Nimrod103 wrote:Steveam wrote:I was in the process of buying a flat and all parties had agreed that we’d aim for exchange at the end of September. About a week before the aimed for exchange date my solicitor received a message from the vendor’s solicitor that the vendor had decided to delay exchange and completion by three weeks … no explanation just a statement. We enquired about reasons but got nowhere so I told my solicitor to withdraw my offer - no discussion. The vendor was suddenly able to keep to the original date but I played hard ball and said I was prepared to submit a new, reduced offer but would require sureties regarding dates.
The vendor’s agent tried to sweet talk me and admitted that they’d decided to have a short holiday which they were now willing to cancel. I explained that I no longer felt under any obligation, no longer trusted them, and really wasn’t sure I wanted to buy from people who behaved in this manner. I then decided not to go ahead.
I’m now in a very much better flat which I like very much.
Best wishes, Steve
So in return for a trivial (though rather silly) delay, you reopened the negotiations on price in order to gain an advantage. No wonder chains fall apart.
Overall the UK system of chains is a major headache and there are no obvious ways of reforming it. Unless we go over to the US (and other) system where people sell their house first and move into rented, and only then go on to offer on a new place. For that we need a larger and more organized rental sector, perhaps offering very short term rentals.
Thanks for your comments. We take quite different messages from the story (which I think is a fair representation of what happened). I view honesty and integrity and decency in relationships as very important. The vendors behaved in a way, in the absence of explanation, which I viewed as abusive. They thought they had me over a barrel and treated me with indifference. I’m in the fortunate position that I didn’t have to accept this so decided that there would be a cost for their treatment. Eventually I didn’t submit a new offer as I’d lost trust in the vendors.
I do accept that I’m eccentric
Best wishes, Steve