Handing over house keys before completion?
 

Just wanted to ask those who've been through the house selling trauma for some advice on behalf of my daughter back in the UK.

Her fiance's ex-marital home is being sold, contracts have been exchanged and completion was due to take place sometime this week.

She just emailed me to say that completion hasn't happened yet but apparently the buyer has been handed the keys by the estate agent and has been in the house pulling out the old heating system!

What the ****?? :confused:

I told her I didn't think the agent should have handed over the keys before completion as technically the buyer could still pull out (ok not likely as he'd lose his deposit) and has no right to be doing any work in the house at all until it's legally his.

Apparently the solicitor (not sure whose) wanted to complete today (Friday) as "it's traditional" but doesn't seem like it has gone through after all.

My daughter and her fiance are coming over to me for Xmas in less than weeks and could really do with the proceeds from the house sale being cleared asap to give them some spending money (basically he's been keeping two homes going so they're broke).

Anyone else agree that the estate agent should get a rocket for handing over the keys or am I missing something?

Any suggestions on how to handle the situation that I can pass on to my daughter?

Thanks,

Elaine M :)

Re: Handing over house keys before completion?
 

Sold our house a few months ago, our buyer wanted the keys before completion but the solicitor said no way!

Claire

Re: Handing over house keys before completion?
 

Hi Elaine
No the estate agent should NOT have handed out the keys - the buyer should not even be in the house never mind doing work!!!

I would suggest that your daughter contacts the estate agent to find out what they are playing at and if they can't give a satisfactory answer then she needs to contact her solicitor to find out where she stands legally. While the chances are that completion on this is just a formality it could potenitally be a very big mess!!

tiggs
x

Re: Handing over house keys before completion?
 

Just in the process of exchanging contracts ourselves and no way should keys be handed over.
Technically after 'exchange' it is their house and they are legally bound to complete, but it is a bit cheeky to ask and even cheekier to rip anything out!!

Good luck with everything else though!!!

Neill & Emma

Re: Handing over house keys before completion?
 

Thanks Claire and Tiggs,

Exactly what I said, seems the solicitor hasn't been very communicative lately though.

I'm sure it will all be ok in the end but it's a worry they don't need; they're just in the process of moving from their rented home into another house and to cap it all my daughter just found out her fiance is being made redundant and will have to go job hunting as soon as they get back from Aus in January!

Elaine M :)

Re: Handing over house keys before completion?
 

nO WAY WOULD YOU HAND OVER KEYS BEFORE COMPLETION.

Re: Handing over house keys before completion?
 

Noway Never Dont Do It And The Estate Agent Or Who Ever Should Know Better

Re: Handing over house keys before completion?
 

When we bought our house the whole chain (5 of us) moved into each other's houses on the morning of completion day with each other's permission. We were all moved in by noon and completion took place at 3pm.

Our solicitor went ballistic when she found out and told us it was illegal although she never explained why it was illegal. She said even with the owner's permission we shouldn't have done it and that any one of us could have sued our estate agents if something had gone wrong at the last minute.