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Original poster

Cheeky buyers!

113 replies

Amerimoon · 21/12/2020 18:48

Just gathering thoughts on this situation.

I posted a week or so ago because we were seriously considering pulling out of our house sale/ purchase to go for our dream house (on another thread) but we decided in the end that we couldn’t do that to the rest of the chain and are carrying on as originally planned. Just mentioning that to point out that we really aren’t desperate to sell and wouldn’t be averse to putting our house back on the market really if it comes to it.

Our buyers delayed having a survey on ours until late on - last week- and we’re all due to complete first week of January!

Today our buyers sent an email saying the survey demanded 5k off the purchase price. They’ve sent a list of things they require the money for... I’m floored by it!!! Our house is in fantastic condition (it was fully renovated a year ago and is immaculate). On the list is items such as new internal AND external doors because they’re all wooden and therefore beholden to upkeep and maintenance (repainting) going forward. They are new in last year and do not need replacing!! They also want the planting outside the house to run further up the path to reach the house - the garden is fully landscaped and in good condition! These things are just down to rate surely?! I’m absolutely astounded by this and we’ve told them we will not be renegotiating at all. They can buy the house or walk away.

Can anyone else confirm if they would/ wouldn’t renegotiate after a survey for trivial matters? I didn’t think this was the norm to be honest. The email they’ve sent demanding 5k is pretty awful too.

OP posts:
Original poster
Amerimoon · 21/12/2020 19:20

Thanks everyone - we feel better knowing that we aren’t the only ones shocked by it. Will let you know what happens!

OP posts:
SeasonFinale · 21/12/2020 19:22

Tell them to jog on. If the chain fails now perhaps you would be in with a chance for the dream house after all.

Original poster
Amerimoon · 21/12/2020 19:23

@cabbageking I don’t know if these are amber or red points to be honest. I’ve not seen the survey at all apart from what they mention in their email. We won’t be renegotiating our house sale price because they think they’d need new doors though.

OP posts:
Chewbecca · 21/12/2020 19:25

Wow.

I’d stick with a straight ‘No, please advise by cob today whether you will continue the purchase at the agreed price or not’. And stick to it.

Powerplant · 21/12/2020 19:27

We’ve recently had a full survey carried out on a property purchase and the only things that need sorting are a few gas/electric checks and a small damp issue. Coincidently the bannister needs bringing up to date for safety reasons but we are happy to sort this out as well as a few other things our surveyor discovered. We have not asked for a price drop. Stick to your guns OP.

cabbageking · 21/12/2020 19:31

Ask your EA to request a copy so everyone knows what is essential work as opposed to choice.

thegcatsmother · 21/12/2020 19:34

Tell them it is not April Fools Day til next year. They are batshit crazy.

Veterinari · 21/12/2020 19:45

Surveys only deal in structural/degenerative issues. Not whether the plants are in the right place or whether the new doors may or may not require future upkeep.

They're taking the piss

feliciabirthgiver · 21/12/2020 19:58

Maybe this is a blessing in disguise and gives you a bit more breathing space to decide what you want to do re your purchase?
I'm sorry though this must be the last thing you need approaching xmas and after the year we have all had!

pinkdragons · 21/12/2020 20:00

Hell no.
Hey are just trying their luck.

Smallgoon · 21/12/2020 20:26

Wow, the absolute cheek of it. They're testing your resolve. Don't budge, and if they continue to chase, pull out.

QualityFeet · 21/12/2020 20:30

Have a think about what you actually want to do. I would feel some delight in telling them to get stuffed.

NotABeliever · 21/12/2020 20:34

Insane. Is this the first property they buy in the UK? Can they just be naive (young, from a different culture, first time buyers, etc)? If none of the above, I would just relist

SingingSands · 21/12/2020 20:39

They are hilarious. Tell them that.
Reply "LOL. No."

AntiHop · 21/12/2020 20:39

Thet are being ridiculous. Those things are not that are worth of a price drop!

We moved a couple of years ago. After we had the survey, we found out there were serious damp issues (from penetrating damp) and the need for at a minimum partial rewiring. We asked for a price stop. Vendor refused. We were not prepared to but it at that price, as we wouldn't have been able to afford to do the repairs.

For the next house, the survey found some minor rising damp issues, common in this age of house. We didn't ask for a price drop, as it wasn't a big deal.

User43210 · 21/12/2020 20:46

As others have said, this is choice and you can't expect money off because of something you want to change with no need to.

If I was in your shoes (and I would feel awful for the rest of the chain) I would use this to pull out of the sale and relist whilst going for my dream home. Sounds like a blessing really. They'll come back as they've already bought the house in their mind then you can choose to uphold the chain or go for your dream house and refuse to sell to them. They'll be terrified when you pull out.

SheldonesqueIsUnwell · 21/12/2020 20:50

Chancers.

Call their bluff. I despise greedy people.

mountains76 · 21/12/2020 20:59

Are they first time buyers? Did they offer quite a lot above asking?

What's the most serious thing on the list?

plannit · 21/12/2020 21:14

Blimey what ridiculous things to ask for money off for!

We just moved last week and after our survey we negotiated £3.5k off for serious stuff like roof and damp - they met the cost half way and that was fair I thought. Same as our buyer had us knocks bit off for some minor damp - I was expecting it and had budgeted for the possibility.

It would never occur to me to expect money off for decor and the garden etc. How rude.

justanotherneighinparadise · 21/12/2020 21:30

I would not only tell them the house will be going back on the market id tell them you now want 5k more for it.

Pricks.

BertNErnie · 21/12/2020 21:33

Repainting the ceilings?!!!

Dear god. Tell them to get lost.

Mrgrinch · 21/12/2020 21:38

Take it as a sign that you should go for the dream house!

Original poster
Amerimoon · 21/12/2020 22:36

They aren’t first time buyers but they are young (late 20s at a guess). They’ve just sold their flat so they’ve bought before but this is their first house and they sound as though they think they’re buying a new build property and expecting it to be perfect for them upon arrival - ha!! They’re getting a great deal and they offered the absolute lowest we would consider but we decided to go along with it because they’re in rented and we thought it would be a very easy sale. That was clearly a misjudgment!! Confused

OP posts:
isseys4xmastinselcats · 21/12/2020 22:54

blimey when we looked at this house last year it was empty needed total new kitchen, redecorating right through new flooring all the way through (think 1980s floral axminster at its worst) but all the houses on this estate are the same they are semi detatched 1940s, and the price reflected the work needed doing it was 23k under all the recent sales and we knew even spending 10k on doing it up was still some equity , no two ways we offered full asking, and in the 18 months we have been here they have gone up 5k in value, and we still havent finished doing it up yet

PickAChew · 21/12/2020 22:58

Surveys don't demand anything. They point out potential issues, highlight which are serious issues ansmd recommend further, expert investigation for anything serious. Like my typing ;)

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