Buyers want to visit before exchanging

[Sylvan92]

We accepted an offer on our house in the first week of March and then found and had an offer accepted on our house at the beginning of May. As April progressed, our buyers were getting a bit fidgety and asked the estate agent if we’d move out and rent. Erm no.
Their solicitors seem to move slowly. For example, despite starting two months before us, the results of their searches only came back two weeks before ours. They have bombarded our solicitor with questions, often repeatedly on the same subject. We’ve answered everything promptly and provided the paperwork when needed. Many of the questions aren’t in her legal remit.
A former owner of the house erected a conservatory without planning permission in the 80s. When we bought the house our conveyancer advised it wasn’t an issue. We actually had a copy of her letter which we forwarded. There was no reply. Our solicitor then suggested we take out an indemnity on it to expedite things. We’ve been waiting ten days for an answer.
The buyers wanted to buy some our fixtures and fittings. My husband suggested they could come visit and look at things rather than continually email. The estate agent has emailed some dates they’ve suggested. Would I be unreasonable to say no until the paperwork is finished and everything’s agreed? I feel they are continually looking for issues and I don’t want anything else being flagged up.
I should add we’re in a very short chain. Our vendors are going to their villa in Portugal and their buyers are first time buyers. This should have been quite simple.

Your husband has invited them. You'd be very rude to now say no.

We had our buyers visit twice before we had exchanged and all was good. They brought their children on the first visit and the second was just to measure up for their furniture and plan things for the garden. They might think you are hiding something if you refuse.

@Orf1abc

Your husband has invited them. You'd be very rude to now say no.

I’m not saying no but I don’t want to do anything until we are close to finishing the paperwork. If you read my post, we’ve waited ten days for a yes/no answer and this is holding everything up. However they replied within a couple of hours when we suggested visiting.

They waited 2 months for you to find a house to buy.

Why would they have racked up solicitors costs when the chain wasn’t complete, I.e you hadn’t had an offer accepted.

And having waited 2 months, it wasn’t that outrageous just to enquire about you breaking the chain by renting. You were lucky not to lose them at that point. The FTB in the chain will have a deadline on their mortgage offer.

So, perhaps be less spiky?

Your DH invited them. Just get in with it, what’s the big deal?

They are probably waiting for their solicitors to rely / advise on the indemnity. Ask your EA to chase an answer.

Whereas they can easily reply to a date suggestion.

The EA and solicitor have chased. Not sure what to do next.

Let them come and ask them in person.

We were told to visit before exchange as a matter of routine. I’d let them visit and try to hurry them along nicely.

Their question re the conservatory is perfectly legitimate and normal. They waited 2 months and didn’t start solicitor stuff until the chain was complete - this is normal. They haven’t really done a lot wrong and they want to see the house they’re excited to buy but you delayed for 2 months, your Dh invited them and now you’re prickly? Have them round, build up their excitement for the move and mention what’s left to chase so it can move forward ASAP but do this without being arsey.

@m0therdragons. No they did not wait two months to visit the house again. We invited them only last week. We were waiting to both be double jabbed before we had people in the house. Perhaps it might be a good idea to see them in person.

The pp meant they waited 2 months for you to find a house to buy.

Right.

I think your buyers have behaved perfectly reasonably, they have to go through the correct procedures and are being guided by their solicitors, some solicitors are more cautious than others.
Have you not read posts on here about people pulling out of house sales due to things like no planning, building control etc etc, everyone has to decide if it’s a problem for them or not and then decide how to proceed. Maybe they are being super cautious.
Anyway I hope the issue is resolved soon. Not letting them visit will only make relations more difficult, why would you want that? You want them to feel good, happy excited about your house.
I think you need to lighten up and stop blaming them for all the frustrations that come with the UK house buying process, it’s a shit system but you just have to get through it and try not to blame everyone.

You waited for your second vaccination before letting the people who you hope will buy your house back in the actual house?

Blimey, in their shoes, any more faffing about from you I'd be thinking you weren't serious and pulling out.

You’ll find most of the crap from buyers is their solicitor being rubbish. Our sellers thought we were awful but we were completely unaware.

I know how you feel op.
Our buyers wanted to come round just before completion to measure up.
I was worried they'd find something and change their mind lol
I voiced my concern to the estate agent and they reassured me this was all perfectly normal.
They came and happily measure a few bits.
9 years on and they have made our old house their own - even have a baby now :)

Your buyers would be daft to exchange on a house they haven't seen for months without visiting again. If they exchanged contracts they would be committing to buying the house for the agreed price, in its current condition, even if half the roof has fallen in.

In their position, I would delay exchange until you allowed me a viewing.

My solicitor recommended I visit the day before exchange and then let him know I'm happy to proceed. The house was tenanted when I first viewed it and the tenants had just vacated so it made sense to come and check nothing untoward had happened in the meantime. It also gave the vendor a chance to tell me about practical things like when the bins are collected and where they had left window keys.

I think it’s normal to want to view more than once before committing to buy a house. Think of all the time you spent test driving and looking at a car, which is a small percentage of the money you’d spend on a house. I’m always surprised how little time people spend viewing, and how few times they go and view, for such a massive commitment.

So, I think you should accommodate any viewings, as much as possible.

I moved in January - I visited the house I was going to buy - twice in fact - to check out measurements for furniture. My buyers similarly visited at least twice to do the same - it's perfectly normal to do that before exchange.

As m0therofdragons has already said, it is almost certain that repeated queries are coming from the solicitor acting for your buyers, as opposed to the buyers themselves.

I don’t understand what they have done wrong here?! It sounds like you’re just being awkward for the sake of it…

Let them visit!
My brother was advised by his sol to visit his new house before exchange.
You'd be pretty crazy to not visit again before completing tbh.

We made the offer to visit because there’s nothing to hide! My dh and ds are vulnerable so we’ve been careful over the last year. God bless you if you don’t have to worry.

You could still socially distance, wear masks etc, 15 mins inside the house, maybe have a chat outside in the garden if you need to discuss things for longer if you are worried about Covid, I think most people would understand, you need to do what makes you feel comfortable, but do bear in mind they are making a massive financial commitment so do need to know what they are buying. I hope it all goes well for you.