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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be disappointed the curtains aren't included

91 replies

blackjacker · 05/02/2016 12:45

We're buying a house and have just got the fixtures and fittings form which says that all the curtain poles and curtains are excluded from the sale, is this common? I think it's pretty bad form to take the curtains (even though they're horrible) because it's pretty unlikely they're going to be the right measurements for the vendor's new windows! We're going to have to tack blankets up over the windows when we move in because I don't want to pay for 'interim' curtains while we decorate ...

OP posts:

msrisotto · 05/02/2016 12:46

It's usual

PatriciaHolm · 05/02/2016 12:47

I think it's pretty normal. At least they've told you beforehand, and not left you to rock up on the day of purchase to a surprisingly curtain less house!

3point14159265359 · 05/02/2016 12:48

I know, this drives me nuts too. Sadly does seem to be pretty normal. You could always ask them if they'd leave them though?

Armi · 05/02/2016 12:48

Can you negotiate to keep them? We have always left ours as they were never the right measurements for wherever we were moving too.

reallybadidea · 05/02/2016 12:48

You may find they leave them behind anyway rather than go to the hassle of taking them down. If not, at least it will be an incentive to decorate quickly!

Quoteunquote · 05/02/2016 12:48

Totally normal, they are not normally included under fixture and fittings, but usually if you ask they will leave them.

If the curtains were the sellers choice, they are unlikely to view them as horrid so they have placed more value on them than you will of.

Armi · 05/02/2016 12:49

'To', not 'too.'

Tut.

ForeverLivingMyArse · 05/02/2016 12:50

Pretty normal, as is spending the first couple of nights in your new home with a blanket over the wondering.

Enjoy your new home@

ForeverLivingMyArse · 05/02/2016 12:50

! Not @

KinkyAfro · 05/02/2016 12:50

I can understand taking the curtains but the poles?

Pootles2010 · 05/02/2016 12:51

Entirely normal. I don't see why you care if you hate them - just buy your new ones straight away? Why would you need 'interim' curtains?

Having said that, you may as well ask if they will leave them, they may well do.

SaveSomeSpendSome · 05/02/2016 12:51

I would say taking curtains etc is very normal. Curtains can be very expensive or they may be custom made etc which means they are not just bog standard enough to leave.

Or they may want to put them up in their new house until they can afford to replace etc

PouletDePrintemps · 05/02/2016 12:52

I've just sold my house and am taking the curtains. They are floor length and quite wide so there is a high chance they will fit a variety of windows.

I'm leaving the curtain poles though.

Bunbaker · 05/02/2016 12:52

I think it is usual to take curtains, but stingy to remove curtain poles. We have never taken curtain poles away with us.

PurpleDaisies · 05/02/2016 12:54

This is totally normal. Even if they're not exactly the same size as the new window sizes they can be altered or used as fabric for craft projects.

WutheringTights · 05/02/2016 12:55

When I offered on our current house I made it clear that the offer was to include all fixtures and fittings, eg curtains, carpets etc, but then we'd had a bad experience with our first house when the seller stripped everything out, even the loo roll holder (leaving a huge mess and holes in lots of the bathroom tiles)!

When we sold our house we did take some curtains but left most of them (and made sure that all the bedrooms had window coverings). We also took a couple (not all) of the light fittings, leaving a standard flex and bulb. We made this clear when they viewed the house. I think it's dishonest to accept an offer then only exclude things like that at a later date.

Elvish · 05/02/2016 12:57

People say they are not included so they can sell them to you for an additional cost.

In our last house purchase the vendor claimed the built in dishwasher was not included in the fixtures and fittings, but we could buy it for £200.

We declined to pay for it and when we moved in he had left it behind.

So you might find they want to open negotiations, or they might leave the curtains behind if they don't need them for their new house.

slicedfinger · 05/02/2016 13:01

We've always taken some that we knew or hoped we'd be able to use again, and left others. Same with curtain poles. If we've spent ages finding just the right thing for us, and we can use it again, definitely take it. They've said they're doing that on the fixtures list, so fair enough.

On the last house we bought though, after frigging months of back and forth, the seller decided he would like to sell us his hideous curtains, right at the last minute. He wanted £15 for them, and it was a deal breaker apparently, either we bought his stinking curtains, or the sale was off. We offered him 5k to remove them all, and lived happily with packing boxes taped over the bedroom windows till we could get what we wanted up. :-)

chicaguapa · 05/02/2016 13:02

It is normal. I'd never expect a vendor to leave curtains though it's less usual to take the curtain poles too.

If they are taking the curtain poles I'd just mention to your solicitor to ask to make sure they make good the walls and don't leave holes in them.

It's a good disincentive and you may find that they decide to leave them anyway if they've got to take them down the day before the move, fill the holes in and sand them down.

budgiegirl · 05/02/2016 13:02

Perfectly normal to take the curtains, especially if they are a standard size.

Less usual to take the poles I would think, but still acceptable to do so.

Make an offer for them, if you want the seller to leave them.

Duckstar · 05/02/2016 13:02

I think it's stingy to take the curtain poles. You are going to be left with holes in the wall, which you are going to have to make good.

Curtains I don't think unusual to take. I took several of mine when we moved as I was able to reuse and they were expensive to buy. I did leave blinds though as you could only reuse on the same size window.

juls1888 · 05/02/2016 13:07

I'm in Scotland so might be different....but we had to leave the curtain poles as they were fixtures, but told to remove the curtains. Similarly, if the bathroom mirror, for example, is fitted into the tiles, then it should be left but if it is "picture-style" you can take it. Didn't stop the stinky buggers we bought our house from removing all mirrors and leaving ugly holes and rawl plugs hanging out the wall though grrrr.

Goingtobeawesome · 05/02/2016 13:10

Just ask for measurements so you can buy some curtains before hand. The month before we moved we went round and did some measuring. It's no big deal.

EponasWildDaughter · 05/02/2016 13:10

Normal to leave the poles/rails and take curtains in my experience.

Some of my curtains have cost a fortune and i like to take them with me and try to reuse or recycle them.

wouldn't want someone else's curtains anyway

SparkleSoiree · 05/02/2016 13:13

We took our curtain poles. At £60 a pop and styled to match the room generally (furniture and soft furnishings) I didn't fancy spending £300-£400 on new poles - never mind curtains at minimum of £100 a pair!

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