Buyer complaining about state of house

[azazello]

We've exchanged contracts on our house - due to complete on Friday. The house had been tenanted but is now completely empty.

DH and I went over at the weekend and hoovered throughout, wiped round the kitchen and bathroom, cleaned toilets and the inside of the cupboards. It looks as though it could do with some redecoration but the buyer is planning to do that before moving in anyway. The hall carpet is marked but again, buyer has already said she will be replacing this.

SSince the tenants moved out, the buyer has been round twice and each time we get phone calls from the EA and now from the solicitor saying the place is in a state and hasn't been cleaned. I wasn't planning to clean anymore (DD has a D&V bug so don't really want to be driving for 3 hours so she can sit in an empty flat watching me clean) and can't get a cleaning company round. I'm not embarrassed about the state of it and wouldn't object to moving into it like that myself.

I don't get what the problem is and if I should be doing something more about it. Can anyone help?

[diggingintheribs]

I was under the impression that cleaning was a courtesy not a necessity.

In our place I refused to complete until I had inspected the empty flat as she used one room for junk and it was literally crammed full and I didn't want her to leave us with it to dispose of. She hadn't bothered cleaning (not sure she had cleaned since moving in!) and she had pets so it was pretty gross but I let that go.

I would tell ea that it has been cleaned and that is how it is going to stay. It's not like you didn't do anything. In fact I wouldn't speak to ea - get your solicitor to deal.

Check with your solicitor that they have no right to withhold money for professional cleaning.

[claricebeansmum]

Like dig said I think this is just courtesy - and whether you care if people know how squalid a state you live.

Unless it states in contract that you will have had professionally cleaned then ignore her and make sure you have removed lightbulbs.

[bigstripeytiger]

I dont think that you have to clean the house at all. Obviously it is a nice thing to do, and you say that you did clean it, but I dont think that they have any comeback on you for this.

[azazello]

Thanks. Thats what I'd thought. I'm just a bit thrown because she saw it when the tenants first moved out and it was grim. But it has now been cleaned, okay not professional deep clean but still cleaned. Just feeling a bit sore. I've instructed DH not to leave the nice card and bottle of wine we'd got for her. Not petty at all, me.

[diggingintheribs]

property sales very often finish sourly

the first flat we sold we were going to leave the dishwasher even though she backed out of paying for it. then she demanded completion in 3 days time giving us no time to sort removals. we said no and asked for 5 (to give us the weekend to pack) and she threw a complete hissy fit and claimed we were ruining her life!

we took the dishwasher with us. petty but we did manage to sell it!!

[RedArsedBaboon]

they have seen the house, they have bought the house, as seen.

Let them get on with it.

[janmoomoo]

Every house I have ever moved into has been filthy (but I have always left mine spotless when I moved out). I reckon it is part and parcel of moving, having to clean the new house. TBH I would probably clean it myself even if it had been left clean!

I would leave it if I were you.

[thatsnotmymonkey]

go back and do a big turd in the living room









joke

[activate]

you've exchanged - if she fails to complete you keep the deposit

nothig she can do about it

[RedArsedBaboon]

pmsl - and leave prawns in the ends of the curtain pole.

[CarGirl]

I reckon she was trying it on and didn't realise you have been up and seen it for yourself!

[azazello]

Actually CarGirl, you might well be right... I've emailed the solicitor saying we're not going to do anything else and she can piss off sort it out for herself. I'm probably partly just feeling cross that my slovenliness has been noticed!