Buyers caught nosing around

[Lasecretaire]

This is a tricky one.
I think might be being a little unreasonable so I am prepared to get flamed in typical mn fashion.
Our house has been for sale for many months. It's reasonably expensive and there arnt many buyers at this level in this area but it has been reduced by alot to what we paid for it 4 years ago. The buyers kept us hanging for weeks and weeks before finally offering . Theyve offered a good 50k under and continually cited money being an issue. Except we know they are multi millionaires so it's not. We have moved some stuff out and into a tiny rental as we are relocating and needed kids in schools here. They have been difficult and pushy. (Wanting the entire chain to complete in 7 weeks, we have agreed 10 and they are still not happy.)
Today we caught them on security cameras nosing around the property for a good twenty minutes. This feels like a massive infringement - if they'd asked it wouldn't have been a problem but to park up and then nose around for twenty mins feels rude.
We can't actually do anything about this and I need to suck it up but it leaves a sour note. I'm not leaving the curtains.

Exactly!

Why would they need to be escorted though? What harm are they doing?

It’s crazy that we’re expected to spend so much money on a house when sellers hate you even looking at the property when it’s empty!

And from their point of view, who gives a shit if you resent them or not? You want their money, after all. If they don’t get stuff for free, that’s no great loss to them. You having nice thoughts about them doesn’t matter one bit.

I think you may be letting the stress get to you. It's not their fault you're not going to make a profit on selling your house if they're the only offer in a tough market. I'd be visiting it outside too if I was buying. If you're in rental surely you'd want a speedy completion to avoid more costs?

When we bought our current house it was an empty probate property. We went round to look at house outside at different times to get a feel for how busy/noisy the street might be as it's not that far from a school/church. We were spotted by the next door neighbour - who gave us a tour of the garden (no proper fence at that time between the properties) and a bit of background about the area. She's now has our key for cat sitting when we're away. I'm pretty sure Dcat loves her more than us nowadays!

I agree. The back garden should be off limits. I wouldn't mention it though, just moan about them in private!

But why?? No one is living there. Can someone please explain what harm they are doing?

I don’t think this is a big deal or that you’ve ‘caught’ them doing anything unusual. People looking at outside of empty property they’re buying. So what? The other issues aren’t about them and house sales are rarely stress free. I wouldn’t be bothered by this.

Why is it so easy to get into your property's grounds in the first place? It is a general security risk...If you left the house empty you should make sure gates are properly locked and that no one can get access.

As for the buyers I can completely understand them wanting to check out the property at different times of the day to spot any issues with things like anti-social behaviour for example.

Yes, it is cheeky of them to gain access to things like back garden but ultimately do you want to sell your house or not? it will all be over in two months so just grit your teeth and get on with the sell.

If the house is not being lived in, I see no problem with this. No one’s privacy is being invaded. They are in the midst of our having the property.

BUT if you’re still li ing in the property, yes, this is extremely rude as they’re invading your privacy.

I’d be in half a mind to put up a mannequin inside, where you’d only be able to see it from a back window OR if you had your fs e pressed up to the glass, wearing sexy outfit of a basque, stockings and suspenders with the arms out wide to the side, one holding a sign “like what you see?”

Standing outside on the pavement and trying to look is fine. But not going in the gates and wandering around the garden.
Not a lot you can do but you could mention they were caught in camera and to let you know next time.

Ultimately what money they have is neither here nor there - this is what they are prepared to pay. The reason they gave is just an excuse and something you say when pressed. Are you prepared to sell at that price? If so you keep moving forward.

Hi OP. Am I right in saying that they know you are no longer living in the property? And they are actually in the proceedings of purchasing it? If so I don't think it's that bad. They are likely planning where to put things etc.

If you are still living there I would think that's very cheeky and they should ask permission as they may disturb you.

I really wouldn't like this and it does feel intrusive, but I'd suck it up for the sake of the sale. I'd ask them via the EA to advise when they are going to do this so you are aware and not thinking it's a burglar or other malicious person. That's not unreasonable.

If your insurers have insisted on strong security as one of their Ts & Cs, you might be in breach of that - is it possible to put locks on side gates etc to ensure the property is as secure as it can be? Really your buyers shouldn't have been able to access the rear. They obviously won't be meaning to do any harm but others might, and it sounds like your house still has lots of the contents in it which could make it more appealing for break-ins.

When it gets to that point you can put a price on anything you're willing to sell to the buyers, it's then up to them if they want them or not. Made to measure items are generally better left as it's unlikely your next property will have windows the exact same size. (I know what you mean about the curtains though - our living room ones were handmade with a fabric I saw in an interiors magazine, DH still has no idea how much they cost...😲)

I think if the property is vacant it's OK as long as they leave everything as they find it, gates shut, etc.

Different story if you are still living in the property. I wouldn't want people walking around unannounced without any prior notice, children could be playing in the garden etc.

You are under no obligation to leave the curtains, if you think you can reuse them and you love them thats good, if you don't, offer a price and don't budge

Please don't take the lightbulbs, i said that on a separate post as a joke and got roasted

@didntlikeanyofthesuggestions I lol'd at your reference to a separate post yesterday

Do you need to sell to them? At the end of the day, buying an expensive property is a privilege and you don’t have to go with them. You can hold firm and wait for someone else.

Tbey sound awful OP

They aren't harming anything but it is still private property. If they want to have a look at least have the decency to let the op know via the estate agent. Basic manners!

They cannot come into your garden without your permission. It is trespass.

But I'll ask again. What harm is it doing? No one is living there. The OP is getting worked up about nothing.

Then I'll tell you again, they aren't doing any harm. Something doesn't have to cause harm to be rude/annoying.

Yeh it’s not ok. It’s trespassing. But not worth losing the sale over. You could contact the estate agent and ask them to say ‘would you like to view again or did you manage to see everything you needed to yesterday (whenever it was). Feel free to let us know if you have any questions’

We’re selling an empty property and I couldnt get worked up about this at all, in fact one of our interested parties has (we’re sure) had a window spraying company and a rendering company look around to price up the work they’d want to do.

Who says it wasn't a nice thing? That they were in the area and stopped by for a look. Plus as they 'kept you hanging around for weeks and weeks before offering' (which isn't really true as it was on the market so they weren't beholden to you in any way), then why isn't it a good thing that they want to move fast now? Especially as you've moved out already. I get you're peed off that the market is slow and the house has lost value, but that's the same far and wide and nothing to do with this buyer. I'd be glad that they're taking it off your hands and hope they haven't spotted something that might put them off last minute.

Because it’s still legally their property!! It’s unbelievably rude.

I made it clear to DS when he was looking that he should not do this. It’s fine to check out the road/neighbourhood from the street/pavement but not fine to go on to the property itself.

We were buying an empty house and we still asked for permission to take the architect with us to look at the outside of the house! They aren't to know that you haven't popped back for the weekend....

It’s OP’s property!!

I was brought up to respect people’s property and I’ve brought my two up in the same manner. If I found out that my DS had been wandering round a property, empty or not, looking in the windows, without permission, I would have hit the roof.