Hi All,

I wonder if ‘you’ may be able to help.

My wife and I put an offer in on a house ~9 weeks ago and we were quite explicit in our need to complete before the end of Jan (this month) and I think i’m being lied to by the estate agent (i am not surprised tbh) and the vendor(s) are dragging there heels. Longer story short, full structural survey came back and detailed cracked lintel, bulging brickwork, rising damp and a few other bits we weren’t aware of. We have since instructed a buildings company for to quote and then another one, but the estate agent has a cushty deal with a local firm so our builder is being delayed until tomorrow (planned for saturday just gone). Anyway…

The vendors solicitor supposedly sent out the contract pack instruction forms to the wrong address, then with the wrong sale amount on it, then with the wrong amount on it again, so i sent an email yesterday saying sort it out by wednesday morning or we’re left with withdrawing from the purchase as we need to complete by the 25th (tenancy ends and it’s either renew or move) … i’m now told that the vendor posted it yesterday but their solicitor hasn’t received it as yet.

So, I’ve made a ‘threat’ that we’ll pull out if the vendors don’t get there arse into gear. As this is our first house purchase, I feel i’ve potentially trodden on some toes. What I’d like to know is where do we stand? If we were to pull out, can we then go back once the contract pack has been received, or if we withdraw, that’s that and we have to start from the beginning again? (i expect the latter)

Any thoughts/helpful comments would be most appreciated. Cheers.

If we were to pull out, can we then go back once the contract pack has been received

yes if the vendors want you back.

if we withdraw, that’s that and we have to start from the beginning again?

as above. or from the beginning again with another house.

You have nothing to lose except time. Perhaps you should look at a reduction in your offer?!

I’d set a series of dates ‘receipt of pack’ exchange etc.

Say you’ll pull out if any of these is not met.

It will cost you more as time goes on but probably less than you’ve already spent.

Personally, if a buyer pulled out I wouldn’t then have anythign to do with them so treat it as a final thing if you do withdraw, not part of a process.

Is your landlord not prepared to extend the tenancy monthly – most short hold assured tenancy agreements allow for them to run on beyond their initial date range in this way?

thanks so far people.

our landlord + letting company are carbuncles on the arse of society, vile people. £120 to extend the tenancy then £120 to check out + + + etc etc

I’d like to negotiate a better price, given the work that needs to be done, but the sellers are (according to the douchebags known as estate agents) unwilling to negotiate much further.

the house was on the market at £159,000 – we offered £150 which was rejected (house was let to students, previously owned by some gimp who removed the fireplaces/chimneys/cornicing/ceiling rose(s) and added a dado rail… so it needs gutting and redoing. But, it’s a fairly good deal in the grand scheme of it, i just don’t like being taken for a mug.

I get the distinct feeling the estate agent wants to squeeze every penny out of us and the vendors are reluctant to renegotiate. Ideally, we want to knock 3500 off the price as that’ll be the cost of fixing the urgent stuff.

wwaswasm, that’s my concern, if we pull out, we’ll loose the house. And to be frank, we like it and it’s location. That’s been our ‘hard line’ to try and motivate them and get them to sign their docs, but i think we’re being strung along so any negotiations are too late as we have to move, thereby the vendors get their cash and we get bent over (or so it would feel anyway)

To be fair, 9 weeks from offer to completion would be pretty darned quick at the best of times, but factor in Christmas and it was probably unrealistic.

You are free to walk away, but obviously you won’t get anything you’ve spent back.

Did it work out?

9 weeks to complete? Can tell it’s your first.

Oh, and solicitors being Shiite? Par for the course.

But, I’d think about dropping the offer if you’re definitely being messed.

They’ve accepted your offer and you’re the end of the chain. You should be viewed as a pretty good buyer to have. Make threats and see what happens. The stuff you mentioned, especially bulging walls etc sounds a bit scary.

Don’t forget you’re the one with the power in the deal.

Lay it out in no uncertain terms what you expect to happen or walk away. Don’t threaten to walk away and then don’t or they’ll see they’ve got you.

I would personally be dropping the offer by 5K and putting that to them along with a list of dates for things to happen.