Access before completion?

[MrsJ28903]

Has anyone ever organised access for works between exchange and completion? We had this on a new build to allow for our own flooring to be fitted the week before completion but I’m wondering if it’s possible on a non-new build? We are considering an empty house but it needs a bit of work and I would love to get the carpeting, artex slimming and painting done before the furniture is in. Is this possible?

It isn't unreasonable to ask for access to plan and prepare for works - detailed measuring etc. However, actually doing the work seems unreasonable as a request until you have completed and own the property.. Although few exchanged properties don't complete it does happen and of course you'll find some threads on MN about it. The risk might be low, but a buyer could come into a property to do work and then cause damage or simply an incomplete job - ie ripping out a kitchen ready to install a new one........and then completion doesn't happen - buyer dies or there is a financial crisis or whatever. Seller is left with either damaged property or one without kitchen. Yes, they might be able to sue buyer for not completing, but may end up having to put property back on the market in a worse state and worth less value than if the buyer hadn't started work. It's just not worth the risk.

Buyers need to arrange somewhere else to stay if the work means the property is uninhabitable, and if it's just about being in a hurry, they need to wait until they own it fully.

I would say 'no' to the request but would allow limited access for measuring if I still lived there and pretty extensive access for measuring if I didn't. One difficulty if you do t live there are allow unaccompanied visits is buyers sometimes start work even though they aren't meant to. So I'd probably want to be there or the estate agent to be there, which would limit visit is in terms of timescale.