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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:
PickAChew · 21/12/2020 23:01

[quote Amerimoon]@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.[/quote]
If they were red, I wouldn't negotiate on it unless they'd requested and arranged a professional survey, eg electrics, roof.

If they don't fancy painting something, they can jog on.

PurplePansy05 · 21/12/2020 23:01

They're trying it on OP. We're buying and selling. We'd never request anything as unreasonable as this from our seller.

Amira19 · 21/12/2020 23:04

Id tell the lm you're pulling out. The Cfs

LittleOverwhelmed · 21/12/2020 23:22

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Bargebill19 · 21/12/2020 23:33

Well .... you could be cheeky right back at them! Say...
Yes, you will negotiate each item, then ADD the cost of doing what they want to the asking price of the house!

They are trying it. Teach them a lesson and find another buyer.

Salome61 · 21/12/2020 23:35

So sorry, selling your house is like being at the worst car boot sale in the world, some buyers want everything for nothing. I hope you are able to stand firm.

catwithflowers · 21/12/2020 23:43

We had a very similar issue. We told the agents that we had lost confidence in the buyers and suggested they re-market our property immediately. The next day, the buyers reinstated their original offer 😶

WhatKatyDidNxt · 21/12/2020 23:47

They sound bat shit! You make changes to a house when you own it and move in. You don’t make the previous owners do them. Wrong height of bannisters?!?!

TheCraicDealer · 21/12/2020 23:54

I'd be going back to them and saying that the features (not "issues" as there's nothing wrong with them!) such as ceiling colour, wooden doors and the landscaping were apparent not only during their viewing but also on the original listing. The survey has brought up nothing new which might reasonably form the basis for negotiation on the agreed price, and if they're unwilling to proceed on that basis it'll be going back on the market tomorrow.

I simply do not believe that someone needs to pay for a survey to know they wooden doors will need to be repainted at some point in the future. Call their bluff!

Hawkins001 · 22/12/2020 00:06

Once you buy a property, I'd always presumed any improvements or alterations are upto the buyers to finance, rather than using them as a reason to reduce the buying price.

User43210 · 22/12/2020 02:23

After your latest update, I would definitely remarket. Get a bit more, don't settle for a low offer from CFs who are now haggling on interior decor. Decide that you can't accept the price they originally offered and now need to relist your house. Make sure you get something out of it, and they're welcome to up their offer, knowing you will not reduce and they've had their survey.

TheresNothingIWantMore · 22/12/2020 06:54

I'm not wondering if their buyer has knocked them down and they're trying to pass it along? Either way not your problem and I think you're doing the right thing telling them no, and that you're willing to relist today.

I was thinking you should get a copy of the report and try to fully rebuff them but your way is much quicker and clearer.

LadyEloise · 22/12/2020 09:11

@Amerimoon
I think this is telling you to go for your dream home.
You are too nice. Look at how grasping your buyers are.

Cheeseandlobster · 22/12/2020 09:25

Cheeky bastards. It would serve them right if they didnt get the property now. How grabby and rude. I think your house sounds lovely op. Can I buy it instead please Smile

Marvelle · 22/12/2020 09:27

@MatildaonaWaltzer

Put it back on the market tomorrow at original asking price. They are appalling idiots
Original plus 10k
justanotherneighinparadise · 22/12/2020 10:27

Just know that this won’t stop if you know them back at this stage. They’ll wait until the last moment and demand the same 5k off before exchange. And then you’ll be forced to say yes as you’d lose too much money otherwise.

justanotherneighinparadise · 22/12/2020 10:27

*knock

ReplacementPlasticUterus · 22/12/2020 10:41

What kind of internal doors are they expecting, if not wooden?

I wouldn't sell to them at all after that - you can imagine the batshittery that might follow if they think these are reasonable requests.

SendHelp30 · 22/12/2020 10:46

Go for the dream house OP. It’s a sign.

SoupDragon · 22/12/2020 10:48

Internal doors are always made of wood aren't they? Or hardboard I guess but still basically painted. Are plastic internal doors a thing?

Anyway, if those are the things they've chosen to renegotiate on, there can't be anything even vaguely important in the survey.

RosesAndHellebores · 22/12/2020 10:49

Tell your EA to respond with the following message. "Cheeky Buyers has asked us to thank you for your revised offer but does not accept it. Cheeky Buyer has also reminded us that she is free to sell her house to whom she likes and if the original offer is not reinstated by close of business on x x we are to be ready to remarked the property from 9am the following morning."

I have done the above in response to similar and it worked. However I was very certain the already agreed price was good and fair.

SheldonesqueIsUnwell · 22/12/2020 10:53

I’d be tempted to say that you will remove all the doors to save them from having to maintain them.

Likewise I’d say I would remove the planting so that they could put in plants themselves to the point in the garden they felt was acceptable.

The bannister? Sawn down to a quarter of an inch. To enable them to climb up the stairs like the worms they are.

All of the things they are wringing their hands over were in plain sight. As I said above they are simply being chancers.

sueelleker · 22/12/2020 11:06

@Amerimoon

I don’t have a copy of the survey as such... we just have an excerpt that they’ve included in their email but that could be edited for all we know. The email starts off saying that the survey says there’s no reason the purchase can’t continue as planned and they’ve also had their mortgage offer accepted. They then launch into a big list of things they’re willing to negotiate on Hmm and have categorised them into order of severity with the most severe being repainting the ceilings and replacing all the doors.. then it goes on and on until things like the garden replanting??? We’ve sent EA an email saying we’re happy to relist tomorrow if they’re not continuing.
And if they buy the house, would they like you to come back next year to re-paper for them? CF!
thelumberjack · 22/12/2020 12:42

They are bonkers. Definitely don't agree to their demands.
Perhaps it's a sign that you should reconsider your dream house after all.

salcombebabe · 22/12/2020 14:28

@Amerimoon

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
Have you spoken to the estate agent OP? What did they/the buyers say?