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Original poster

So angry at sellers, left the house FILTHY

343 replies

Oldperithia · 22/08/2024 21:19

I feel so sad for DS and his GF. They’ve saved and sacrificed so much for 3 years to scrape together a deposit on a house. Finally were able to buy a small 3 bed semi. Viewed it, offered 5% under asking and it was accepted.
They’ve been no trouble during the process whereas the older (60’s) sellers (who are apparently moving to Spain) have dragged their feet throughout the whole process to give them as much time as possible.

Well, DS and GF finally got the keys yesterday and were so excited but that soon turned to dismay when they got there to find everything really dirty, like they’ve not cleaned for months.

Carpets, skirtings, blinds thick with dust, walls all grubby and marked, light fittings greasy dusty, light switches black with dirt, the kitchen thick with grease and food stains and spatter over cabinets and cooker. Wasp nest in the roof.

Floors are sticky and grimy, the whole house is just dirty.

How do people live like that and how do they think it’s acceptable to leave like it for the next person.

We will all muck in and help clean and decorate but I feel so sad for them, it’s really taken the shine off the whole thing.

I know that they are fortunate to be in this position but it’s still made me so angry. If you know of an older couple moving to spain soon know that they’ve lived like dirty pigs and they’ve no thought for the people they’ve sold to. I hope karma bites them!!

OP posts:
peepsypops · 22/08/2024 21:23

If they could afford it I would pay for an end of tenancy deep clean. It'll give a clean slate if you will. It's horrible when the previous owners put a bad taste on things so I feel for them

ComtesseDeSpair · 22/08/2024 21:25

Be angry about it for now, make their names mud in your mouths, and then let it be a rite of passage: your first home (and often even some after the first!) is usually borne out of scraping together every single penny you have, for something a bit grotty, and then making it your own over time. And then in years to come, you sit in the pub with your friends and all trade laughs about the people you bought from who hadn’t cleaned the bathroom in a year, or didn’t know that tumble driers had a lint tray, or had painted around all their wardrobes and drawers in situ, or had hidden the giant burn mark in the carpet under a fetching rug.

Best of wishes to your DS - have been there, and it’s upwards from here!

FawnFrenchieMum · 22/08/2024 21:26

peepsypops · 22/08/2024 21:23

If they could afford it I would pay for an end of tenancy deep clean. It'll give a clean slate if you will. It's horrible when the previous owners put a bad taste on things so I feel for them

I was just about to say exactly the same thing. A couple of hundred pounds and you will be back to a neutral state, then you can decorate as you go.

QueenOfWeeds · 22/08/2024 21:28

YY to an end of tenancy clean.

I was talking to someone in our village who lives in a beautiful house who told me, when they bought it, she walked into the kitchen on her first morning and burst into tears because it was so awful. It’s crap now, but in time they will look back and laugh.

AgnesX · 22/08/2024 21:28

Is there anything about leaving the place clean in the sale contract? There was in mine, although it was 20 years ago!

Xmasbaby11 · 22/08/2024 21:28

When we moved in, our house was like that too. Well not as bad but needed a lot of cleaning and things like burnt food in the bottom of the oven. It was a family of 6 and I think they just didn’t keep up with cleaning the last month or whatever. Probably deliberate as they just don’t care when they’re leaving. Possibly thoughtless when they’re busy with preparing to move.

it’s grim but I’m not sure it’s that unusual. I think also it looks worse when everything is removed.

RosesAndHellebores · 22/08/2024 21:28

They will know next time that the contract must include a clause to say that the house must be professionally cleaned or a professionally cleaned state prior to completion.

Flubadubba · 22/08/2024 21:29

All of what the previous poster said. Almost every time I have bought a property, the sellers have turned out to be filthy. The first flat we bought had food smuched all over the floor, along with crisps etc. They left a note daying'sorry, our hoover broke.'..

The last time we moved, I can't even tell you how filthy it was- like they had stopped cleaning as soon as we offered. A deep clean later, it starts to feel like yours- and at least you know it's clean!

Softycatchymonkeys · 22/08/2024 21:29

Think of the bigger picture - they’ve bought a home! Start of a new chapter! Any dirt or grime can be cleaned up.

Aquamarine1029 · 22/08/2024 21:30

If they can afford it, or if you can afford it for them, I would bring professionals in and give the house a good deep clean and then start fresh.

suburberphobe · 22/08/2024 21:31

Only in a new-build can you expect to move into a spotless home....

Still, it's disgusting to leave it like that.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 22/08/2024 21:31

I suspect that people who live like that don't 'see it' so wouldn't comprehend what the problem is... it is just 'normal' to them.

timoteigirl · 22/08/2024 21:32

Isn't it automatically part of contract that the house must be clean or they can hire cleaners and have sellers pay for it. Have I imagined this?

GU24Mum · 22/08/2024 21:33

Honestly, don't bother with an end of tenancy clean as they can be dreadful and expensive. Try to all muck in if you can, turn the radio up and use lots of elbow grease. If you need anything done professionally, I'd save that for the oven and carpets.

It's a shame now but don't let it take the gloss off the fun of a first new house together.

Original poster
Oldperithia · 22/08/2024 21:33

Us mums are going there the weekend armed with cleaning supplies and we will clean the place to within an inch of its life. It’s just bloody sad that people think it’s acceptable to do this. They had plenty of time to clean as they moved out to their daughters over a week or so ago.
Just no care for anyone!

OP posts:
Candaceowens · 22/08/2024 21:33

I don't really understand why everyone is jumping to say pay for a cleaner.

It's a real shame for them OP but at least their family are willing to help out. You'll have it done in no time.

AnnaMagnani · 22/08/2024 21:34

Each time I've moved house the previous sellers have made a big deal about cleaning and each time I've thought it looked filthy.

I think when you have lived somewhere a long time you just don't notice as much.

Am fully expecting my buyers to think my house is filthy when it's time for me to sell.

ParkerVille · 22/08/2024 21:34

This happened to us 10 years ago. Moved house with 2 young children - spent the whole morning thoroughly cleaning our old house... arrived at our new house after keys had been collected, to find the old owners sitting in the living room - they were waiting for something, but can't remember what!

The house was filthy 😫 The shower screen was so dirty I remember using boiling water to try to get it clean, the carpets were disgustin and windows filthy. Spent the next few days cleaning the new house 😫😣

GorgeousTulips · 22/08/2024 21:35

Let’s hope the house in Spain will be
left filthy too. I have moved a lot in my life and never experienced this . I have always cleaned the house we were leaving too. It just wouldn’t occur to me to leave the place filthy. I would get contract cleaners in personally.

SummerSplashing · 22/08/2024 21:36

@Oldperithia

when people move out it shows all grub behind where things lived that couldn't be moved. Maybe they were incredibly pushed for time getting everything out.

its a shame for DS & GF that the couple didn't have more time/energy to thoroughly clean the house, but it's really not unusual & what people should have prepared them for.

They just need to get stuck in & give it a bloody good clean themselves they don't need to pay people to do it for them. Itll help them to make it feel like theirs. They're a young couple (& if no health issues/disabilities) shouldn't be beyond cleaning a house.

Jk987 · 22/08/2024 21:36

It's a total anti-climax I get that but just pay for a deep clean. Someone will be round tomorrow. This will all be forgotten soon. The sellers were shit but a young couple have got a 3 bed house for their first home which is actually amazing.

paristotokyo · 22/08/2024 21:37

This happened to us and I don't think it's unusual unfortunately. It was really so dissapointing for us so I know how they must feel. I don't think they cleaned in the 6 months it took from offer being accepted to completing. The oven and dishwasher actually made me retch, it was so bad. Every surface had thick grime. But the house is theirs and that's amazing. It can be sorted. They're lucky they'll have help with the cleaning, it took me about 2 weeks to do a thorough deep clean alone as I couldn't afford to pay for a company to do it for me.

Bignanna · 22/08/2024 21:40

Oldperithia · 22/08/2024 21:19

I feel so sad for DS and his GF. They’ve saved and sacrificed so much for 3 years to scrape together a deposit on a house. Finally were able to buy a small 3 bed semi. Viewed it, offered 5% under asking and it was accepted.
They’ve been no trouble during the process whereas the older (60’s) sellers (who are apparently moving to Spain) have dragged their feet throughout the whole process to give them as much time as possible.

Well, DS and GF finally got the keys yesterday and were so excited but that soon turned to dismay when they got there to find everything really dirty, like they’ve not cleaned for months.

Carpets, skirtings, blinds thick with dust, walls all grubby and marked, light fittings greasy dusty, light switches black with dirt, the kitchen thick with grease and food stains and spatter over cabinets and cooker. Wasp nest in the roof.

Floors are sticky and grimy, the whole house is just dirty.

How do people live like that and how do they think it’s acceptable to leave like it for the next person.

We will all muck in and help clean and decorate but I feel so sad for them, it’s really taken the shine off the whole thing.

I know that they are fortunate to be in this position but it’s still made me so angry. If you know of an older couple moving to spain soon know that they’ve lived like dirty pigs and they’ve no thought for the people they’ve sold to. I hope karma bites them!!

How had it got so filthy from the viewing to them leaving it?

peachgreen · 22/08/2024 21:40

I’ve never moved into a house that was anything other than utterly disgusting tbh.

JaxiiTaxii · 22/08/2024 21:42

I'm more surprised that you're shocked it wasn't clean!

I would absolutely expect to be deep cleaning a house I'm moving into. Their dirt out, your dirt in.

Stuff bought from eBay/FB marketplace is always grim & needs a scrub too. People are just riffy!