If I was seller I would tell him to pound salt and email his broker that he let himself inside and allowed or did work without permission or permit. Walk through or no at this late point may not matter. He signed docs and wired funds? Get a licensed contractor to look at the panel and AC unit- perhaps the original inspector will go there tomorrow at 7 AM. Document condition with 30 second videos ( keep short to be able to email). Get name and license of contractor who may have worked for buyer. Email his agent and agent's broker...  "cease doing work without legal permission." DO it in writing and keep the trail. The buyer could have turned off power main? Seller disconnected utility bill? Can't guess what they did without seeing it. Remove lock box until it closes

Who gave them permission?  Verify the claims.

I guess I find it amazing that the buyer is an agent and he would do work on a property he does not own yet. Does he think he is about the steps of working through a contract and closing? How would he have gotten access to do this work....Tough beans to him if he didn't follow through on his Home inspections. 

He has no right to do repairs or changes until closing. it is trespassing and illegal work. Time for a broker to broker conversation. As a broker if I knew of this I would be very angry.

It's easy enough to determine if the AC & Electric are working or not.

The buyer/agent should not have been allowed to conduct any work prior to closing without permission. If they accessed the house without permission... there could be serious consequences.

Well, many mistakes were made here and unfortunately you made them.

You never let a buyer do work pre-COE.

But the buyer removed contingencies and can't cancel at this point wihout losing his deposit so hang tough and tell him SOL.

I can't image why the seller would have given permission to the buyer to work on the home prior to close. ...especially after you strongly advised against it, ...right?

Either way, I'd recommend the seller get someone over to at least evaluate the problem. (assuming they just didn't have the power shut off)

Did anyone give them permission to even go on the property? Who was watching the property? if vacant i check all my listings at least weekly some twice weekly. When i do find a buyer who goes in and starts something, i do stop them and serve them in writing. Where they are an agent, they know better. A sit down with the buyer and their violations is in order.

Who gave them permission to do work on a property before closing? If the did not have permission, they are trespassing!

Who allowed the access? It's trespassing without authorization from the owner. I can't find one positive thing to tell you about this scenario. Best of luck!

Wheneever I hear stories like this I just think that to get to this point there had to be a series of mis-steps.

First of all was there an inspection done during the due diligence period? If there was the electricity and AC should have been checked at that time.

Second, once inspections are completed the buyer (agent or not) should not be accessing the property.

There is no requirement to keep a lockbox or key at the property. It is a convienience for showings. Once there is no need, it may make sense to remove it to avoid unathorized access. (I have had to do this in the past).

As others have said, agent or not, they had no right to access the property and perform any unathorized work, What if they had burned the place to the ground?  Contact the agents broker and file a complaint.

Finally, it is quite possible that the local power company may have received a cancellation of service from the seller but may not have the new buyers account information so the power what turned off to the property.  I have seen that happen several times.  So confirm that the power company has not disconnected the service before you panic.

Buyers agent should have known better. tell him not to touch another effin thing until he owns it. Just try to figure out why it's not working and see if it can be fixed if you want to save deal. Take lockbox off and install combo.

To add to Ron and Alexandria's comment. He took possession by doing unauthorized work prior to closing. If it's broken, it's his problem! Haste is costly!

Seems like some info missing.  Seller may have turned off utilities.  Seller has to give Buyer approval to enter property.  I would turn this info over to attorneys to battle, since they can fight out the illegal act of the buyer (possibly, if no approval to be on property).  Sounds like Buyer should be hanging on this one, since they have adversely affected the property while trespassing on property?  Seller, at worst, should have earnest money in pocket!

Sounds like they blew a breaker, tell them to reset the breaker an GET OUT OF THE HOUSE, until after closing.

Did buyer get permission from the seller to enter the property to start doing repairs before closing? 

Was A/C and electricity working before he started doing unauthorized work in the property? 

Holy smokes - get that lockbox off ther property. What in heavens name was that agent buyer thinking?  That is so far out of line to do what he's doing.  As the broker I would be calling his broker to discuss this situation. Wow.

Dangerous for those buyers as if it does not close they may not get their money back

No work should have been done before the buyer owned the property - sounds like trepassing to me. Was an inspection done? Maybe time for a broker to broker conversation

Do you have a Pre-Settlement Walk thru form signed by buyer(s) ?????

Tell him to grow a pair! He knows exactly what he is doing is wrong. Can't start work before closing for one thing. He's been there doing other work & then decides to check? 

You should not have let him in to do anything prior to close. 

YIKES!!!  In my market this is one I'd be handing off to the attorney....

What? That buyer, regardless of whether or not he/she was an agent, had no legal right to access the property and do any kind of work prior to closing and funding. I'm assuming your seller did not provide permission. If that's the case, tell that buyer to go pound sand and maybe even file a complaint against them for trespassing.

1. Don't let him access the property unless you are there.

2. Refer to the contract for what recourse either party has.

Karen Jones Lewis, MBA, Realtor - some buyers think they own the property once the offer is accepted!

The buyer's agent MUST educate them!

ABSOLUTELY what Caroline Gerardo said! He was legally trespassing as were his workers he had there prior to recordation. Unbelievable!  

Did he have permission to access the property and start doing work? If not it sounds like trespassing to me and therefore he has more problems than not having electric and cooling. 

Hey chill out! I will drag my electrical engr or electrician friend to personally test it sending them images of lights all turned on. Ciruit breaker tripped? On A/C may be a blown $2 capacitor? 

Two weeks ago, I was confronted with angry tenants that newer Frig shelves broke, brand(new) blinds do not work.  They installed shelves backwards. Blinds have a certain way to pull up or down. I was ready to call 911 as it was confrontational.  Three men do not belong to the lease shouting obscenity at me.

Fix the electric...then fix this deal

Karen,

How did the buyer get permission to start doing work on the property?  I do not understand how this could have happened.  In our practice, all documents had to be signed, title recorded, and check cleared prior to anyone doing any work...A

That is why buyers should never do work on a property before closing!

He has no right to do repairs or changes until closing. Unless that was put into the purchase contract Dr. Karen Jones Lewis, Broker 

Has the sale closed? If so, tell buyer tough luck. He should have got an inspection ahead of time.... If the sale hasn't closed, (and now I see that it hasn't funded), is buyer outside of his contingencies? If he is and elects not to close, then seller gets his earnest money. Is the inspection period over? How did the buyer get in to start doing work? Sounds like buyer is in breach of the agreement and Sounds like you are going to have to put your negotiations skill to use to get some things resolved here. Or get your broker and an attorney involved to assist.

Let me get this straight ... he let himself into the property without your or your Seller's knowledge prior to his owning the property ... and did work???

I think you start there with any argument or so-called solution ...

Gene

Buyer be ware

This buyer/broker was in the wrong.  No work is to be done to a property until they own it.    Get advice from your Broker.

As Roy Kelley wrote!  Wrong in so many ways. Time for a serious ass-whoopin'

Karen Jones Lewis, MBA, Realtor did it fund and record?  How did it all end up working out? -Kasey

buyer has no reason to enter property

Yowzers!  I'd say the buyer screwed it up and is trying to blame the seller.  I'd prevent further access to the property and have a frank discussion with the agent.

Who allowed the buyer to do work before closing? Tsk Tsk....

Why was the buyer allowed access to start work before closing?

The buyer/agent believes their hand is stronger than that of the owner and the owners agent. Offers on real estate not seen by the buyer always comes with this ambush.

Now is the time to banish the buyer/agent from the property. Install box with CBS code.

Make is VERY CLEAR you are seeking buyer number two.

And as @caroline Gerado stated, "go pound salt."

Then have your broker pursue reimbursement for the required repairs.

Then be prepared to make the culprit infamous.

that's what happens with no walk thru... and why is he doing work before closing??  that deal is a mess...

Karen Jones Lewis, MBA, Realtor Shame on the buyer. As an agent he/she should have known better.

The contract should include an inspection period and a resolution period. If the resolution period has passed, the buyer is out of luck. If it has not passed, resolve it with your seller. Easy, peasy.

If they can't agree, it may need the help of an attorney.

Roy Kelley nailed this one!

Sounds like a fire that needs to be put out.   but who is responsible at this point.  If it worked during inspection, then I assume buyer did something to change that.  Buyer had no business in the home till  walk thru/closing.  Sounds as if someone is in a jam.  

I think Caroline Gerardo covered this one nicely.