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Original poster

Buyer has entered property pre exchange and started renovation

548 replies

Iwishiwasjoking · 08/05/2024 21:30

We were supposed to exchnage last week, then yesterday, now the proposal is exchange and complete tomorrow, all delays on buyers side told its mortgage company releasing fund.

property was vacated last week, but I removed the last items yesterday. Went back this evening to do a meter reading. Garden dug up, carpets ripped out, all windows open, lights on.

I am so shocked I have no idea what to do now …technically is burglary … but if this sale falls through I have a much less saleable house …

and before you ask how has he got in, there was a lockbox with keys in that the estate agents have been using … so either they’ve shared the code with him or he’s watched them and then let himself in.

OP posts:
Lougle · 09/05/2024 07:37

I hope you get sensible answers today @Iwishiwasjoking .

Original poster
Iwishiwasjoking · 09/05/2024 07:37

Right I’m off to work. Will update when I can!

OP posts:
cultjarteriaky · 09/05/2024 07:40

Following because I need to know the end!

Hopebridge · 09/05/2024 07:40

Estate agents can be terrible. I really hope this gets sorted today. I have only ever sold privately but if i ever have to use one i wont let them have a key for this reason.

Good luck today.

RoderickHosclassicblackhoodie · 09/05/2024 07:41

RicePuddingWithCinnamon · 09/05/2024 07:24

I would remove all the equipment and sell it.
He would turn up when you have exchanged and completed and find everything gone. I don’t think there would be much he could do.
I know it’s not right morally but I would be SO angry.

Pretty sure that would be not right legally as well as morally and he could report it to the police. It's not finders keepers.

converseandjeans · 09/05/2024 07:42

Following too - hope it goes through ok today.

Randomname83738 · 09/05/2024 07:42

Unbelievable!!

itsgettingweird · 09/05/2024 07:43

I'd contact the estate agent of the buyer and tell them you went back and it looks like the house has been burgled and it's damaged.

That you are calling the police and it may delay the sale.

That'll put them in a position where they have to admit buyer entered before sale (which is breaking and theft) or leave them silent and worrying they are about to get arrested for breaking and entering.

Other than that as much as they are CF beyond belief I would continue with sale but be making a very concise complaint.

RicePuddingWithCinnamon · 09/05/2024 07:43

Hotcuppatea · 09/05/2024 07:34

There is a world of difference between being angry in the moment and taking the vindictive actions that the poster described and then carrying it on for 3 years.

This is not behaviour to brag about.

Show quote history

Would you make someone who broke into your home a hotcuppatea? 😬

birdling · 09/05/2024 07:44

Is there a separate garage key that they might have, or was that on the same bunch of keys?

alphabetzoo · 09/05/2024 07:44

Ooo the EA has caused a right pickle. If all goes through today you will be fine. Still think you need to complain either way

DontGoJasonWaterfalls · 09/05/2024 07:45

Good luck today OP! Hope all runs smoothly.

Twiglets1 · 09/05/2024 07:45

Some of these responses are nuts - people seem to be forgetting that @Iwishiwasjoking main goal for today should be to get the house to Exchange of contracts

icelollycraving · 09/05/2024 07:50

Really hope it all goes through today. I’d phone EA and solicitor to give them a heads up that it better go through. Moving is so stressful but this is mad.

Strictlymad · 09/05/2024 07:50

It’s stressful enough without this! I feel for you

Alwaysdieting · 09/05/2024 07:51

Hope the exchange goes through today.🤞

budnode · 09/05/2024 07:51

Why was the garden dig up? This is more likely to have been done by the previous tenants, taking things they'd planted?

DifficultBloodyWoman · 09/05/2024 07:52

You are dealing with this with far more equanimity than I could, OP! I would be worried that it wasn’t the buyers that had done this but you seem pretty certain.

Talk to your solicitor about charging rent for storing their equipment. You are legally entitled to do so until completion. How do they know you weren’t going to store some of your own stuff until then? Wouldn’t it be a coincidence if the rent amount you charged was the same as they negotiated for the carpets???

saraclara · 09/05/2024 07:52

RicePuddingWithCinnamon · 09/05/2024 07:43

Would you make someone who broke into your home a hotcuppatea? 😬

Show quote history

You know there's a whole load of options between offering hospitality and destroying property and facilitating theft?

RedQuail · 09/05/2024 07:58

Upsidedownlife · 08/05/2024 21:38

Let estate agent know
not their house
if you exchange asap you’ll let it go but say
if you don’t exchange then he is liable to trespass and damages
that should get him exchanging soon!

@Iwishiwasjoking Absolutely this. It will get the estate agent to pull there finger out!

Pluviophile1 · 09/05/2024 07:58

Snugglemonkey · 09/05/2024 07:30

Yes it is. The buyers were also behaving badly, as was the estate agent, but deliberately destroying property is bad enough, without the random door opening. That is so vindictive.

Show quote history

Agreed. CFs, yes but that is too far. Three years on - maybe the house has been sold on and the previous owner is targeting new (and completely innocent) owners.

Aydel · 09/05/2024 07:59

Fingers crossed it all goes through today!

PropertyManager · 09/05/2024 07:59

This really is shocking, and highly illegal behaviour on the part of the buyer, I buy, do up and sell properties and have only once entered to start works during the period between exchange and completion - this was helpful as some of my regular trades could only fit in those weeks - and this was done with full permission of the vendor, it wasn't easy to do it right, insurance had to be taken out and an agreement signed at the solicitors.
The vendor in that case is someone I've known and done business with for 20 years, so there was a strong element of trust involved.

In the OPs case, no permission has been sought, and its before exchange!
If the OP decided to withdraw, which she could do without penalty, she could take a court action to make the buyer restore what has been changed.

As to the buyers tools in the garage, they belong to the buyer, just because they are illegally stored does not give the OP the right to bin them or sell them. She can demand they are removed by a reasonable date or they will be disposed of - they are however the buyers legal property, not hers to damage, sell etc.

AutumnFroglets · 09/05/2024 08:00

I'm here for the update too. I've just sold my house so it would be good to see what your solicitor says.

Good luck it all goes smoothly today!

justasking111 · 09/05/2024 08:00

Even if you exchange I would not let him back in, he'll have to wait for completion. He's only paying 10% today.