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Original poster

Old house owners being a pain

271 replies

Moaningturtle · 13/01/2022 09:59

We completed on our house in mid November. It started in the day of completion when she was still in the house 3 hours after completing moving stuff out, and then left a load of stuff in the garden to come and collect another time. It was annoying, especially as the clutter in the garden made our moving in harder, but it we were accommodating and polite.

Then the packages started arriving all the way up to Xmas, including a few which we missed delivery of that weren’t named so we had to go to the collection office to get packages that turned out were not for us! This got a bit more annoying. Then her partner (who wasn’t even joint owner) messaged me informing me that UPS will be delivering a very important package that day and could I make sure I sign for it!! On that occasion I told him no, I was sleeping and can’t get up to answer deliveries (I work nights). It happened to come while I was awake though so I dutifully took it to a requested neighbours house.

Then he messaged me asking me to contact Virgin Media and take over his contract!! I said no thank you very much, we have our own broadband sorted. He seemed a bit miffed as I assume he now has to pay for the remainder of the contract.

All a bit annoying but we put up with it. But the latest instalment is that we’ve had Virgin media knocking on our door demanding we give back their equipment. Now, they did leave a router plugged into the wall which I assumed they didn’t want as why would they leave it in a house they had sold? So I put it straight in the garage….I think? It’s possible it went to the recycling centre with other electronics we were getting rid of. If it is in the garage it’s way way way back there behind all the stuff we haven’t yet unpacked/general garage crap. And now the previous owner is WhatsApp-ing me about finding it for her as I assume she’ll be charged.

I know it all seems like small stuff and I should probably just do it, but I work at night then sleep for 4 hours before picking the kids up from school and the whole clubs/dinner/homework/bath time/ bed time routine. Then I’m back at work!

At what point can I stop being obliging and just block them from my phone? Or am I being petty here?!

OP posts:
tootyfruitypickle · 14/01/2022 20:41

My neighbours live (literally) down the road and have had cheque books and bank cards arrive here and I've sent them back to sender . Not your problem OP, it's not hard to organise redirection and sort your life out when you move.

tootyfruitypickle · 14/01/2022 20:41

Not neighbours old owners !

oakleaffy · 14/01/2022 21:02

@Moaningturtle

I don’t know why I feel the need to always be nice and helpful, especially at my own detriment for complete strangers.

I’m 40 years old now and need to learn to say no. Is there some sort of assertiveness course I can go on?! Grin

Just say “ No”

I went on an assertiveness course years ago, and people respect you far more if you say “No”

Never explain or argue, Just “No”.

By being weak - As cheeky fuckers see it- you are ripe to be trampled over.

I had some horrible cheeky fuckery by practiced cheeky fuckers

She wanted me to give her £140 for so say getting her car punctured on my road

Then wanted to move in to my mortgaged home with her child rent free

I said NO and never had any more hassle from the user.

Icantfindmykeys · 14/01/2022 21:21

Bollocks to that block them and be done with it. If they haven’t given you a forwarding address it’s a bit one way!
You’ve enough to do, don’t give it a moments more thought!

fetchacloth · 14/01/2022 21:27

@Icantfindmykeys

Bollocks to that block them and be done with it. If they haven’t given you a forwarding address it’s a bit one way! You’ve enough to do, don’t give it a moments more thought!
amen to that I say Grin
EchosMum2007 · 14/01/2022 21:37

I wouldn't call myself a particularly accommodating person, just a person with a basic level of common decency. When I sold my previous property, I had spent the most part of the final week before the completion cleaning and scrubbing the place so that it's nice and fresh for the new owners. I also organised with the post office to redirect all my incoming post to a place I was moving to, I made those arrangements 2 weeks prior to vacating my sold property.
You owe absolutely nothing to the people you bought from from the moment of completion and you getting the keys. Being "nice" & accommodating to them to the detriment of your own mental and physical wellbeing is not a good idea. As they say, give them an inch they'll take a yard!

backtolifebacktoreality · 14/01/2022 22:46

Tell Virgin Media that the contract was with the former residents.

Tell the former residents that you threw it away as you assumed it was rubbish they'd left behind which they didn't want.

backtolifebacktoreality · 14/01/2022 22:48

@Nekoness

Phone virgin and tell them their customers are no longer at this address and you declined to take over their contract. You have no idea what router they’re talking about. End of story.

Don’t feel guilty about the router. Virgin are assholes for demanding their boxes/routers are returned but taking months to send anyone to collect them. They basically want to stick you with a fee and when they can’t, they don’t bother picking up their (usually by then) outdated equipment.

Not your problem the previous owners didn’t ask you if you wanted to take over their contract before moving out and then packing the virgin router up with their belongings

No! Don't phone Virgin Media. It's not your issue!

backtolifebacktoreality · 14/01/2022 22:53

Legally you should have vacant possession upon completion, which means no people and no belongings can be left in the house.

CelestiaNoctis · 14/01/2022 23:48

Text the previous owner that you've been kind enough and are now going to go no contact so don't come to the house or send anything there anymore. Then block them in every way and ignore anything for them. Return everything to sender if its not for you. What absolute cf.

Teatotal2 · 15/01/2022 01:07

@Moaningturtle

Maybe my last contact will be a link to this thread, you women are fantastic Smile
This would be excellent & definitely set them straight Moaningturtle🤣
Mamanyt · 15/01/2022 02:06

You are not being petty, they are being unreasonable, and you can block them NOW. If they continue to try to contact you, see if you can charge them with harassment. I cannot imagine doing something like this to someone who purchased my house!

GrannytoaUnicorn · 15/01/2022 11:54

Why in God's name and all that's holy are you accepting parcels for them?!?! Wtf

Bignanny30 · 15/01/2022 13:19

Chill out you’re not responsible for anything. Virgin cannot charge you for the router or anything else, it’s not in your name. Don’t take anymore parcels in and as everyone else has said just block them and forget about them. Hope you’ll then be happy in your new home 👍🏻

Youmeandourthree · 15/01/2022 13:22

Ask the estate agent to contact them and sort it out. Block their number and write ‘not known at this address’ on letters and parcels. Maybe a sign on the door to inform delivery drivers not to knock or leave parcels for them would save you being disturbed when asleep. Enjoy your new home.

Muckymaisonette · 15/01/2022 13:27

Write NKATA (for not known at this address) and RTS (return to sender) as initials, it’s quicker

ivegotdreadfulpmttoday · 15/01/2022 16:43

Ref my earlier message, I'm going through a lot of anxiety and catastrophising massively in my own life so shouldn't bring it on here. Sorry

cannockcandy · 15/01/2022 18:22

Now, you stop being accommodating now!
Message them both one last time saying "I am not responsible for anything you left in the house when you finally moved out. I am also not responsible for any packages you have delivered to this address. From today onwards I will be refusing parcels and telling the mail carrier the truth that no person of that name lives at this address. I will also be blocking you on all forms of social media and on the telephone. Do not contact me again or I will have no choice but to contact the relevant authorities about harassment.

Shamwari22 · 16/01/2022 23:48

Totally agree with all the good advice here. I would also be getting all the locks changed as I would not be trusting them to have surrendered all the keys.

GrolliffetheDragon · 17/01/2022 13:37

When we bought I did not known at this address and return to sender for everything except for things hand posted and a couple of what were obviously gifts at Christmas - they went to the neighbour who had the new address.

Given the time I had to spend phoning people threatening bailiffs to explain they weren't living in the house any more I think I was more than reasonable. From accidentally opening one of their bills (I had a card with the same comapny), they just stopped paying after moving.

outdooryone · 26/01/2022 10:14

As everyone is saying, just now say no.
They need to take responsibility for themselves and sorting out all their addresses, contracts etc.

I once had an ex house owner do similar - despite 'no' and relentless refusing of parcels and letters, it took a year for the idea to sink in with them. 'Highlights' include her asking if I would take on their cat(!) as it kept finding its way across town to the old house and a phone call 6 months after the sale to ask if I had found their iron and ironing board...7 years later when I sold up again, I was still putting one letter a month back into post marked 'no longer at this address'.

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