wouldn't. It doesn't point out the pitfalls at all and maybe it wouldn't occur to a FTB.

About the debts- I've had bailiffs at my home looking for someone who previously lived there, and although it all got sorted out it's still a hassle to deal with.