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Pay thousands if Buyers & sellers you pull out of sale 5% deposit plan

CRUSHED Tree fell on car FOOLHARDY daredevils are battered by huge waves as 70mph Storm Brian bludgeons Britain.

The group at Porthcawl in South Wales, had ignored Environment Agency warnings not to put themselves in danger.

An elderly couple escaped unhurt when a tree came crashing down on their Ford Mondeo as they were driving in Bordon, Hants, during the storm yesterday afternoon. Police tweeted a photo of the car and said the pair had a “lucky escape”.

The strongest wind, 71mph, was measured at The Mumbles, west of Swansea. The Met Office warned that inland gusts could reach 55mph.

BIG STRESS More than 40 flood alerts were issued, most in the west of England.

Flood barriers were up in areas including Fowey, Cornwall, and travel was disrupted as half-term began.

In Wales, trains and ferries were cancelled and seafront roads closed.

South Western Railway had speed restrictions in Hampshire and Dorset.

HOW THEY DO IT IN AMERICA

Sales take four to six weeks. Offers are binding and a sale date is agreed. Deposits of 1-3 per cent of purchase price are made into an third-party account and there’s 14 days for surveys and searches.

HOW THEY DO IT IN DENMARK

Buyers must have finance in place. Accepted offers are binding but if buyers withdraw during a six-day cooling-off period they pay up to one per cent. This rises to five per cent of the price if they quit later.