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Original poster

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

368 replies

BlueFireSmokey · 22/09/2021 19:26

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!

OP posts:
OnTheBenchOfDoom · 22/09/2021 19:56

This happened to us. We were relocating so the removal men actually drove up and stored our things overnight and would move us in the next morning due to the time we would arrive and how long it would take to move us in.

We turned up in 2 cars having driven over 3 hours to find them still moving out. They finally left at 6pm, we were livid. Moved themselves instead of hiring a removal company. Good job we didn't have a van waiting. It had been a long and stressful day.

You need to stay at the property and get all the keys. I would want to enter the property at this point, it is legally yours. I would also be looking to change the barrel in the locks. Very easy to do and lots of videos on YouTube showing you how to do it.

Cheshirewife · 22/09/2021 19:58

Legally this shouldn’t happen, as others have said.

However, in the circumstances, it’s hours, not days, so I’d probably take a deep breath and let this one go!

NewHouseNewMe · 22/09/2021 19:58

Any news OP? Have they gone yet?

Kiduknot · 22/09/2021 19:58

How annoying

SpeakingFranglais · 22/09/2021 20:01

Totally taking the piss.

You exchange, you know the agreed completion date.

You all pack as much as you can In advance and be packed up on the lorry as early as possible AM waiting for completion.

completion happens, you collect your keys, everyone moves to the next house and moves in.

So many slack people.

ButterflyAway · 22/09/2021 20:02

Confused are they gone yet? Hope you get them out tonight!

Usualsundayblues · 22/09/2021 20:02

Irritating but really what can you do? It’s all very well people saying the house is yours etc but the stuff inside it is theirs surely so if you just take over the house you’ve stolen their things? Not that I’m saying this is what you’re planning to do!

What would people actually do in the situation, if it was them themselves rather than just answering a thread on MN? What could you actually do other than make phone calls to other people and make it clear you’re not happy? What’s the benefit of that?

starpatch · 22/09/2021 20:03

Must admit I was that vendor, completed at lunchtime and not out until 5. The removal van couldn't fit all my stuff in and had to come back for a second load (4 hour round trip). Apologised profusely and gave buyer a set of keys, she was lovely about it.

Georgewontsleepnow · 22/09/2021 20:06

I would make yourself at home and 'help' then pack. Make sure no rubbish is left and pack it in with all their stuff. They'll get the message.

RoseRedRoseBlue · 22/09/2021 20:07

God I would be absolutely raging!

harriethoyle · 22/09/2021 20:07

Get deliveroo to YOUR new house (not theirs, cfs!) and eat pizza in YOUR lounge whilst waiting for them to leave!

Disfordarkchocolate · 22/09/2021 20:10

This is surprisingly common. We once bought a house and the owner hadn't realised they had to empty the house (it was their mother's). We had to move in the next day.

Clymene · 22/09/2021 20:11

Yes, get a deliveroo and sit in your house and eat it.

Original poster
BlueFireSmokey · 22/09/2021 20:13

We are still waiting. I don’t think they will be much longer. But I agree there is not much you can do. Just gotta see the funny side!

OP posts:
RoseRedRoseBlue · 22/09/2021 20:14

It’s the audacity! What would have happened if you had needed to give back your tenancy keys today?

fluffythedragonslayer · 22/09/2021 20:16

Exactly the same happened to us. We were actually given keys from the estate agents and let ourselves in to find the previous owners still there. All their stuff was in the garden which made it really tricky for our removal guys to get our stuff in (rear access only). Absolute nightmare. Solicitors didn't care just told us to ask them to leave. So we did, and they left half their stuff in our garden saying they'd come back the next day. They didn't return until the next afternoon. I was so annoyed and it put a real dampner on the excitement of the move.

ButtonMoonLoon · 22/09/2021 20:16

I’d let yourselves in and start cleaning or whatever you were planning to do.
It’s your property now and they are behaving absolutely dreadfully!

LastStarfighter · 22/09/2021 20:18

Are you just waiting outside? I would absolutely go with the suggestion of making yourself at home with a pizza in YOUR new living room while you wait for the locksmith.

Tistheseason17 · 22/09/2021 20:18

Bonkers. Good luck!

5zeds · 22/09/2021 20:19

Definitely go and sit in it.

PegasusReturns · 22/09/2021 20:20

Are they not even mildly embarrassed?!

MrsMaizel · 22/09/2021 20:20

@Clymene

There was a thread on here a while ago by someone who was pissed off that her buyers had showed up because she was still having lunch Grin

They're trespassing. The house doesn't belong to them, it belongs to you. I hope they're gone.

Yes !! 😂😂😂 I was just thinking of that !
RosiePosieDozy · 22/09/2021 20:20

That's awful. I imagine that they don't want to leave the house and are delaying...but that's not your problem. Sit on the drive outside/in the car on the road and wait for them to leave. If it gets to 9pm, you need to go in the house and ask them to leave. It's not there's anymore.

Elieza · 22/09/2021 20:21

How awful OP. That’s just shit. Defo complaint and take her keys. All of them. She can make an appointment at a time that suits you to get the rest of her shit if she’s not done soon.

I remember a post on here that the people went to move in and the woman seller was still there. Hadn’t packed anything. No van booked. Nothing. They had to help her to get her the hell out. Nightmare.

donquixotedelamancha · 22/09/2021 20:22

They don’t seem apologetic.

We are still waiting. I don’t think they will be much longer. But I agree there is not much you can do. Just gotta see the funny side!

Wow, you are sooooooo much more chilled than me. I'd have changed the locks by now and told them to arrange to collect the rest of their crap through the solicitors.

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