Angry at house seller?

@perfectpotato regards the radiators I would threaten to pull out. Wouldn't be bothered about the light fittings.

If it’s listed on the brochure, then it’s included in the sale. Speak to the agent,before asking your solicitor, it’s cheaper if THEY can sort it out for you. You can renominate the price on that basis. Otherwise, definitely speak to your solicitor, just remember that you pay them per letter/ per them minutes of work, or however they are billing you, so watch that the cost doesn’t escalate past replacement value.

It def wasn’t and not sure that’s a thing in Scotland I’ve sold three houses and never filled one of those in.

Will they make sure the heating system is in good working order … blessing the radiators etc.

If that were the case nobody would be asked to complete the F&F form.

It would however have been far more reasonable to have made it clear that you weren’t leaving the rads at the beginning of the discussion. 1) because it impacts on the process OP might want to pay and 2) because it would have highlighted to OP that she’s dealing with someone who operates outside of the norms

That seems to be the kernel of the whole thing doesn't it, @DancingNotDrowning

Nobody disputes that a vendor can take whatever they want providing it's itemised correctly on the relevant forms, but to spring unexpected things like this once the process is well underway - and when the buyer's offered on the basis of things which can reasonably be expected to be left - looks shabby at best

But where does it end? I have expensive worktops - should I remove them if I sell?

and to be fair - column radiators aren’t that expensive for a nice feature. I have a few in my house. I wouldn’t dream of taking them out if it sold - but I understand they make the rooms look much better and that would be reflected in the price and the attractive of my home.

thinking check about are fitted blinds etc. wouldn’t occur to me that someone would take the radiators! As I said before, the seller knew they made the house look better which is why she left them in situ for the photos and viewings.

feels like a bait and switch

Column radiators are expensive! Don’t blame them at all

Oh no! I’ve fallen foul of not RTFT. Sorry for being so moody. I still read that as not at viewing but after. Alleged seller is reasonable there in a way and their post is definitely reasonable but should have said from the outset (if they didn’t).

I just saw the vendor has replied yesterday. Fair play to them for laying out their position, and I understand why they would want to have this go through solicitors rather than on a forum and that’s obviously how it will have to get resolved. However, perhaps they shouldn’t have posted on here at all if they didn’t want anyone else’s opinion on what they have written!

Unfortunately, just because they’ve seen other items in the skip from houses they’ve sold, doesn’t mean the purchaser wasn’t planning on keeping a lot of the fixtures and fittings. The vendor says the radiators were ‘gifted’? That’s seems such an odd thing to write tbh. Surely if you were in communication with the purchaser you could have just asked them if they were planning on keeping the radiators or not? Or if you wanted to minimise contact then I appreciate you could view the property information form as your way of asking them? However, it really does seem odd to remove them. Light fittings and the mirror are things that could be discussed, but I’ve never ever seen anyone take radiators. It really does sound like this is actually all about money and not being happy with the offer you’ve accepted (hence mentioning really irrelevant things like having the boiler flushed - I would guess you did this for previous tenants, and have since decided to sell?)

If they didn't state in the legal paperwork that they were taking these things, they have NO right!! I bought a house and the seller wanted the microwave a month later 🙄

Agree. I pointed this out upthread and was flamed a bit for it. I’ve enough recent experience to know that you don’t just assume that things are being left - you wait for the paperwork and sort it out via your solicitor.

That's what the fuxtures and fittings list is for.

As far as I’m aware they can’t take lights and just leave bare wires, so they would have to replace with standard plastic fittings and light bulbs.

It's pointless, and in some cases actively unhelpful, to share AI generated guff. If you don't know the answer yourself then why post. Anyone can do an AI search (although they'd be wise not to given how dodgy the results currently are)

Or she could ask how much extra they would cost if they left them. The problem is that houses are not sold as seen. Until you get the property forms as the sale proceeds you have no idea what’s being left and what’s not, so the best option is to ask. I’ve sold a lot in the last twenty years and twice I’ve come across radiators being taken and replaced with standard ones because they were expensive and the vendors didn’t want to shell out again. They’re not fixtures, they’re fittings.

Bit on the mean side to be taking radiators off the wall 😬

I would be really pissed off about the radiators! And I would challenge that with the estate agents, I have never known it be a thing to do that. Additionally someone has posted an article where it says that these things are fittings and actually the removal could damage things whereas you’ll surely be expecting the house to be in the condition you purchased it. Are the sellers confident the replacement radiators will fit exactly or just botched in? Same with the lights, will the walls need repainting etc? This should surely have been written in the advert so potential buyers were aware.

When I moved into my first house the sellers had dug up and taken every single plant from the garden!

I wonder if they have the old radiators that were taken out and intend putting those back in, but if In the advert for the house it showed the new radiators I'd say we need to reduce our offer if radiators are being taken. I think I'd price them and see how much to have that sort installed plus were they all through the house or just in a certain room.

No, the (alleged) vendor has appeared on the thread elsewhere though. Look for no18currentowner
Personally, I’d pull out, anyone who is prepared to go to the trouble of removing radiators and didn’t mention it upfront, i.e. before a buyer puts in an offer based on the existing fixtures is likely to lead to more grief.

As opposed have stated you are buying the house, not three radiators etc. It's their right to do that, not your right they leave them for you...Some people think they are very entitled, you're not...

Because they made an offer on the basis of what was shown to them when they viewed the property.

OP, if it wasn't mentioned that they were taking these things prior to the offer then make a revised offer (reduced by whatever you think the value of those items is to you).

Totally agree, however our sellers did take items that were not initially listed.

Really they should have said they were taking radiators when you viewed but light fittings etc they don't have to say unless you specifically ask about them.
Similar happened to me, they charged extra for garden shed, light fittings curtain rails and tie backs that were fit to the wall. I paid full asking price as well plus 300.00 on top for fixtures and fittings. (Shed, 2 curtain poles and 2 sets of tie backs plus light fittings) I wasn't amused but my fault for not asking. I would query about radiators though as if they change them after your survey has been done, what if they don't work?