Allowing storage of buyer's stuff before completion

[HapHap]

My buyer has asked if they can store some items in our shed a few days before completion (we have already exchanged). We have side access so they're saying we just need to unlock the gate for them.

This buyer has been a bit of a nightmare, including demanding last minute reduction (we agreed to just get it through), so I'm not feeling particularly warm towards them.

Would you allow it?

Vendors have allowed us to store items before completion in the past, which has been very helpful, but given the cheeky price haggling after agreeing the sale I would be wary of these buyers. They may claim things have gone missing or been damaged. Best to keep them at arm's length until completion.

Wow no! Easy just say solicitor says no. This is what storage units are for.

I think people are pretty over sensitive here about cheeky haggling - you are within your rights as a buyer to ask for a price change particularly once you have surveyed. The seller can say no. 1k is barely anything. It’s just part of the back and forth.

Unless there is more CFery we’re not being told about...

If you don't want to simply say no, tell them that you will be using it to store all your rubbish until you can dispose of it.

Our buyer asked to do this and our solicitor said absolutely not.

Two months after the survey, before exchange, they said the survey highlighted "so many" things and they guessed it would cost them £10k and wanted us to reduce that off the price. The survey was totally fine!! Nothing urgent whatsoever, no investigations needed, good solid house. We have an old boiler but it works brilliantly and the buyer saw this on their 2 viewings before they offered. We had it serviced and certificated. But... that's what is supposed to happen after the survey!

We too explained that there was about £10Ks worth of work needed on our soon to be new house. Roof - tiling and a support beam needed mending, which needed scaffolding; boiler was 15+ years old, working but on it's way out; wiring was ancient and needed looking at; the woodworm certificate had about 2 months to go (timber framed house).

None of it was 'urgent' but it all needed doing and, as it had not been flagged up prior to the survey it was entirely reasonable to discuss it. We comprmised on a £3K reduction. It cost us just shy of £9K to put it all right.

So your buyers haven't been in anyway dispresepctful or cheeky. They are just doing what they are supposed to do - that being precisely what the survey is for!

Let them store stuff or don't, but try and reassess how you feel about them. That pissed offness is only hurting you....

@EstuaryBird

Our buyer asked to do this and our solicitor said absolutely not.

That's interesting solicitor advises against too!

It's not the buyer's current stuff they want to store, they plan on buying stuff and having it delivered here and then putting the items in the shed.

FWIW I don't begrudge the reduction as such, it was the way it was handled. The
buyer waited until just before exchange to mention it, after sitting on the survey for 2 months. Hence not very warm feelings!

I definitely wouldn’t want to take delivery of new stuff. Too much responsibility. Just say you are in and out of the shed all the time with packing boxes etc.

@CuriousaboutSamphire

Two months after the survey, before exchange, they said the survey highlighted "so many" things and they guessed it would cost them £10k and wanted us to reduce that off the price. The survey was totally fine!! Nothing urgent whatsoever, no investigations needed, good solid house. We have an old boiler but it works brilliantly and the buyer saw this on their 2 viewings before they offered. We had it serviced and certificated. But... that's what is supposed to happen after the survey!

We too explained that there was about £10Ks worth of work needed on our soon to be new house. Roof - tiling and a support beam needed mending, which needed scaffolding; boiler was 15+ years old, working but on it's way out; wiring was ancient and needed looking at; the woodworm certificate had about 2 months to go (timber framed house).

None of it was 'urgent' but it all needed doing and, as it had not been flagged up prior to the survey it was entirely reasonable to discuss it. We comprmised on a £3K reduction. It cost us just shy of £9K to put it all right.

So your buyers haven't been in anyway dispresepctful or cheeky. They are just doing what they are supposed to do - that being precisely what the survey is for!

Let them store stuff or don't, but try and reassess how you feel about them. That pissed offness is only hurting you....

I'm just delighted it's through, thank goodness!

Everyone I'm speaking to who is moving/has moved recently is saying 'never again!' - it's been such a rollercoaster.

I would have said yes if they’d been reasonable buyers.

Absolutely not though, based on that price reduction.

Nope. Not your problem.

We offered to do this to keep the sale moving but our solicitor said no.....dont do it!

And when the new items are “damaged”, will you be blamed and be made to reimburse the buyer?

It is typical to renegotiate if there is substantial work that needs doing that is revealed in the survey.

Not if it's titivation and not 2 months after the survey, just before exchange.

Say yes, it will cost £1k to store and they will have to pay for their own insurance. Alternatively if the estate agent thinks it so reasonable maybe they can store their stuff at the estate agent's house

No, absolutely not. Particularly if they've been difficult.

If it's new stuff being delivered are you being expected to wait in, sign for it, oversee moving to shed etc.

It's a total no from me.

You can just say no because of insurance - i reckon they won’t have thought of that

If it's new stuff they're wanting to store, they may need to check they've got what they ordered, thus bothering you; another reason to say no.

If it’s new things they order, who is signing for delivery to your shed? I’m guessing it’d be you. What if there’s damage? What if it doesn’t fit in shed?

I’d say no, unless they’d been dream buyers and you were completely sure they’d not be asking you to pay for damage, or deal with deliveries, or anything else!

No. Never. Point them in the direction of the nearest storage facility. Just say it’s not possible for them to have access to the property.

Oh god this reminds me of when we bought our house, as FTBs we were pretty naive and the vendor asked to store some things in the outhouse. We agreed, foolishly, and after we'd picked up the keys we discovered he hadn't bothered moving much out at all, because he'd "hurt his wrist"... Even had the cheek to ask us to help empty the loft of his stuff. It went on for about a month and there's still some of his left behind stuff in the loft. We felt so stupid for having allowed it to even be a thing in the first place. Never again!

Please don't agree to this. It might seem like a nice thing to do, but it is not worth the hassle. Pros: you might feel good about doing an absolute stranger a favour. It might make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside for a moment. Cons: any agreement you make about collection of the items is subject to change...are you prepared to store these things for a while? I imagine that the 'warm and fuzzy' feeling will wear off far quicker than they'll come to get their stuff. Cons: you leave yourself wide open to allegations if they believe their belongings have been damaged. Cons: this is your storage space....fill it with your stuff not someone else's. You wont regret the temporary uncomfortable feeling of saying "I'm sorry, it's not going to be possible" to the potentially long term bitterness and anxiety you will feel if your goodwill is tested.

That's a really good point. I'll say that to the estate agent, as he's putting it across that it's a totally reasonable request and a common thing to allow.

Our estate agent said the same thing when our buyer asked to do this. I asked the solicitor and she said categorically not. What if something was damaged/went missing? What about insurance implications?