House move. AIBU to leave an oven in situ?

[MovingFun]

Moving house soon. My buyer is very keen to move and get into the property, which is all good, if leaving me feeling rather hassled while I try and sort out 10 years of accumulated stuff in a tight time frame. Last bits and pieces being sorted out with solicitors.

Most recent 'query' is more of a demand that I agree to remove the freestanding oven from the property before leaving. On the fixtures and fittings I said I would be leaving it as I have a fitted oven in the new property. I intend to remove all other white goods. I'm not particularly keen on doing this. It's massively inconvenient - I have a family I need to cook for until we move. I have a vast amount of other things to do. I know the vendor is having works done on the kitchen almost as soon as they move it, that involve stripping it out and walls coming down, so they will have to clear everything else.

If I've stated I intend to leave it, do I have to remove it if they insist?

[SouthWesterlyWinds]

Nope. They can ask. You can say no. Have you exchanged contracts yet?

[WhoTheFuckIsSimon]

Is it electric? Can't you just leave it out for the scrapman?

If it's gas I can see the buyer doesn't want to pay a plumber to disconnect it.

[civilfawlty]

No, you don't. But as you would need to get someone in to do it, you could always get a price, double it and inc your asking price...

[PuntasticUsername]

Gosh, no, why would you put yourself to the expense and inconvenience if it doesn't benefit you at all, and you are in no way obliged to do so?

Buyer is entitled to ask. You are entitled to say no. You made it clear that the oven would be staying and they agreed to buy on that basis.

[MovingFun]

It's gas and electric. Gas hob. I don't particularly want to pay to have it removed either. If it's my responsibility I will, but I feel like I've been pretty agreeable all along in the process - I've been flexible in moving date even though it's not ideal for me. I'm pretty sure they want us out early so they can do works before moving in, which means I've got to get a lot done in a short space of time and now, because it's easier for them, they want me to do this bit too.

Ah well. I suppose it's not the end of the world, but my DP is really unimpressed by the request.

[MovingFun]

Not exchanged contracts but I've no desire to lose the sale over a stupid oven.

[PennyPinwheel]

They won't want to lose the house over an oven either though. Say no, especially as you have already specified that it is staying. It's not your responsibility.

[Oldraver]

If agreeing to remove it helps the sale along then agree then forget

[TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams]

Negotiate by saying Yes.

Yes - we can remove the oven, we will need to push out our leaving date by 3 days though to arrange for it to go. Please confirm that's acceptable to you?

[Inertia]

I'd do what TreadSoftly suggests- say that you can remove it but the moving date will have to be delayed.

[MrsEricBana]

What a pain. Just say no, sorry as will be using up until we leave. We asked out vendors to leave something I wanted, they said no and that was it.

[ChicRock]

If you haven't exchanged contracts then the fixtures and fittings haven't yet been agreed.

I would just remove it. It's a 10 minute job and will cost you £50. Not sure why the buyers should have to pay that, and then pay to dispose of your oven.

[WriteforFun1]

OP, I would just explain it's a pain and they won't want to lose the sale over this either - so at most maybe offer them money for the disconnection?

Simon "Can't you just leave it out for the scrapman?"
My council will need advance warning and charge £90 for collecting this. I wish I had a magic scrapman to take stuff like this

[MargaretCavendish]

When we brought our house I'm sure it said in the contract that if we didn't want any of the offered 'chattels' then they had to pay to remove them. If they didn't we had the right to bill them for it. Obviously we didn't actually do this for the stuff in the shed, etc. - but I might have done if it was an oven that needed professional disconnecting!

[PuppyMonkey]

We have a scrap man too. Very handy. DP had a massive old broken photocopier/printer which he just left at our gate, it lasted about half an hour before somebody whipped it away. Sorted!

[AnotherPrickInTheWall]

The new buyers are going to have to pay for the new stove to be installed by a registered corgi fitter. It isn't going to cost much more ( if at all) to get it removed and install the new one at the same time.
I would be grateful for the convenience of having any useable stove when I move house.

[WriteforFun1]

where is this magic place that has people collect scrap for free???

[pinkladyapple]

Sorry but if the buyer says they want you to remove it you have to remove it unless you both agree it's left.

I bought a house last year and the couple who lived there before asked if we wanted to their conservatory furniture as their new house didn't have one. We said no thank you. Then on the fixture and fittings form they stated they were leaving them and were going to charge us £100 for the pleasure. Our solicitor instructed them to remove them. They then offered again to leave for free - we said no - solicitor told them to remove it.

They stated in the form they were leaving the oven in the kitchen (free-standing gas oven) and we agreed on that, however.

But basically, if the buyer says no - they can go through their solicitor and you have to remove it.

[WriteforFun1]

pink, at this stage it's a negotiation though? So yes, they might both agree it's left so no harm in the OP asking them surely?

[SoupDragon]

where is this magic place that has people collect scrap for free???

In my case, Croydon. Just leave it out and it's gone. I think the longest I had something there was 3 days, the shortest 20 minutes.

[VioletBam]

We also have scrap man. My Mum in Cheshire does too. He rocks up with his van when you phone him!

[squoosh]

I have a scrap man in Glasgow. His name is Mr Metal.

[pinkladyapple]

WriteforFun1

Yes I am talking about the negotiation stage. The fixture and fittings the OP is referring to is the same form on which my sellers said they were going to be leaving the conservatory furniture. They can refuse to allow OP to leave things in the house.

I think the OP is not impressed because it is expense for them. I am sorry - but it would be expense for your buyer too. And your buyer has the legal right to ask you to remove it.

[PuppyMonkey]

I'm on Notts/Derbyshire border

[pinkladyapple]

And if the OP left it anyway after agreeing to remove it - then OP is liable for legal action to be taken against them by the buyer's solicitor to claim back the costs of removal for breaking an agreement.