Buyer wants to bring round handyman between exchange and completion

[Greekurn]

Just this really. We exchanged Thurs before Christmas with completion to take place on 9th Jan. Buyer wants to bring round a "handyman" to see what work they want to do after they move in. Is this normal?

I'm not feeling very generous towards them as they had a late survey and then tried to force us to drop the price by another 20 grand. Can I say that they should wait until after completion?

Do whatever you want, it's currently still your house.

however. They can just reduce their offer without anyone needing to come around. So from that point of view, I don't get your objection.

i do get your objection based on the fact they've been a PITA.

But they have already exchanged, so this isn't likely at all.

No they can't, they have already exchanged contracts the agreed price is fixed and the buyers would be in breech of contract if they did not complete.

Of course they can’t unless they want to lose their deposit.

No they can’t!

Why wouldn’t you?
I wanted to measure one wall to see if I could fit a super long bed and the seller said not as she had to “do her pots”. It would have taken 2 minutes.

No they can’t!

Why would she? It has been Xmas and they have been a PITA and they complete of the 9th. The buyers can wait until then.

It might be the only opportunity their handyman has to do a recce before ordering anything they need .

If there's nothing they can do for the price then there's no reason not to . Except they've pissed you off and you want to inconvenience them?

I'd let them. It's no big deal and not like they're wanting to do the work before completion. As you've already exchanged, it's not going to affect the price now, and tbf most buyers try to get reductions (re. your ire at them wanting 20k off - sounds like you won that one anyway) if they're switched on, it's not nefarious.

I’d just say it’s not convenient and make them wait until the 9th. You are going to be having Christmas and then packing, also you obviously feel no need to put yourself out for them, so don’t.

They'd be bloody stupid to. Exchange of contracts is legally binding and doing something as daft as that will cost you your deposit as well as possible further legal action should the vendor choose to go that route.

Who says there's a deposit? Still not a normal thing to do most of the time.

Assuming the OP is in England or Wales, the buyers are utilising a mortage facility and the considering the scarcity of 100% mortgages, have you ever bought a house!? There is always a deposit, which 99 times out of 100 will be transferred to the solicitor just before exchange.

They have already exchanged contracts. It is usual to have to pay a deposit at the point of exchange.

I can see why you are suspicious of letting them come round, but hopefully it’s just to measure up and a look around for jobs that need doing. When DS moved into his flat, DH who is a tradesman went round to check everything was working and to measure up for furniture.

You can say no, but I would personally try and be helpful as long as it is not inconvenient. Good to keep things on an amicable level as the sale progresses.

We bought our house outright 9 years ago. Partners dad part bought a small flat to downsize, part mortgage and didn't do a normal deposit which I thought was being talked about.

It was the other type of deposit I thought was being talked about.

No they can't! Once contracts are exchanged, the agreed price on the contract is fixed. That's the whole point of getting past exchange, you know it's a done deal. No shifting of goal posts.

Do you actually know what you're talking about or are you making it up as you go along?

No they can't.
Well, actually, they can say it all they want, but once you have exchanged the price is completely locked in.

It's completely normal to ask if they can have a handyman come around, and it's completely normal to say no. It's still your home until completion.

It’s common, often before exchange

I'd let them. They can't change the price now.

We had the odd parcel go to our old address after we moved (despite a mail forward being in place) so the new owners would tell us so we could collect it. I would not burn my bridges unnecessarily. It could only be at a convenient time though

@Greekurn i’d say know. We had this, our buyers weren’t reasonable, we said no.

I'd let them if it was fairly convenient and you were there at the time. I'd just want to make sure the handyman was only looking and not knocking through walls, etc.