Buying a home

I wouldn't do it. All communication through your solicitor from now on. If this is a real scenario of course.

This sounds dodgy af, any estate agent that's self respecting would tell the vendor to go and swim it's not worth losing a sale that late in the process for 5k. Sounds like it's the estate agent is pulling a fast one to me, with the whole keep it away from the solicitor bit. Don't pay them and if the deal gets sealed re the house report them to the psra and yes say it to your solicitor and they will say it to the other sides solicitors too. Is there no come back if the seller pulls a stunt like that?

So you want this house, but the buyer wants €5k in cash off you.

Are you trying to scam yourself?

No . Still not making any sense.

Are you buying or selling the house?

Sarah is this happening in Dublin!!

To be honest, the vendor or estate agent is playing at your heart strings.

Did you offer asking price for this house?

How do you know these won't walk away with 5k and sale will fall through anyway. Too risky

You must really love this house, must be something special if you went ahead with it. This is outrageous way of subtracting money from the buyer.

Fair enough but they haven't done anything illegal yet and who is to say they won't treat the 5k as a non-refundable deposit if it all falls apart.

You are probably right but just playing devils advocate:

There are however three scenarios where the deposit paid is not refundable. The first is where an agreed “non-refundable” deposit is paid as part of a private treaty sale. This would have to be agreed by all parties during the negotiations. In my experience this is a rare occurrence that only arises in exceptional circumstance. It is worth noting that on most occasions, a purchaser’s solicitor would advise against paying a non-refundable deposit.

If the deposit was made to 'keep the vendors sweet', they could make an argument that it was non-refundable.

Is it a forced sale? Bank takes all proceeds and the 5k. Is all the sellers will walk away with

Sucks to be them then.

contract not updated (per the estate agent request), you have receipt to show the extra 5k you paid. Seems to me that you can deduct from final price and they will have no come back at all now since you have already signed and locked in.

If your solicitor is willing to acknowledge this receipt and not to notify the other solicitor then I would not deal with them. They can turn a blind eye to things of which they do not have official notice but not if they are on notice.

Good woman, don't give them a penny more!!