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.
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!
The biggest thing for me, having thought about it all weekend is what exactly she hopes to achieve by all this? Arguing over a £15 light shade just beggars belief and makes me wonder what else she has discovered over the weekend. Image her surprise when she finds out the wheelie bins aren't empty!
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