Flat buyer persistently messaging post completion

[Angelwithhalo]

I sold my flat in February and during the conveyancing exchanged numbers with the buyer at their request to directly negotiate a price reduction for works. On completion I left a folder with detailed instructions of how to use all the integrated appliances, utility meter locations, boiler manual and service history, bin days etc in the kitchen along with a new home card and thought that would be the end of contact between us.

However I have been having a steady stream of texts and queries from the buyer. Some of it is simple things like clarification on how to work the boiler, which water meter belongs to the flat. Others just seems like them complaining but posed as a question for example:
The internet connection doesn’t reach the main bedroom, how did we deal with that inconvenience?
What did we do about windows feel draughty and letting on street noise (windows are original wooden sash and on a busy main road which was apparent before buying)
The lounge smells strongly of damp, did you notice this? (I gave them 5k off agreed price after they had a damp survey)
Complaints about hearing the owner of the flat above moving around (Again it’s a converted period property so I could hear them but just a single adult so occasional footsteps and washing machine, no parties or late nights/early mornings)

There have been lots of other questions and at first I was responsive as I felt bad that the buyer seemed unhappy with the flat and sympathetic to them as a first time buyer but it feels a bit relentless and I’m not sure what the motive is behind messaging me.

Has anyone else experienced this/is this common?
Any advice for dealing with this, I would be tempted to ignore but we are still in the same town so dont want the awkwardness of bumping into them.

FFS. Don't be ridiculous.

We once had a buyer contact us after she had bought the property and moved into it, to ask my DH to come round and do a snag list with her, which he would then pay to fix. I told her it was now her house and her problem. Never heard from her again. In this case, she was a CF.

I had a very mild version of this when I sold my first home - to a first time buyer. Their parents asked more 'questions' than the named buyer - irritating as everything they asked was in the folder I spent a long time putting together for them. The last time they really pissed me off as they (the mum) implied I knew about a fault with the boiler when I sold the house to them (there was no fault they were just being dim - I went round straight away to show them and made it clear that was it now).

Old neighbours (only moved 200m away but he is in the building trade and therefore can fix pretty much anything - we still see them when we walk past their new house now and again) told me my new neighbours (bloke has come across as a bit of an entitled twat) were like this too and they were getting fed up of it. Ridiculous things that have nothing to do with previous owners.

If they contact you again I would reply with something like 'Hi - I've given you all the info I can on your flat, you're going to have to take it from here now. All the best Angel' and then block if they reply with another question/complaint.

Give over.

What a joke! No!

don’t be silly!

I know, right? Should OP have also left them with a working landline and Netflix subscription? 😁 Plus some people don't want internet in the bedroom, in order to protect their sleep.

Well now you know for next time never to give your contact details to the buyer, everything through the solicitor, that’s what you’re paying them for.

Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to advise and share their own experiences with post completion contact/ very strange buyer requests.

@GrandHighPoohbah I will make sure I leave my Netflix password and a credit card if I ever sell again 🤣

Thank you @pinkdelight @Equivo @friendlycat and everyone who suggested ways to reply to future messages. You guys have mastered the art of telling someone to F off while making it sound super polite and friendly.

I'm baffled as to why a poster thinks you should have sorted the bedroom internet. You don't sell a home with wifi, you have no idea who the new people have their contract with and if the internet doesn't serve your purposes you sort it with extenders or boosters.

We had a few queries from previous buyers. We didn't mind. And after asking us what the mystery light switch (we had never figured it out) they came back and told us when they solved the mystery. But there has to be a limit to it.

Easiest solution OP:

Message back and tell the wankers to fuck off.

Then block.

And who cares if you see them out and about - you owe them nothing. Blank their ass.

Simple!

I had similar last year when my neighbour was selling. I had to sign some documents for the sale and I'd asked her solicitor ti please address it to my new married name. They didn't and this went on for months with mistakes on paperwork and myself and my solicitor asking for corrections. I had always got on with my neighbour but she turned into an absolute idiot when selling, I realised how stressed I was becoming by her constant messages when I was relieved that she was going on holiday and I thought thank god I can have some peace for a few days.

When she returned the constant chasing (for things her solicitor needed to resolve) began again. On one day alone I received 22 texts messages from her! I mentioned it to my solicitors when she appeared on my doorstep with her new partner and tried to bully me into signing the new lease that had loads of errors! My solicitor asked her solicitor to leave me alone as this was now harassment.

It didn't stop, neighbour gave her boyfriend my mobile number without my permission and he started sending aggressive messages telling me to sign the paperwork and they would leave me alone! I contacted my solicitor and she sent "a strongly worded letter" telling them this had to stop. I then blocked both and stayed at a relatives until they moved out as they made me so uncomfortable I didn't want to be at home.

Some people are awful and house moves seems to bring out the worst in people

God that’s awful for you, especially neighbours as you can’t get away from them. So glad they moved in the end. House buying/selling definitely brings out the crazy side of some
people.

We live in a 12 yo house that presumably has no lead or anything obstructive in walls, pay for a 500mbps internet connection, spent £200 on booster hardware, then about another £120 on different hardware, and I still can't stream Netflix on my telly when the OH is on the playstation, and my wifi signal drops out so frequently that I now pay for a 30GB data plan on my mobile.

How exactly do you expect the OP to fix this buyer's problem? Pay for someone to go round, move the modem to the middle of the house, and perhaps hardwire her bedroom with an ethernet connection?

She's probably got a modem from a company who send out the cheapest tat, like BT (who will then happily charge you an extra £12.99 a month for a booster, despite their kit being unable to do the job).

@Angelwithhalo my dad was being moved to palliative care that week, neighbours new that and still continued harassing me. When the boyfriend began texting I told him I had literally just left my dad's beside and he had no right to have my number or contact me as he didn't even own the flat. He replied telling me to just sign and then they would leave me alone. The new neighbours so far are very nice and seem sane

Just block and ignore. The house-buying system in England is based on 'caveat emptor' - basically buyer beware. No longer your flat, no longer your problem.

I'd send one last message saying -

I understand this is your first purchase, I left an information pack on completion.

It's most unusual to contact the previous owner after competition but I have answered your questions so far.

Good luck with the property and wish you well for the future but please don't continue the unnecessary contact, I won't be responding.

How nice some of your were as sellers our seller didn’t so much as tell us where the stopcock was and he certainly didn’t leave contact details for any questions.

This happened to me after my last sale who was a FTB. I think it took a while for her to get used to ownership. The first couple of weeks I was helpful, but then I started replying «I hope you get that sorted», and she got the message quickly. I was ready to tell her to stop, but it never got that far.

Personally I don't see anything wrong with them asking. Boilers often come with a guarantee and if they were under the impression the boiler was newly installed or newer when they bought it, it makes sense to check surely? It could save them £££.

It's ok to not respond but I hardly think it's cheeky to ask a simple question.

Your job is done! Block them!
How do they have your contact details? Sorry if I have missed something.
I had the same problem as I stupidly didn't withhold my number when the agents asked me to deal with his persistent questions post completion. I blocked him.

This is harrassment because each home we live in represents a chapter in the past abd when we move its the beginning of a New Chapter. They could be building a litigation case ( I smell a Rat) Ive had a similar experience regarding property. And I have a Zero Tolerance attitude to thi ngs like this by IGNORING!!!!!! I cannot think what to do. First if all IGNORE ,the flat is legally theirs now. How do you know they havnt been deliberately damaging stuff and trying to blame you. Be careful what you say. But best of all IGNORE. They should not be contacting you like this its not CRICKET. If it continues threaten legal action. Or get a Solicitors letter or go to council onsumers advice line.

Block and if you seem them, say that you've changed your number!

What a lot of effort and silliness instead of just replying to tell them that they own the flat now and end the correspondence!

Why go to all the palaver you’re suggesting?

this is harassment borderline stalking. block on everything

Definitely don't reply quickly. I would only block as a last resort because sometimes you realise months/years after selling that an important letter has gone to your old address and you need the new owner to forward it on.