Please help settle an argument between me and DH

[Picklepants]

We're selling our house. Our shower doesn't work properly. It never has. The problem is you can't regulate the temperature of the water. It has two settings: 'Hot' and 'Off'.

We have a plumber friend who could fix it, but it will cost £150 to buy the part. DH doesn't want to spend the money to fix it, because we're moving out anyway. I think we should do it now, as anyone that moves in will realise straightaway that it doesn't work properly, and we'll have to get it fixed at that point. If we wait till then we'll have to go through a much more annoying, labour intense process, involving solicitors, quotes from tradesmen etc. Alternatively, we can pay our plumber friend in beer to do it now, at a time that suits us.

And we'd also have a working shower for the rest of our time there

So who's right, me or DH?

[NorkyButNice]

If you haven't actually sold the house yet then you're going to be there for minimum 2 months before completion - won't you want a working shower for yourselves in that time?

And yes, as a buyer I tested all the fittings etc to make sure they worked.

[Picklepants]

The shower does work, the only problem with it is the temperature issue - we've just never gotten round to doing anything about it

Apart from anything else, I just don't think it's very nice to leave it in anything other than full working order, but DH is a tad more, ah, ruthless, shall we say...

[Butterbur]

You are obviously much nicer and more moral than your DH.

Unfortunately I have usually bought houses off people like him. It never occurred to me to ask the vendors to pay for small repairs like that.

[Picklepants]

We're in Scotland Butterbur, so if the buyer discovers that something's not working within the first 7 days they can report it to their solicitor and the seller is (usually) responsible for getting it fixed.

But thanks for your responses, I will go back to DH armed with them!

[ReshapeWhileDamp]

I had no idea that the law worked like that in Scotland! I'm rather glad it doesn't here - I think we're leaving the house in perfectly good condition, but it would make me extremely paranoid that something would come to light!

From a nice point of view, I'd think about getting it fixed now, especially if you are legally obliged to anyway.

[Picklepants]

I think perhaps it depends on the conditions of each sale so don't quote me on that, but pretty sure we'd be liable to pay for any repair...

Will have to apply my powers of persuasion to DH

[thisisyesterday]

hmmm well.... what's the rest of the bathroom like?

if i was buying a house, and I was going to re-do the bathroom i wouldn't really care if the shower didn't work

but if it's a nice bathroom then i might leave it and obv then i'd want it to work

you could always just point out to potential buyers that it doesn't work but that you'd get it fixed before the sale (at your own cost) if they wanted it working?> that way you could still use your own man, but if they say "nah, we'll change the whole room anyway" then you don't have to spend the money

[Fimbo]

How hot is hot? Enought to scald?? What if a child used the shower first?

[Picklepants]

Rest of the bathroom is (IMO) pretty nice. Recently retiled, new flooring etc.

It's not dangerously hot, certainly not scalding. Marginally too hot for me, but I am a wuss and prefer a cooler shower...

[Fimbo]

If it is too hot for you then it is likely to be too hot for a child. I would get it fixed.

[ChippingIn]

I would get it fixed - it will make the wait while you sell your house nicer and you wont feel awful knowing you are doing it - also avoiding the hassle if they do want it fixed afterwards - just tell your DH it's false economy and then orgnise your mate to do it.