Can I rent a house I am trying to buy?

[BadgerandWolf]

I am in the process of buying a house. It is empty right now and has been for 8 weeks. My offer was accepted 15 weeks ago. It is a cash purchase with no chain on either side. We are quite close to exchange but vendors solicitors are being slow.

I need to move soon. I am separating from my husband and we are still living together in tense circumstances. My items are packed and ready to go.

It occurred to me that I might be able to move now if I rented the property from the vendor until we complete. What might the pitfalls be of this course of action ?

If the sale fell through, you'd have to move twice.

It might cost the sellers more, eg, to meet the legal obligations of being a landlord, insurance, if they have a mortgage.

You can only ask.

The seller would have to make sure their property was compliant with all the regulations a landlord has to ensure before giving you a tenancy. There’s also the risk to the seller if you deciding to pull out of the sale and they’re then stuck with a tenant in a house they want to sell, or you cause damage to the property which they’re still owners of. Their mortgage lender very likely let won’t allow them to let without consent. They’d be advised against it for all of these reasons.

Better to look for a short term rental or stay with family OP. So much could go wrong if you try to rent before buying, and the vendors would be crazy to agree.

It can’t hurt to ask.