Sold my house -Nightmare of a purchaser
Discussion
Yesterday was completion day on our family home of 6 years. We moved our stuff out on Wednesday and the buyer moved in yesterday. The buyer is a single woman, of a certain age, who appears to have a chip on her shoulder.
During the negotiations she made an offer which we accepted then a month down the line tried to reduce her offer by £5k for no reason. We refused and she kicked up a storm, which quickly died down. She pushed and pushed for yesterday being her completion day, despite me working, currently living on the other side of the country and going on a two week holiday, which had been arranged and paid for prior to our house sale. All we asked for was 2 weeks grace, which was greeted with a flat no and threat to pull the deal.
She also visited the house again when I was working so my wife dealt with her alone, to be greeted by her and 3 of her relatives, asking for all sorts of items to be included in the sale, such as sofas, all light fittings, all curtains, all mirrors - all of which my wife refused. She also made no secret of how she felt the woman had acted aggressively and pushed for everything she could get in a 4 on 1 sided discussion. In the end we negotiated to include light fittings after yet another threat to pull out.
During our holiday, which she was well aware we were taking, she pestered her Solicitors to push for our American Fridge Freezer saying we had agreed she could have it verbally. My Solicitor contacted me on holiday and I point blank refused to include it saying I didn't care any more if she pulled out. I only found out yesterday that she had pulled the deal only to change her mind 24 hours later saying she needed time to 'calm down'.
Roll on yesterday. We had agreed for a skip to be placed on the drive last weekend to throw away unwanted items which we kept through Wednesday and Thursday filling it as we went along. We booked and paid for collection on Thursday morning, receiving text confirmation the skip would be collected on Monday. The house was empty and in the morning the purchaser had driven past the house going mental that the skip was on the drive saying she couldn't get into the garage or on the drive to move in, (we had had a Mini and Transit on the drive whilst the skip was present.). She also claimed she had called the skip company and they had no record of collection. Despite us having a reference number and proof of payment!
She finally agreed to purchase and the money was released. Happy days as far as we are concerned. It took all of 2 hours to receive another call, then a letter from her Solicitor. Item 1 was about the skip, which as far as we are concerned is in the hands of a third party, yet her Solicitor claims did not give the purchaser vacant possession! Item 2 claims we removed lights to the Lounge. We removed a light shade, not a light fitting, despite the purchasers vivid imagination that it was an all singing, all dancing light fitting that she 'particularly liked! Finally (or at least we hope so) is item 3 saying we had removed the light in the Conservatory and left loose, exposed wiring. There has never been a light fitting in the Conservatory during our time of ownership. The wires, which are underneath a plastic cap, are not live and when I left the house were covered and not exposed.
I am hoping when she stops moaning and starts to appreciate the house over the weekend, things may die down, but this woman is driving me to despair!
Thanks for reading, sorry it was so long winded, I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments about this situation and how best to put her back in her box.
During the negotiations she made an offer which we accepted then a month down the line tried to reduce her offer by £5k for no reason. We refused and she kicked up a storm, which quickly died down. She pushed and pushed for yesterday being her completion day, despite me working, currently living on the other side of the country and going on a two week holiday, which had been arranged and paid for prior to our house sale. All we asked for was 2 weeks grace, which was greeted with a flat no and threat to pull the deal.
She also visited the house again when I was working so my wife dealt with her alone, to be greeted by her and 3 of her relatives, asking for all sorts of items to be included in the sale, such as sofas, all light fittings, all curtains, all mirrors - all of which my wife refused. She also made no secret of how she felt the woman had acted aggressively and pushed for everything she could get in a 4 on 1 sided discussion. In the end we negotiated to include light fittings after yet another threat to pull out.
During our holiday, which she was well aware we were taking, she pestered her Solicitors to push for our American Fridge Freezer saying we had agreed she could have it verbally. My Solicitor contacted me on holiday and I point blank refused to include it saying I didn't care any more if she pulled out. I only found out yesterday that she had pulled the deal only to change her mind 24 hours later saying she needed time to 'calm down'.
Roll on yesterday. We had agreed for a skip to be placed on the drive last weekend to throw away unwanted items which we kept through Wednesday and Thursday filling it as we went along. We booked and paid for collection on Thursday morning, receiving text confirmation the skip would be collected on Monday. The house was empty and in the morning the purchaser had driven past the house going mental that the skip was on the drive saying she couldn't get into the garage or on the drive to move in, (we had had a Mini and Transit on the drive whilst the skip was present.). She also claimed she had called the skip company and they had no record of collection. Despite us having a reference number and proof of payment!
She finally agreed to purchase and the money was released. Happy days as far as we are concerned. It took all of 2 hours to receive another call, then a letter from her Solicitor. Item 1 was about the skip, which as far as we are concerned is in the hands of a third party, yet her Solicitor claims did not give the purchaser vacant possession! Item 2 claims we removed lights to the Lounge. We removed a light shade, not a light fitting, despite the purchasers vivid imagination that it was an all singing, all dancing light fitting that she 'particularly liked! Finally (or at least we hope so) is item 3 saying we had removed the light in the Conservatory and left loose, exposed wiring. There has never been a light fitting in the Conservatory during our time of ownership. The wires, which are underneath a plastic cap, are not live and when I left the house were covered and not exposed.
I am hoping when she stops moaning and starts to appreciate the house over the weekend, things may die down, but this woman is driving me to despair!
Thanks for reading, sorry it was so long winded, I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments about this situation and how best to put her back in her box.
Nice. Not.
When we were buying we had the seller's EA contact us every other da to day to ask are things moving along, they are thinking of pulling out if we take longer, etc.
At one point I had enough, and told her to not contact me again unless it was to actually state as fact that they were going to pull out as I am doing things as quickly as possible.
I hope you get stuff sorted out ASAP. You don't need further hassle in the middle of a move.
After reading about your experience, I will try to remember to take photographs of light fixtures, etc when we come to sell.
Was exchange of contracts and completion on the same day ?
If not, could she have pulled out of the purchase without covering all your losses?
When we were buying we had the seller's EA contact us every other da to day to ask are things moving along, they are thinking of pulling out if we take longer, etc.
At one point I had enough, and told her to not contact me again unless it was to actually state as fact that they were going to pull out as I am doing things as quickly as possible.
I hope you get stuff sorted out ASAP. You don't need further hassle in the middle of a move.
After reading about your experience, I will try to remember to take photographs of light fixtures, etc when we come to sell.
Was exchange of contracts and completion on the same day ?
If not, could she have pulled out of the purchase without covering all your losses?
Edited by sinizter on Saturday 10th September 08:27
Exchange was a few weeks ago, whilst we were on holiday. We had to agree to our Solicitor signing on our behalf because she urgently needed to move in. I am not sure what game she was trying to pull yesterday regarding the skip being on the drive. As my Dad put it so bluntly yesterday she is an out and out liar.
I feel sorry for our neighbours too, I can already sense a run in with our elderly Scottish neighbours, I just wish I was a fly on the wall to see that one!
I feel sorry for our neighbours too, I can already sense a run in with our elderly Scottish neighbours, I just wish I was a fly on the wall to see that one!
Republik said:
Exchange was a few weeks ago, whilst we were on holiday. We had to agree to our Solicitor signing on our behalf because she urgently needed to move in. I am not sure what game she was trying to pull yesterday regarding the skip being on the drive. As my Dad put it so bluntly yesterday she is an out and out liar.
I feel sorry for our neighbours too, I can already sense a run in with our elderly Scottish neighbours, I just wish I was a fly on the wall to see that one!
Hope you got on ok with your neighbours cos i can foresee Her next move!!I feel sorry for our neighbours too, I can already sense a run in with our elderly Scottish neighbours, I just wish I was a fly on the wall to see that one!
No idea why a purchase of hundreds of thousands always ends up in haggling about tenners 
Two rules:
1) They want to buy your house, so you have a hold over them. People hate losing out.
2) If they chose it, someone else will too if need be
3) When dealing with children you have to call their bluff sometimes.
It's your house, if you end up dealing with someone that detestable you can turn around and tell them the deal is off. If the crawl back fine - you've shut them up, if they don't, sell it to someone more deserving.
Once they have exchanged contracts they cannot pull out without paying you the deposit upon breach of contract, so you really don't have to put up with any s
t. At all.
Two rules:
1) They want to buy your house, so you have a hold over them. People hate losing out.
2) If they chose it, someone else will too if need be
3) When dealing with children you have to call their bluff sometimes.
It's your house, if you end up dealing with someone that detestable you can turn around and tell them the deal is off. If the crawl back fine - you've shut them up, if they don't, sell it to someone more deserving.
Once they have exchanged contracts they cannot pull out without paying you the deposit upon breach of contract, so you really don't have to put up with any s
t. At all.To be honest, I think you were a bit daft leaving the skip there - who would want to move into a house with skip outside? Bearing in mind you're dealing with a mental woman you should have been doubly careful.
My daughter had a load of trouble with a single woman purchaser - house had been for sales for ages and then a couple and this woman both wanted it. We were nervous when she put in a "blow the other party out of the water" offer that was above asking price.
Then she strung the whole thing out by asking consecutive stupid questions - in the end we got our solicitor to tell her solicitor to send a final list and he wouldn't answer anything else. Then she offered £10K less at the point of exchange.
What you can you do? I wanted to tell her to sod off - there was no onward chain - but daughter just wanted to get shut of it.
My daughter had a load of trouble with a single woman purchaser - house had been for sales for ages and then a couple and this woman both wanted it. We were nervous when she put in a "blow the other party out of the water" offer that was above asking price.
Then she strung the whole thing out by asking consecutive stupid questions - in the end we got our solicitor to tell her solicitor to send a final list and he wouldn't answer anything else. Then she offered £10K less at the point of exchange.
What you can you do? I wanted to tell her to sod off - there was no onward chain - but daughter just wanted to get shut of it.
I refused to sell my grandmother's flat to a purchaser who was showing all the signs of being an absolute pain in the arse. He was difficult at the time of his first offer and started on various bits and pieces. We knew the survey would be a problem (old property owned by an old lady for 30 years) and the price was cheap because of the obvious problems and we had the luxury of another couple of people interested.
I couldn't bear to sell to him and he was clearly going to be difficult - he wanted to gazump another potential purchaser and I refused his higher offer, he then went ballistic at the agent alleging that the agent hadn't passed his offer on and that the agent was being dodgy in some way. The agent took great delight in telling him the vendor didn't want to sell to him!
I couldn't bear to sell to him and he was clearly going to be difficult - he wanted to gazump another potential purchaser and I refused his higher offer, he then went ballistic at the agent alleging that the agent hadn't passed his offer on and that the agent was being dodgy in some way. The agent took great delight in telling him the vendor didn't want to sell to him!
We had that selling my grand-dads place, untouched since he built it 50 years ago.
A local family builder wanted to buy it cash at the asking price but one guy kept trying to offer more, but at the same picking faults in the place. He was knocking on neighbours doors in the end trying to get them to put pressure on us to sell to him!
A local family builder wanted to buy it cash at the asking price but one guy kept trying to offer more, but at the same picking faults in the place. He was knocking on neighbours doors in the end trying to get them to put pressure on us to sell to him!
We had a single female buyer for a house a while back who was "awkward" throughout the process, finally saying that the survey had discovered various faults and wanted £10k off. I allowed her a couple of grand for the faults having had them checked independently.
Then we were sure that we'd get a demand to reduce the price further on exchange so told our solicitor to tell hers that any such attempt would mean that the sale was off, but didn't hear a peep and it all went through
We'd moved and the house had been empty for a while so she probably thought we were desperate
Then we were sure that we'd get a demand to reduce the price further on exchange so told our solicitor to tell hers that any such attempt would mean that the sale was off, but didn't hear a peep and it all went through
We'd moved and the house had been empty for a while so she probably thought we were desperate
Asking for money off at the last mi ute seems to be a common tactic. I had it wi my flat sale - I told them "no" and got the estate agents to market e property again. Two days later they were back. I told the estate agent to keep marketing the place until I exchanged.
Recent press articles have said it's a buyer's Market and to demand light fittings etc....
Recent press articles have said it's a buyer's Market and to demand light fittings etc....
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