Sellers leaving junk

[EarSlaps]

Went to drop off some paint cans and weed killer etc at house we are completing on tomorrow (agreed with sellers via estate agent, they moved out a few weeks ago).

They have left quite a lot of stuff- boxes of tatty children's toys and shoes, pots of paint for colours that aren't in the house anymore etc. Plus a tatty table and chairs.

From a quick look inside their definition of 'a clean condition' differs from mine (and I don't have high standards ).

I know in the grand scheme of things it could be much worse but it's just so frustrating when you play by the rules but others can't be bothered. Our solicitor has sent an email to theirs reminding them that all rubbish needs to be cleared but I know there is zero chance of that and I don't want to hold up completion for this.

Can you make me feel better with stories of junk filled houses and jungle gardens?

[ladybird69]

We bought a house where the husband left his stash of 'special' clothes and magazines in the loft. Bless him!

[specialsubject]

if it is rubbish that you can't clear yourself, you'll need to get suitable people in and try sending them the bill.

if it is just a trip to the tip or two, don't sweat it and do it. I wouldn't be too eager to forward their post in that case, just write 'unknown return to sender' on it and chuck it back in a post box.

left mucky isn't good but there's also a limit to what you can do there with a purchase.

[pinkje]

They probably thought that because they were doing you a favour they could get away with leaving a few things behind.

I wouldn't stress about the house not being cleaned to your standards; no doubt you'll want to clean cupboards etc before you unpack anyway.

[EarSlaps]

Oh I know it's not too bad in the grand scheme of things. It will probably be just a few trips to the dump but I could really do without that, especially since I've made this house cleaner than it's been since we first moved in! To be fair I haven't actually shampooed the carpet, weeded or cut the lawn so no doubt our buyers will think we're lazy oiks .

Hopefully we won't find any 'special' clothes anywhere!

[EssexMummy123]

:-( not only did we have to make several trips to the dump / bulk waste disposal we also paid for a couple of skips and we are still finding bizarre junk buried in the garden.

[Artistic]

Our vendor left behind their king sized mattress that has become a huge pain for us to dispose!! 1 year on and it's still in our outhouse eating up our space. Left a really bad taste in our mouth!!

[EarSlaps]

Bloody inconsiderate people! Some people just have no manners or scruples.

Can you get the council to collect Artistic? Ours take three big items for £15. Otherwise it's cheaper than a trampoline .

Dh whinged about them leaving stuff then tried to tell me we didn't need to bother putting the recycling out tonight since we were leaving . Lazy bugger.

[RaisingSteam]

We bought our first house from two old blokes. The house was rammed with junk when we viewed it. When we finally got the keys there was masses of rubbish left and it was filthy, I was in tears. It quickly became apparent they couldn't/wouldn't clear anything else. We got in a house clearance company who cleared two fully lorry loads out! Our solicitors got theirs to pay up for the clearance.

I think you just need to be prepared to run it down the tip yourself as that will be less hassle that nagging/chasing for the sellers to do it.

Don't forget to check for anything useful/valuable

[EarSlaps]

We have a very active local Facebook selling group so lots of it will go on there no doubt if there's anything saleable.

The local tip and I are good friends after the number of trips I've taken there clearing out our junk .

[EarSlaps]

Two lorry loads of junk . How do these people sleep at night.

On an unrelated note, his the hell are you supposed to sleep the night before you move?!

[MrsFlorrick]

Earslaps. You're not buying my house by any chance?? We are completing Friday (today)?

That would be a coincidence, wouldn't it?

That said our buyers have not been here as far as I am aware and we are planning to cart all our mounds of crap along with us.

Good luck with your house move.

[LoloKazolo]

Thinking about this, I have realised that I've only ever moved into doer-uppers or done-ups (developer family).

I moved into a house once where the previous inhabitants left all their kids' toys, binsacks of dirty nappies in the garden, but took the fireplaces . Ripped them right off the wall!

[LineRunner]

The previous occupants of my house left crappy furniture such as disintegrating wardrobes behind, and the carpets turned out to be rank and had to be chucked out. I just hired a skip.

[Katesby]

When we finally got access to our new house a couple of years ago, we found that the previous owners had left us a load of tatty old enormous furniture aaaaaaaand a corn snake in a tank.

[EarSlaps]

Well we're in!

There were a few boxes outside and then a whole bit of wardrobe filled with children's toys indoors. The removal company they had used came round to collect those.

Then we found the clothes on the hook in the bathroom and the used sanitary towel in the ensuite bin (MIL had that pleasure!).

Can't blame them for the fox poo outside though.

Hope your move went well MrsF. Didn't you spend ages doing your last place up? Remember you from the 5:2 and Jillian Michaels threads.

[Lagoonablue]

Ugh...some people. When we moved in current house it was spotless. I was amazed. Even the oven was sparkling. I think they must have had a deep clean. Doesn't look so good now we have been living in it!

[EarSlaps]

Yes, I haven't started on the oven yet- was tempted just to call Oven Gleam or similar but I'll give it a go myself first.

Apparently they had professional cleaners in after they left. Cleaners who appear unable to open cupboard doors to clean or to empty bins out then!

I left ours clean- all skirting boards wiped, cupboards cleaned, loft emptied, oven clean etc. unfortunately our vacuum cleaner is crap so it looks like I didn't bother to vacuum. I'm not a gardener though so that was in a bit of a state .

[Blexie]

Having messed us about for so long that I'd fallen pregnant and was 6mths gone when we finally exchanged, we turned up at 6 on a cold dark October Friday evening to find the house (tiny Victorian terrace) without any light bulbs, had not been cleaned in months, carpets thick with animal fur, kitchen cupboard doors ripped off, and dumped in a bedroom, fitted wardrobes smashed and hanging off walls, lumps of plaster missing, bath smashed and toilet leaking, multifuel stove ripped out and badly rotten food in sink and on kitchen sides.
All this after we'd allowed the lady occupant extra time to find somewhere to move to.
Took 3 mths to sort and make habitable (we'd always intended to fo it up, but it was liveable when we offered!) and we moved in on our due date, lucky that DD wanted a 2 week lie in!

[MrsFlorrick]

Earslaps. Given your used sanitary towel situation, it is clear that you didn't buy my previous house.

Yes spent ages doing last house up. Bought another in March which is currently being refurbed. So we are in rented for 8 weeks until it's done.

I should get back to doing Jillian Michaels again!!

Glad you're in and sorted. We got it All sorted in the end. As ours was chain free, completion took place at 09:15 and by 12:01 the buyers/new owners were on the door step ready to go in but our removers were still packing and loading. Thankfully it wasn't a problem.

[EarSlaps]

Blexie, that sounds awful. Must have been so upsetting. We got messed around by sellers when I was pregnant with DS1 and it was so stressful. I dread to think what state they would have left the house in if that sale had gone through.

Well it's feeling more like home after lots of cleaning, major garden clearing and a few trips to the dump. Still a few boxes to start unpacking but we're mostly there. Off on holiday on Wednesday and I'd like to be mostly unpacked by then.