Unreasonable requests from buyer

kkmaan

Registered User
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My house went sale agreed 5 weeks ago.
Contracts were issues 2 weeks ago, closing date in 2 days.
At the last minute, the buyer has e mailed my auctioneer with a long list of requests. She asked my auctioneer to pass on the e mail, and if the requests are not complied she will go to her solicitor.
The requests are:
1. sticky garage door to be fixed.
2. sticky back door to be fixed.
3. Vent to be fitted in downstairs WC and extractor fan
4. Extractor fan to be fitted to main bathroom.
5. Gas boiler to be serviced and gas cert issued.
6. Insulation to be removed from water tank in attic, and a thermal jacket fitted.
7. Tour of the house to be provided by me, showing all workings of the house.
8. 2 cracks in concrete in yard to be filled in and repaired.
9. Main bathroom floor to be sealed to prevent water leaks.

I have never heard of this before, and am tempted to tell the seller to go jump in a lake.
What are your opinions?
 
Not unusual - but it is at this late stage.
This should of happened before contracts issued

However whether it happen then it now you face a choice - do the work or play hard and say sign the contracts or you will sell to someone else.

All the issues seem minor and obvious to buyer so they should have factored it all in at the beginning

Was there an underbider?
 
Buyer agreed price as is so they seem to be trying it on now.

What 'threat' is she maikng by saying she'll go to her solicitor?

Has she signed? If she has ... that's her tough. If she hasn't you'll have to decide whether to play hard ball or not.
 
am tempted to tell the seller to go jump in a lake.

+1 on that, they have some cheek, but you have to decide how badly you want to sell your house.
 
It's like a snag list for a new house.

Tell her to take a running jump, I wouldn't entertain her for one moment.
 
The requests are:
1. sticky garage door to be fixed.
2. sticky back door to be fixed.
3. Vent to be fitted in downstairs WC and extractor fan
4. Extractor fan to be fitted to main bathroom.
5. Gas boiler to be serviced and gas cert issued.
6. Insulation to be removed from water tank in attic, and a thermal jacket fitted.
7. Tour of the house to be provided by me, showing all workings of the house.
8. 2 cracks in concrete in yard to be filled in and repaired.
9. Main bathroom floor to be sealed to prevent water leaks.


And when you fix that lot, this potential buyer will probably add a few more to the list, and then might look for a reduction in the agreed price, and then, more than likely will never sign as they are probably playing the same game with several sellers.

Sounds like a time waster to me, my opinion – tell this potential buyer where to go and put the property back on the market.
 
I sold a house about 6 months ago. I got a list not too far from your list (including changing all light bulbs to energy saving), only a few days from closing, after it had been sale agreed for 3 months. I got the agent to call the other bidders and tell them that the winning bidder was messing around and would they like to match that bid. One said yes, so i told the agent to accept that and tell the difficult buyer to go jump. So they did.
Next thing im getting threats about her going to her solicitor and taking me to court etc, which i ignored and just said I wasnt happy that more issues wouldnt come along the next day, so do what you have to.
Sale then went without a hitch to the underbidder.

Chances are if your house is anywhere near Dublin, if you go back to the other bidders one will match or even go higher depending on how much time has passed.

Or play them at their own game and say the price of the house just went up by €5000, to cover the quote you got for that work :)
See how far their demands go then.
 
My house went sale agreed 5 weeks ago.
Contracts were issues 2 weeks ago, closing date in 2 days.
At the last minute, the buyer has e mailed my auctioneer with a long list of requests. She asked my auctioneer to pass on the e mail, and if the requests are not complied she will go to her solicitor.
The requests are:
1. sticky garage door to be fixed.
2. sticky back door to be fixed.
3. Vent to be fitted in downstairs WC and extractor fan
4. Extractor fan to be fitted to main bathroom.
5. Gas boiler to be serviced and gas cert issued.
6. Insulation to be removed from water tank in attic, and a thermal jacket fitted.
7. Tour of the house to be provided by me, showing all workings of the house.
8. 2 cracks in concrete in yard to be filled in and repaired.
9. Main bathroom floor to be sealed to prevent water leaks.

I have never heard of this before, and am tempted to tell the seller to go jump in a lake.
What are your opinions?

Must say this list made me chuckle, before I read anybody elses reply I will say this, I'd tell her to jump in the lake too. It's a sellers market now. Where is your location. That purchaser is also very silly asking you to do repairs, because she cannot rely on you to not take the cheapest most cosmetic and usless way to do the repairs.

7 is the only think I'd have no problem with.

Edit: Now I've read the other replies they are much the same as my own. But I just realised something, it's two days to closing, she cannot pull our as she will have signed contracts and also done all the difficult legwork on mortgage. A very foolish purchaser if she tries to delay sale to get you to do stuff that is nonsense.
 
I sold a house about 6 months ago. I got a list not too far from your list

only a few days from closing, after it had been sale agreed for 3 months.

I'm a bit confused by this, were contracts signed?
 
Gas boiler to be serviced and gas cert issued

Not unreasonable if requested early enough.

Vents, fans and concrete requests = out..........rest should have been picked up by buyers surveyor or the buyer earlier and requested early so seller could acquiesce or refuse
 
Thanks for replies.
My Auctioneer is due to speak to her later.
I agreed to comply with some of the requests as a gesture of good will, but if she is not happy she can go and jump in that lake that I spoke about.
I feel that if i complied with everything, she would just keep looking for more and more...
 
Thanks for replies.
My Auctioneer is due to speak to her later.
I agreed to comply with some of the requests as a gesture of good will, but if she is not happy she can go and jump in that lake that I spoke about.
I feel that if i complied with everything, she would just keep looking for more and more...

Don't be a mug; she's buying a second hand house. It's sold as seen. Did she get a survey done and if so what did it say?
If the contracts are signed (not just issued) then she hasn't a leg to stand on. If they are not signed then contact the under-bidder (if there is one).
 
I agree with Purple.

There is no good will, she forgoed that when she issued a set of demands two days before close.

Any work you do, or agree to do, now will only be playing into her hands. I hope you have an underbidder in the wings.

Good luck.
 
Told seller to take it or leave it, and dont be wasting my time.
Funily enough, al the requests were forgotten about...
 
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