Paying seller for fittings?

[LMonkey]

We are in the process of buying a shared ownership house, moving from a shared ownership maisonette for more rooms. I have been in regular contact with the seller along the way; it has been a long long stressful process and we like to keep each other updated about our ends of the chain. We get on well and they are a nice retired couple. She has offered to sell us her kitchen appliances. We don't need the washing machine or fridge freezer, the dishwasher I will gladly buy from her but her oven and microwave are fitted in so should really be included with the house. She mentioned it a while back and I was all "yeah yeah sounds great"...I've only recently found out the oven,hob and microwave are fitted and checked with our solicitor today who said it should be included in cost. I may have misled her before i realised by saying that we do need a new oven. It's all a bit awkward really...I think the sellers realise it is meant to be included but the way she is playing it is "they're very new appliances so we would appreciate some money towards them". I think there might even be a shed/summer house type thing that they would like us to contribute towards! It's difficult when you're on good terms with someone, I don't want to break that. We're due to go round the house tomorrow to have a look at the stuff...any advice on how to play this?

[AveEldon]

Have you got the fixtures and fittings list from your solicitor?

[wowfudge]

This is why solicitors always advise you to arrange payment for anything like this via them so it is contractual and clear. You should negotiate via the estate agent then confirm what is agreed with your solicitor. But, firstly you need the Fittings and Contents form completed by the seller and see what they have put in writing. If it's awkward to backtrack you can always say you can't stretch your budget to pay extra for built in appliances - they are unlikely to remove them.

[namechangedtoday15]

They are not something that should be included as standard - so her asking you to pay extra for them is not automatically wrong (as you seem to imply). She is perfectly entitled to take them if she wants to. As others have said look at what the form said as to whether they were included in the sale but at the end of the day it comes down to negotiation.

[thisismypassword]

You're not really on good terms though are you, as she's trying to fleece you. This is a business transaction. Keep it that way.

[LMonkey]

Namechanged I checked with my solicitor who said you shouldn't have to pay extra for fitted items, so this is what i was going by. It makes sense to me that surely fitted items are taken into consideration when the house is valued?

We haven't received the fixtures and fittings list yet, I am enquiring about that.

This it's easier said than done now. If we were to start again I might have done things differently, but we are in regular contact. It has its pros and cons.

[Lamu]

Name, fitted items are generally included as standard. It has been in every single house purchase I've made, which has been a fair number.

Op call her bluff on it. I'm not sure if fittings are included in the valuation. But in any case you're well within your rights not to buy the items if you don't want to.

[namechangedtoday15]

That's not correct, they're not "automatically" included. They are usually if they're integrated.

[Lamu]

I took fitted as in integrated. Pretty sure that's what Op meant too.

[Whatdoidohelp]

This is why you should leave all correspondence between solicitors. Can you step back and let them deal with it going forward?

[StepAwayFromTheThesaurus]

I took the OP as meaning an integrated oven and hob. It would be odd not to include the hob in a house sale. You'd just leave a hole in the worktop otherwise.

[wowfudge]

This is exactly why you should negotiate via the EA who will tell them if they are risking the whole transaction by being grasping over things. It used to be commonplace to charge for (or take with you) carpets, curtains, etc, but in real terms the cost of lots of fixtures and fittings have come down so it's much less the norm nowadays.

[MsMims]

Was the oven etc included in the property details? I would assume anything written in there would be included.

[LMonkey]

The oven (and matching microwave actually) is fitted in to the kitchen unit (as opposed to free-standing), i guess that's integrated?

Yes I kind of wish it was all left to the solicitors to deal with, although I think it was our friendliness with the seller that helped get us the house tbh. It would seem rather strange at this point to take a step back but I do see what you all mean. There's no EA in involved as it's a housing association as its shared ownership and its all completely silent on their front. Maybe I should speak to them about it.

[Stillunexpected]

Your solicitor advised you badly if they said you shouldn't have to pay for fitted items. It is normal for such items, like integrated white goods in a kitchen, to be included in the sale but they don't have to be. The solicitor should be pushing for a fixtures and fitting list rather than erroneously telling you what is included.

[Spickle]

There is no need to get involved in discussions about buying items from the vendor.

Wait for the fixtures and fittings list which forms part of the contract and is provided by the seller's solicitors to your solicitors. When you receive a copy of this, just have a look at the items and the amount the seller wishes to sell for and decide whether or not you want to pay for them.

It is not recommended that integrated items are removed but the seller can do this if they want to. Your solicitor will insist that any damage caused by their removal is made good prior to exchange of contracts and if any electrical or gas work is be involved, that a qualified person is employed to disconnect (and evidence of this provided). That's usually enough to convince sellers not to bother!

Please don't be pressured into buying items you do not need or want. If I were you I would chance it that the integrated items will not be removed on completion.