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Original poster

Buyer's post delivered to house I'm selling

25 replies

HousePost · 14/05/2019 09:56

I got an offer on my house 10 days ago. Yesterday some post was delivered in the buyers name (from a solicitor). Spoken to the estate agent and the solicitor is one that was recommended by them (so legit). EA thinks it's a genuine mistake of mixing up buyer's address and my address either by solicitor or buyer.

Thing is what do I do about this letter? EA wants me to pass it on to them to give to the buyers. Friends/family I've spoken to say put it back in the post with "Return to Sender" and "not known at this address" so as not to enable any more post. (Especially considering it's early days yet and the sale could potentially fall through, so don't want these names attached to the address).

Don't know what to do. What do you think?
TIA

OP posts:

BogglesGoggles · 14/05/2019 09:58

It’s an oversight. Call up the solicitor’s office to tell them what happened and return to sender.

Redglitter · 14/05/2019 09:59

I think first I'd be phoning to solicitor and ascertaining if it was a genuine mistake on their part. If it was I'd give the letter to the EA to pass on.

TwitterQueen1 · 14/05/2019 10:00

How about you just ring up the solicitor and say the letter has been sent to the wrong address! Simple error

Have people lost the ability to think? .

Mumofone1593 · 14/05/2019 10:00

Think the sale is less likely to go through if you don't give them the mail? If I found out solicitors sent mail to my potential new home in error and they refused to give it back, unless the house was one of a kind I'd not buy the house! It's not like it's a subscription or something it's mail regarding the sale of the house?

WeeDangerousSpike · 14/05/2019 10:00

I'd want to be on as good terms as possible with the buyers so I wouldn't return to sender - seems needlessly awkward.

I'd give the solicitor a ring / pop the letter back to them if they're local to make sure they change their records.

If the easiest way to get the letter to the buyer is via the ea, then do that

TheInvestigator · 14/05/2019 10:03

They havnt set up bank accounts or taken out loans using your address!! There is nothing at risk here!! Give them their bloody post.

Call up the solicitor, let them know and make sure they change the addresses around. You know they are legit... they made an error. Human error happens, even though it shouldn't. Just pass the post on and speak to the solicitor, but I'm sure they will as well since they won't want you getting their post.

PazRaz10 · 14/05/2019 10:05

Defo call the solicitor, explain they used the wrong address and return to sender so they can resend it to the buyer. I really don't think this is as big a problem as you seem worried about!

Original poster

HousePost · 14/05/2019 10:15

Thanks to all of you who gave me a polite reply and suggested I ring the solicitors first. That is a sensible idea that i hadn't thought of (or had been suggested by family/friends).

As for those of you who have decided to get narky with me and implying I'm stupid, there is no need to be rude. This was a genuine question that I needed advice on. I don't appreciate your replies.

OP posts:

Original poster

HousePost · 14/05/2019 10:38

Update!

Just phoned the solicitors. They have treated this as a very serious matter and apologised to me.

They have noted the details and have asked me to "Return to Sender" so that they can re-send to the buyers at their home address.

So thanks once again to all the helpful replies.

to the others

OP posts:

thelastgoldeneagle · 14/05/2019 10:39

Just phoned the solicitors. They have treated this as a very serious matter and apologised to me.

Loving your bold, there, OP! Clearly it is VERY IMPORTANT.

Jocasta2018 · 14/05/2019 10:53

About a month (!) from exchange/completion date some post for the future buyer arrived at my home. All the letters were for Barclaycard and other credit cards. I was not very happy about this - I didn't want his personal finances being linked with my property.
I contacted the EA and my solicitor and did the following:
I sent the letters, special delivery, to his solicitors so I had proof they had received them.
I wanted proof that the buyer-to-be had informed the card companies that he had given them the wrong address. He had 10 days to do this.
I wanted photocopies of letters sent, photocopies of special delivery receipts and proof that the credit card companies had taken receipt of his letters.
If he didn't do this, the sale was off.
He had pushed to exchange/complete on the same day so I had only had solicitors fees of about £500 so wasn't too bothered. He on the other hand was in rented accommodation and had given notice...
He did as I requested and the sale went ahead. Ok I made him jump through hoops but I was appalled that he was using my address a MONTH before any money changed hands.

Original poster

HousePost · 14/05/2019 11:09

Yes thelastgoldeneagle absolutely hilarious that a solicitor would treat sending correspondence to the wrong address as serious.

OP posts:

Original poster

HousePost · 14/05/2019 11:18

Jocasta2018 doesn't this just go to show how diligent you have to be in this process.

I can't believe people on here saying things like - FFS give them their post! It's not their house until the bloody money goes into your bank account so they shouldn't be using the address until then.

I accepted an offer on my house barely a week ago. They haven't even had a survey yet - anything could happen in the next few weeks and the sale could fall through. And people are ridiculing me for being worried about someone's name being attached to my address!

OP posts:

PazRaz10 · 14/05/2019 11:24

But your buyer wasn't using your address as their address, the solicitor made a mistake.
I completely agree that if you had had post from the bank or card compnaies addressed to the buyer, cause they were using your address that could be incredibly serious. But in your case, that hasn't happened.

newyearoldme · 14/05/2019 11:29

It's very serious as it's a breach of confidentiality at the solicitors end. Not to mention data protection. Kind of thing that employees in law firms get disciplined for.

TwitterQueen1 · 14/05/2019 11:32

Oh calm down OP. I'm assuming the letter was the particulars of sale, confirming the vendors address (yours), the buyers address, the price agreed, mortgage brokers, etc etc.

The secretary or conveyancing clerk will have simply misread the address. That's all it was.

It's just a mistake.

Original poster

HousePost · 14/05/2019 11:43

PazRaz10 I wasn't saying that the buyers used my address as their address. Yes it was the solicitor's mistake, but if the mistake wasn't rectified and the sale fell through those names might still be attached to my house.

Also I was agreeing with Jocasta2018 that in their situation the buyer shouldn't be using the address before being in possession of the house.

OP posts:

Original poster

HousePost · 14/05/2019 11:45

TwitterQueen1 I am calm. I spoke to the solicitors and we've sorted it. Don't know why you're getting so worked up about it all.

OP posts:

TheInvestigator · 14/05/2019 11:48

Attached to your house how? The solicitor wouldn't pass it on to anyone. You wouldn't be getting debt collectors or loans or anything flagged up at your address.

It was an error by the solicitor. Which would be fixed even if your sale fell through because the buyers would have asked why they havnt had any mail from their solicitors and they'd have sorted it out.

If the buyer used your address and had things sent there, that would be a whole other matter and your feelings would be understandable. But in this case, you've got no reason to worry. The solicitors are treating is very seriously because of GDPR and because everything between them and their client is confidential so they are in big trouble for sending you private post. But all the trouble here is theirs... You are fine. Your house is fine. No one is using your address.

FriarTuck · 14/05/2019 11:48

the buyer shouldn't be using the address before being in possession of the house
But they weren't in your case OP - this was just the solicitor getting it wrong. The buyer did nothing wrong at all.....

Original poster

HousePost · 14/05/2019 13:01

FriarTuck

Please again - I was replying to Jocasta2018 that in their situation (getting credit cards set up) the buyer shouldn't be using the address before being in possession of the house.

I have never said that in my situation that the buyer's were using the address. I acknowledged that it was probably a mistake on the solicitors part. PP on here suggested I phoned the solicitors. I phoned the solicitors and it's been sorted.

OP posts:

TwitterQueen1 · 14/05/2019 13:06

I'm PMSL actually OP.
Completely amazed that someone could be so dramatic about something so tiny.

Original poster

HousePost · 14/05/2019 13:19

TwitterQueen1 where am I being 'dramatic'.

I asked a simple question. I had some answers. I acted on those answers. It's all sorted.

I think its you that seems to be making this into a drama that it's not.

OP posts:

spanishwife · 14/05/2019 13:23

You are being dramatic and looking for a reason to be annoyed.

This is such a non-issue. Someone has made a simple mistake, do the right thing and post it back to them.

wowfudge · 14/05/2019 13:33

Oh FFS the OP isn't being dramatic and has done exactly the right thing. None of us know whether an error has been made by the solicitors or the buyers have given the wrong info - the OP hasn't opened it.

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