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Original poster

Harrassed by failed buyers

103 replies

blacklilypad · 08/09/2021 13:28

My friend and her husband completed and moved into their new house 3 weeks ago. They were looking for months and finally found the perfect property. It went to best and final and they didn't get it. My friend was distraught and her DH called the estate agent offered more money and they got it. Obviously, this was not a particularly ethical thing to do but it happens and it worked for them.

After they had been in the house a couple of days, they received a hand delivered letter saying they 'would get what was coming to them'. Their first thought was it was some teenagers bored over the school holiday and they were a little worried about what kind of neighbourhood they had bought into.

The next one said something along the lines of karma would sort them out and they knew what they did. It started to get very I know what you did last summer. But this made them think it was the buyer that they gazuumped.

They have received several more and get them every few days. My friend is really upset. She is a very sensitive and kind person and already had felt terrible about the gazuumping but her DH had convinced her it was fine. They have gone to the local police station but they can't help as currently no crime has been committed as the threats are more karma based than 'I'm going to hurt you'.

They are looking at getting a camera to see if they can catch them or hopefully just put them off doing it.

Has anyone else ever had any experience of anything like this? If so, did they eventually get bored? I know gazuumping is horrible (and have had it done to me) but this seems a bit of an over the top reaction to it.

OP posts:
Original poster
blacklilypad · 08/09/2021 16:32

@canigooutyet

Any chance the previous owners were getting harassed like this?
Not that they know of. But that is a good point. Maybe they should see if their neighbours know anything?
OP posts:
Roselilly36 · 08/09/2021 16:38

@hippychick10

I'd go back to the estate agents and try and get them to help...after all they'll know who your friend gazzumped!!
Absolutely right, they wouldn’t give you their details, but they would to the police. Contact the EA and get them to get in touch with the gazumped buyer and warn them of possible legal action if they do not refrain.
AreYouReally · 08/09/2021 16:39

Pretty shoddy behaviour on both sides. Why are you asking for your 'friend's, can she not type?

AreYouReally · 08/09/2021 16:39

*friend

FirstTimeMommy2021 · 08/09/2021 16:44

Yes I agree with all the pp about getting a ring doorbell installed. We have a ring doorbell, not always reliable connection wise though so we got a couple of Neos cameras off Amazon which are brilliant and connect to app on phone aswell. They were only about £20 a camera and to be honest the picture quality and reliability of them are miles better than my ring doorbell

WhatAWasteOfOranges · 08/09/2021 16:45

Gazumping is shit yes! But it happens… it’s just tough tits. It is not comparable to threatening notes or to be used in any way as a justifiable excuse for harassment.
Hopefully a Ring doorbell will do the trick.

FleasInMyKnees · 08/09/2021 16:51

You can tell the e.a but without proof what can they do except ask the failed buyers. Its not their job to send them a letter threatening legal action.

wannabeamummysobad · 08/09/2021 16:54

Why does everyone assume the note came from the gazzumpt buyer?
The note said you'll get what you're due (can't remember the exact words)..

For all we know it's directed at the DH of the OP friend for dumping a side GF, directed at the wife for being a 🐕 (outside of the gazzumping), directed at the original owners and an ongoing issue they failed to disclose at sale.

If I were the gazzumpted buyer I'd be furious if the EA/OP friends accused me of committing a crime with no evidence. You've already been annoying by going behind everyone's back with tears and now you insist on bringing more hassle to their lives?! Leave them be, get some security and maybe the stress they are feeling is karma 🤷‍♀️.

chukwe · 08/09/2021 16:55

Nemesis have caught up with them for their action

Twiglets1 · 08/09/2021 16:55

Just because our system allows for it doesn’t mean they should have done it. Our system allows people to evade tax and be nasty to their children and pets but decent people don’t go around doing that.
You are still calling your friend “kind” but she wasn’t kind in this instance so it’s a bit rich to expect strangers to feel sorry for her when she had no empathy for the other people bidding on that property who won the bid fair and square.
Of course harassment is also unacceptable

Pinklioness · 08/09/2021 16:58

I don't think your friend's been kind at all. It's a horrible thing to do to someone. There are lots of things that aren't actually illegal but are still unpleasant and we should avoid doing them. She should stick by her own morals and not hide behind her husband saying it was fine.

bowchicawowwow · 08/09/2021 17:00

What on earth? The failed buyers issue is with the vendor of the house or the estate agent, not with the successful purchaser.

FrippEnos · 08/09/2021 17:02

It is possible that it could the the people that they Gazumped but it is as likely that this is why the previous owners wanted to move.

And they may not have reported it to the police as they would have had to declare it to prospective buyers.

dubyalass · 08/09/2021 17:02

Whoever's sending the notes is targeting the wrong people (not that I'm excusing it, it's harassment and unacceptable). The vendors are the ones who accepted the increased offer after best and finals, so the blame lies with them.

I don't think anyone comes out of this well, but that's the property market here, this sort of thing is possible and legal, and sadly all too common in the kind of bonkers market we have at the moment.

Boomkin · 08/09/2021 17:02

I don't think your friend's been kind at all
Tough shit, that’s how the world works! If you’re nice then you’re at a disadvantage because nobody else is. You have to play the game. OP’s friend offered more money and she won. Sucks to be the other person but they can’t go around harassing people just because they were outbid.

GreyhoundG1rl · 08/09/2021 17:10

So they offered over asking but not their maximum. I think £10k over.
They knew full well what they were doing.
They were awful to do it and the agent was unprincipled to let them.

earthyfire · 08/09/2021 17:10

sensitive and kind...are you sure?

AgentProvocateur · 08/09/2021 17:21

It’s maybe nothing to do with the person who was gazumped. Your friend and her DH don’t seem to have many morals - maybe he’s done someone over somewhere else too.

TheSpottedZebra · 08/09/2021 17:25

@AgentProvocateur

It’s maybe nothing to do with the person who was gazumped. Your friend and her DH don’t seem to have many morals - maybe he’s done someone over somewhere else too.
Or maybe it's some kind of early neighbour dispute, due to inconsiderate noise or parking on moving day.

It might be nothing to do with the non-buyers!

RosiePosieDozy · 08/09/2021 17:26

Could be an enemy/stalker of the previous owner. May be nothing to do with the gazumping.

I would definitely get a camera if I was them. I would also try and catch them in the act to see who and why.

Tabitha005 · 08/09/2021 17:30

An estate agent not preventing a gazumping situation is expected, isn't it? I don't know if EAs are contractually obliged to pass on every offer to their vendors, even after a 'final' offer has been accepted.

It's down to buyers not to engage in gazumping once a 'final' offer has been accepted and sellers not to screw a prospective buyer over by accepting a higher offer.

In the absence of estate agents having any of their own 'principles' on that score, it comes down to buyers and sellers to act with integrity - and that's asking everyone to graciously accept when they've been outbid and move on. It's probably gonna fall 50/50 on the amount of people who'll step back and those who'll go hell for leather to get the property under any circumstances - or, at least, move the price upwards, and then potentially pull out, leaving the original successful bidder having to pay more anyway (which is more shitty than actually successfully gazumping another buyer, imho).

I agree with those saying your friends knew full well what they were doing. Not saying the creepy notes are in any way justified (and the police definitely need to take it seriously), but most adults understand that some actions can have unwanted consequences.

Maybe it'll give these people pause for thought should a similar situation involving a matter of integrity arise. I mean, that's what self-improvement through learning from previous experiences is all about, right?

GreyhoundG1rl · 08/09/2021 17:31

You're very over involved with your friend's troubles, op. Is this sensitive, kind, paragon of virtue really you?

Jemand · 08/09/2021 17:31

Your friend needs to go to someone more senior in the police and point out that they have a right to be protected from harassment.

GreyhoundG1rl · 08/09/2021 17:33

@Jemand

Your friend needs to go to someone more senior in the police and point out that they have a right to be protected from harassment.
Oh, honestly...
RamblingJenny · 08/09/2021 17:33

We’ve been gazumped and this is not a normal reaction. I think we said ‘oh well onto the next’ and the old whatever happens happens for a reason bullish!t to convince yourself you’re alright, when actually you’re a little upset. And then 5 minutes later you get back on Rightmove with a brew and all is forgotten?