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Awkward buyer- No idea what to do now

8 replies

thewayoftheplatypus · 18/09/2019 12:55

Our sale seems to have stalled slightly and I have no idea where to go next. Our buyers are first time buyers and seem very cautious- they offered on our house the day it went on the market and were enthusiastic. We were clear that we had found something chain free to purchase and wanted to move quickly therefore.

Since then they have queried and double queried everything. They had their survey, a builders inspection, and an electric survey. They even had someone come to check out double glazing (which is still in guarantee) and garage roof (which was only replaced at the beginning of the year). We have had the boiler serviced on their behalf, agreed to buy an indemnity policy on a wall that was removed long before we moved in, even though our solicitor said we didn’t need to- anything to keep things moving. We have also given them guarentees/proof of every piece of work we have had done to modernise since we move in. They had concerns about the roof- the builder (who they hired) said there was nothing to worry about and that the roof would probably stand for another 100 years!

Despite this, our estate agent called on Monday saying they wanted another builder to come round. When i asked why, when they had had one over for an hour just two days earlier, they said for a second opinion. I said that, given our fast turnaround requirements, this seemed excessive and the agent agreed and told them no.

We need to complete by the middle of next month, but since then (the first time we have said no to any of their requests) they have gone awol. Our aolicitor hasn’t heard from them and our estate agent can’t get hold of them either.

Have I ballsed up here? Should I have agreed to the second builder even though this would have meant we couldn’t complete within the timescale we need to secure our upward purchase (she has been very fixed on dates as she is going into a retirement home/flat and needs the cash). What can I do now? Obviously we don’t want to lose the sale, but we really have spent months bending over backwards!

OP posts:
ChangeOfTides · 18/09/2019 14:15

It sounds like they’re trying to find a problem so they can reduce their offer? Tell them it will be going back on the market if they don’t make contact.

DontCallMeShitley · 18/09/2019 15:30

I agree, just put it back on the market. If they come back tell them you want a deposit to take it off, and a firm completion date.

beethebee · 18/09/2019 15:41

Yep get it back on the market ASAP.

They're messing you around trying to find something to justify reducing their offer.

zebra22 · 18/09/2019 15:45

Put it back on the market

This happened to us, turned out she had offers in on 4 houses and was playing everyone off against each other

MarigoldGlove · 18/09/2019 15:51

I also think you should put it back on the market.

YobaOljazUwaque · 18/09/2019 16:15

Of course putting it back on the market will also mean you can't make the deadline for the person you are buying from either. Ideally what you need is to get them to pull their finger out and get on with it.

Might you be in a position to say "we have had enough delay and need to get things moving so please just make your mind up on the basis of the information you already have, which is more than sufficient. If you want to walk away then so be it, but if you want to go ahead then we are willing to make a £X towards your Stamp Duty (or legal fees or whatever) if and only if we exchange contracts by #Date1 and complete by #Date2"

thewayoftheplatypus · 18/09/2019 18:25

Thanks for all your advice- I did suspect putting it back on the market might be the overall suggestion.

@YobaOljazUwaque This is a great idea, as it would stop us losing our onward purchase. I am going to call the estate agent to discuss this, and to discuss putting it on the market as a plan B, in the morning.

OP posts:
Beebumble2 · 18/09/2019 18:39

When we had a buyer who prevaricated for 8 weeks over nothing ( a tree, not ours and a distance from the house). It turned out that they had had their mortgage approval rescinded and were desperately trying to get another one. We put the house back on the market, sold immediately.

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