Completed on house this morning but previous owner still hasn’t left!!

[BlueFireSmokey]

Got the message from the solicitor to say we had completed at around 11am this morning. Told the house was now ours and we could pick up the keys from the estate agents. Phoned estate agents and arranged to pick keys up at 3pm. We were very excited as it’s our first home!

Got to estate agents no sign of keys no one seemed to know where they were. They phoned the vendor who said she wasn’t done packing!! And would be gone in a couple of hours. Estate agents told us they shut at 5:30 so to get the keys we would need to go to the house and get them direct from the vendor.

We then left it a couple hours before going to our lovely new home. Fortunately, we have several weeks left on our tenancy so we aren’t actually moving all our furniture in today (vendor doesn’t know this). Anyway they are still there! They said they will be another twenty minutes.

We are gonna find some dinner somewhere then head back and see if they are gone. They gave us a key but they still have keys they said they will put through letter box. This isn’t how I imagined today would go!

[purplesequins]

our packers packed the full bin and the wireless thermostat

[ejhhhhh]

💯 my top tip to anyone moving with a house load of stuff, is that if you can possibly afford packing as part of the removals, do it. It was the best couple of £k we've ever spent. All we did was pack a suitcase for overnight, as they packed up the house the day before the move, and they did literally everything else. We did do a bit of sorting, throwing away etc before we moved, but we didn't have time for much for that, we had a toddler and a baby and I'd just started back at work after maternity leave. It really didn't matter, the packers didn't bat an eyelid at all out crap, and they more than earned their tip. Just please, save the stress and get the professionals to do it, they did in a day what would have taken us days and days of painful faffing, and all valuables/breakables were wrapped and properly protected, they even gave us some portable wardrobe box things. It's not worth scrimping on imo.

[FeeLock]

I'd expect some kind of compensation for such an unprofessional job. Imagine if you'd driven 100+ miles, met your removals lorry there and then had to wait for hours? In the rain? Presumably the removals people could only do the one day as they may have bookings the following day - then what, do your belongings have to be put in storage? And at whose expense? And where do you & your family spend the night?

I'd be on the warpath!

[BlueFireSmokey]

Oh yes, I understand it’s very hard to time moving exactly. Mostly my frustration lies with the estate agent as they said (after we completed at 11am) that we could pick up the keys from them anytime after 1pm - that implies they would have the keys after 1pm. The estate agent shuts at 5:30 and we couldn’t have got there on time after work so we had to take time out of work. If they had said from the start collect the keys from the seller at 6pm that would’ve actually been easier for us and we wouldn’t have minded (although they weren’t actually gone by 6pm)

Also, the seller wasn’t moving into an onward purchase so really they could’ve packed up and left the day before! (And they suggested the completion date)

[mikulkin]

@Retired65

Retired65

Next time I move I will get the removal company to pack.

Have you read the thread? So many people let down by removers who have no idea how long packing should take.
Just better to plan ahead.

Yes I have read the thread. I think some companies come and pack a few days before the actually removal day but I may be wrong.

Yes they do. Our packers came the day before, packed everything and then on day of moving they just handled de-assembling furniture and moving boxes
Having said that I am not sure why everyone is so outrages at the situation OP is in. We completed at noon, were ready to move out at 3 but couldn’t as the owners of the house we were moving into were still not ready. There were 7 people in chain so delay in one of the houses caused the domino effect. Both our buyers and us were understanding.
Our buyers similar to you were not moving in that day so we just showed them around, gave all the documents and keys. We did apologise but they were absolutely cool with this. It is very hard to plan exact time of moving out and I guess knowing you are not moving in they were a bit more relaxed than usual.

[Retired65]

Retired65

Next time I move I will get the removal company to pack.

Have you read the thread? So many people let down by removers who have no idea how long packing should take.
Just better to plan ahead.

Yes I have read the thread. I think some companies come and pack a few days before the actually removal day but I may be wrong.

[Zinnia]

Maybe it's like childbirth and if a few years go past since you last moved you forget how horrific it is.

100% this. We moved out of our 4 bed house recently to stay in a 2 bed flat whilst building works are going on. We didn't even have to pack up the whole house, but it was horrendous.

That said, if we were moving/selling, I'd have the packers in 2 days before and be out ASAP, by lunchtime at least we were a couple of hours later than that with one move and I still cringe to think of it.

[EdgeOfTheSky]

You are paying an estate agent for access to their buyers list, some marketing and for a 20 something cocksure lad in a shiny suit sporting an abnormal sized knot in his tie to 'negotiate' a final sale price. That's it

I don’t agree. EAs also provide a very useful service throughout the sale process. Making sure everyone is on track, nudging solicitors, negotiating difficulties and disputes, sometimes solving problems.

I agree that it is a solicitor’s job to make sure their client understands all the implications of the contract they have signed, including what vacant possession at the point of completion actually means. And doesn’t include fannying around with a relay of mate’s small vans all afternoon and leaving your rocking horse collection in the attic until it suits you to pick it up.

[DillonPanthersTexas]

I think when people have owned a house for a while they forget how much stuff they have acquired. They think back to when they moved in with a few sticks of furniture and a kettle and somehow imagine that moving out will be the same. I dont think it is selfishness more delusion.

I which case they are morons.

[GnomeDePlume]

Most people buying a home would have at least rented a flat/house a few times and will be aware of the ball-ache that moving home entails. Most people have rented vans and spent all day ferrying stuff back and forth across town.

I think when people have owned a house for a while they forget how much stuff they have acquired. They think back to when they moved in with a few sticks of furniture and a kettle and somehow imagine that moving out will be the same. I dont think it is selfishness more delusion.

[DillonPanthersTexas]

Makes me wonder again what estate agents do to earn their commission, though, if they don't get it across to their clients that completion means the house won't be yours any more so you need to be packed and out by that stage. It's not exactly rocket science, is it?

You are paying an estate agent for access to their buyers list, some marketing and for a 20 something cocksure lad in a shiny suit sporting an abnormal sized knot in his tie to 'negotiate' a final sale price. That's it.

It is the solicitors responsibility to make it crystal clear to the buyers and vendors of their legal responsibilities throughout the conveyancing process.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Maybe it's like childbirth and if a few years go past since you last moved you forget how horrific it is. Of course over that time you probably accumulate a lot more possessions, paperwork etc and perhaps also busier all round if still any combo of working/kids/caring responsibilities - or you slow down a bit if not still working (this is my own experience before somebody accuses me of ageism, btw).

Makes me wonder again what estate agents do to earn their commission, though, if they don't get it across to their clients that completion means the house won't be yours any more so you need to be packed and out by that stage. It's not exactly rocket science, is it?

[DillonPanthersTexas]

I think a lot of people totally underestimate what is involved in packing and resent the idea of paying someone else to do it for them. Come moving day they then get into a panic or shut down and grind to a halt.

Most people buying a home would have at least rented a flat/house a few times and will be aware of the ball-ache that moving home entails. Most people have rented vans and spent all day ferrying stuff back and forth across town. We have all had that euphoric feeling at 10pm at night when you have finished unloading and you are sat on the floor in a room full of boxes sharing a beer that you are finally 'in'. I just think most people who leave it to the last minute are just inconsiderate lazy selfish twats.

[Badlytornfrube]

@notoldjustpastyoung RTF

[notoldjustpastyoung]

Phone your solicitor and get him to handle it. It's his job.

[CaptaNoctem]

@Anordinarymum

Willow19C

Why is it that no matter how much you explain there is always someone like you who does not read?
I'll spell it out.

The new buyer knew we would not move until monies were exchanged. We had been told to do nothing until we got the phone call. Buyer knew all this.
They viewed our house a few times and we got on well. I had told them I was dreading the day. They told me it was not a problem as they were not moving in yet. They were putting their house up for rent and would not be moving in to mine for a week at least.

I had agreed with them that I would be cleaning the upstairs carpets. I had hired a carpet cleaner. They knew the carpets would be damp but since they were not moving in now it did not matter.
Everything was completed. We started the move. They changed their minds and wanted the keys.
I won't explain any more but for some strange reason this thread has stirred up bad memories of that awful day and all because they CHANGED THEIR MINDS.
My estate agent tried to reason with them saying this was agreed. They wanted their keys. They had to wait. End of

I sincerely hope you never sell to me.
.



The locks would be being changed whilst you were faffing about as I’d be legally entitled to do.

Thank you though. I shall be telling my solicitors this morning to make it crystal clear to our current vendors that we will expect keys on completion.

[GnomeDePlume]

I think a lot of people totally underestimate what is involved in packing and resent the idea of paying someone else to do it for them. Come moving day they then get into a panic or shut down and grind to a halt.

[Beastieboys]

Second load was outside ready to be loaded it was the only way it could be done due to the constant delays in raising funds by the buyer. They had been messing us about for months and had been given a deadline that if we didn't complete that day it was all off. House I was going to was empty

[PickAChew]

@Retired65

Next time I move I will get the removal company to pack.

Have you read the thread? So many people let down by removers who have no idea how long packing should take.

Just better to plan ahead.

[PickAChew]

Those who don't even think about packing until removal day - are you the same when you go on holiday? Shit, my plane is doe to leave in 3 hours, best sort out some clothes to take and make sure my passport is up to date?

[EdgeOfTheSky]

@Beastieboys but if you are selling and buying simultaneously, selling your house and the money being transferred to buy your next house, you can never go back and forth with van loads as there is never a moment that you own both houses.

Why was completion and the transfer of money delayed unr so late in the afternoon? Was this directly your buyers fault? Surely their solicitors were holding this money?

[LovePoppy]

@WorkHardPlayHard1

Oh come on have a heart!

The job of clearing out was a lot bigger than they thought, maybe someone let them down who was helping? Maybe something else happened?

Luckily you didn't need to move in that day!! Leave them for a couple more hours (say you will leave them one more hour so room for manoevre).

They are not nasty, just disorganised fgs!!

My mums house buyer kicked off that a piece of furniture was left in her garage. It was my mums mums sideboard. She buyer moved it outside and it rained on it, which upset my mum 6 months later the buyer had died. Its really not that bad.. ?! Good luck in your lovely new home! 🏡xx

But it should have been moved!!

Jeepers, people know their moving dates.

Your family should have sorted that out.

[opportunityoctober]

One house we moved into, the vendors had actually left but the house was left in such a state: light switches taken; carpet was reeking of dog's piss; fish tank unplugged so all their tropical fish were dead. Oh, and they'd left a home-made porn video in the attic 😬

[NumberTheory]

@Dnaltocs

Are the contents of the house now the new owners property?

No.

[BSideBaby]

This happened to me. Buyer had a new baby, was breastfeeding, and couldn't move into her new house until the evening when her DH got home from work. She sat on the sofa and we had a good chat for a few hours while I moved my stuff in. We're still friends nearly twenty-five years later.