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!

[foxy86]

We had the same but the worse thing is because you are moving in and out at same time it means they haven’t cleaned so you have that to do too. Brace yourself for the oven being a disgusting greasy mess as well! That was lovely on a Friday night, cleaning someone else’s oven. Not forgetting finding out there was a mouse issue which wasn’t declared either. Dog piss covered carpets too. 18 month later and nearly every room has been completely renovated. Finally feels like home.

[LST]

My god op you seem so calm!! I would be losing my shit (which I know wouldn't help) I hope they sod off soon!

[Crossfitwidow]

Definitely change the locks ASAP. When my mate got the keys for her house there the previous owner had left a few things. She was annoyed she’d have to get rid of it but didn’t think much of it.

Came back the next day it was all gone. The vendor still had a key and had gone back in to collect her stuff!!! My mate was shocked but quite chilled about it but I would have been raging!

The absolute cheek of people!!

[TrevorWithTheWeather]

This happened to us! We were helping the last family move out until 1am the day we got the keys. Something to do with their solicitor having paperwork in their car and not answering the phone. Like you, luckily we didn't have to be out our rental property for a few days!
Congratulations on your new home 🏡

[SiobhanSharpe]

I've been on both sides of this -- when we were moving out I had cleaners booked but they let me down so DH, DC an I cleaned the house as the removers cleared each room. Worst was the kitchen as I had to scrub the insides of the cupboards as soon as they were cleared.😳 We were supposed to be out at 1.30 but were over an hour late, left after 2.30. The buyers were very nice about it, thank goodness.
When we moved into the new house a few weeks later we picked up the keys at about midday and got to the house about 12.30 -- the removers were still there, nearly done, but the lady selling it was cleaning like crazy. We went to the pub for about an hour and a half.
We didn't complain, they were lovely people and the house was immaculate. (And who were we to complain anyway! The biter bit.)

[Gonnagetgoing]

Get your solicitor on it first thing tomorrow and get them out! It isn’t their house anymore it’s yours legally!

I’m surprised the solicitors,estate agents etc weren’t more on it today as I used to be a legal sec and no wag would my boss have allowed them to stay.

Definitely put in a complaint and if you gaff tk stay in a hotel overnight from recollection the vendors pay for that too.

[PineappleWilson]

There are a few reasons why the vendor not being cleared out would be acceptable - when we bought this place the place was empty of furniture but not "bits" - the fridge, shed etc. were still full. Turned out the vendor was in A&E having had a tin of paint fall and hit her on the head as she cleared the shed. As a single parent, there was no-one else to keep clearing. Your vendor has more front than Blackpool and no 4-hour wait in A&E to blame for the delay. Tell them to leave, now, and arrange via their solicitors to come back and collect the rest.

[crimsonlake]

Happened to me and by the sounds of it quite common. Unbelievable that people do not know how this works and when I move again I will make sure the solicitor emphasises clearly that once money is exchanged they need to be out, not starting the packing then.

[nothankssheher]

Stay at the house. Tell them to leave. It is your house and they are trespassing.

[BronwenFrideswide]

@crimsonlake

Happened to me and by the sounds of it quite common. Unbelievable that people do not know how this works and when I move again I will make sure the solicitor emphasises clearly that once money is exchanged they need to be out, not starting the packing then.

Likewise and I'll be taking a locksmith with me to change the locks.

[Lockdownbear]

Op I'm another for making yourself at home. Infact I'd probably end up helping them pack up and get out.

We had the opposite issue our stupid estate agent handed over a key before the money had transferred.

[Usualsundayblues]

I totally agree with you @Calmdown14! What’s the point getting worked up?

[yellowdigsaur]

Your solicitor should have been charging them (via their solicitor) by the hour until they left. It's a very expensive business staying in a hour once completion has occurred. It also got our sellers out in under an hour when they did it to us a few years ago.

[Underpaidsnackbitch]

Ergh how annoying! This happened to me! Got the call to say we had completed, I was ringing and ringing the estate agent to get the keys. In the end I went to their office and they closed at lunch time on a friday! (I'm not even joking). They rang me mid afternoon to say the seller asked me to go to the house at 6pm for the keys as he hadn't finished moving. He was in town when the EA rang him! I turned up at 5pm and there was loads of their stuff still to move. He was moving it all in his tiny car then he tried to palm loads of his crap off on me 'to help us out' I was not amused. The EA did tell me that they would get a locksmith in and change the locks if I wanted, but I said I'd wait for them. A few days later I found the seller on the doorstep looking sheepish. He had left something hidden upstairs and wanted to collect it. He wasn't expecting me to be there and I'm sure he would have let himself in if I hadn't of been. The locks were changed pretty sharpish after that! I hope they have left your house now OP!

[Rrrob]

Same happened to us. We had to go for a walk to get a coffee! Before completion our solicitor pushed it back a day as we wouldn’t have been packed up by 1pm, and she said we would be charged every hour we were over that by the buyers!

[Clymene]

@Usualsundayblues

I totally agree with you *@Calmdown14*! What’s the point getting worked up?

Because it's not their bloody house. Because the OP is paying mortgage on a house which someone is squatting in.

Is there a time limit to not getting worked up? How about if they're still there tomorrow? Next week?

[watchingpaint]

When I bought this place the vendor wasn't even ready to move out that day. I was staying with friends at the time so took pity on her as she was a single Mum and gave her until the next day but when I finally got in (Saturday), she'd left a bed, bedside table, and wardrobes in each bedroom, a massive great couch and table and chairs in the kitchen, cupboards full of ancient crockery, bathroom storage unit etc and it was all grotty - I didn't want it! I couldnt move my own stuff in as there was no room and had to wait until Monday. I was well pissed off by then.

She seemed most put out that my solicitor phoned them and told them to get rid. Some people are such CF's!

[PickAChew]

@SiobhanSharpe

I've been on both sides of this -- when we were moving out I had cleaners booked but they let me down so DH, DC an I cleaned the house as the removers cleared each room. Worst was the kitchen as I had to scrub the insides of the cupboards as soon as they were cleared.😳 We were supposed to be out at 1.30 but were over an hour late, left after 2.30. The buyers were very nice about it, thank goodness.
When we moved into the new house a few weeks later we picked up the keys at about midday and got to the house about 12.30 -- the removers were still there, nearly done, but the lady selling it was cleaning like crazy. We went to the pub for about an hour and a half.
We didn't complain, they were lovely people and the house was immaculate. (And who were we to complain anyway! The biter bit.)

You packed up your kitchen on moving day?

[HavfrueDenizKisi]

Well we had this a few houses back. They should have been out at 12 and were still packing boxes and loading their small van to shuttle between old and new house. This was a 4 bed house though so not small.

You do what my husband did after giving them 2 hours grace but sitting ourselves outside the house: walk into the house and say 'you are trespassing now and need to remove all your items immediately' then proceed to pick up their stuff and put it out on the footpath. Never saw anyone move more quickly. Useless fuckers.

Our movers were waiting and they just lugged out stuff in without asking them too.

And they tried to leave behind their bloody cat.

[Usualsundayblues]

I’m not sure but I will be moving this year and this thread is making me think I should get on with my packing!!

[Runnerduck34]

I've Bern on the other side of this snd it's really stressful, removal firm sent wrong size lorry, typically money transfer happened early,around 11am and we were still waiting for second removal lorry!
New owners who then owned the house were outside, were not Impressed, while we frantically put stuff in our neighbours front garden to wait for a second removal lorry, I cannot tell you how stressed I was!
Is there a reason why they are still.oacking so late?? Have they tried to manage move themselves and bitten off more than they can chew or have removal firm let them down? Are they apologetic? I would breathe and not panic, no need to get a locksmith to change the locks, hope you are in soon

[Tirediam]

Hope you’re in OP

[HappyDays101010]

Fucking hell - lots of super chill people on here. I’d be threatening to burn their shit and chucking their telly out the window. Well, that’s what I’m imagining I might do - would depend what their attitude was.

[pianolessons1]

@BlueFireSmokey

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!

I wouldn't be seeing the funny side. I'd be getting my solicitor on the phone and warning them that if they were much longer they would be in breach of contract. I'd be standing there watching them for every minute they are in the house and asking every five minutes when they would be done.

[snackysnacksnack]

This is utterly bizarre and unacceptable. You definitely need to complain.

When we moved our vendor was late to leave. Agreed 1pm and removal trucks arrived but estate agents hadn't got keys. We drove to the house and around 14:30 and she was putting her last things in the car. We didn't say anything and nor did she but it was very clear she was delaying everything as our trucks were outside asking for access.

We picked up keys at 15:00 in the end and I was FURIOUS! We billed her for the additional costs incurred from removal company for waiting / finishing late and complained.

How on earth you haven't lost your shit is beyond me.

Get your locks changed.