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AIBU?

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Original poster

To bin everything the seller has left behind.

97 replies

Teaandcakeat8 · 18/03/2016 22:11

Just picked up the key to my new flat today.

The seller is currently on holiday, exchange/completion happened today and it was all very rushed so he likely didn't know we would be completing before he went away. He gave consent to exchange/complete yesterday.

Just got inside and it's empty as in no furniture but there are piles of crap around eg cupboards not completely empty, utensils in drawers, loo roll and soap in bathroom etc.

To me it looks like they might have been planning on coming back to clear. They've obviously taken their 'belongings' and just left whatever they didn't need iyswim.

I have to go in on Tuesday to pick up the other key (seller still has one) and I am planning on taking all his post with me as there is no forwarding address.

WWYD? Presumably it all belongs to me now so I'm within my rights to bin it all? Or would you box it up and take to the estate agent?

OP posts:
AgentZigzag · 19/03/2016 00:28

She doesn't owe the seller anything Furious, but chucking away stuff that isn't theirs can play on some people's minds.

If the OP didn't have a problem binning it then she wouldn't have posted, something must have made her think twice about it.

AgentZigzag · 19/03/2016 00:28

She doesn't owe the seller anything Furious, but chucking away stuff that isn't theirs can play on some people's minds.

If the OP didn't have a problem binning it then she wouldn't have posted, something must have made her think twice about it.

FuriousFate · 19/03/2016 00:48

Agent - that's why I mentioned that it may not be morally right...

MyNewBearTotoro · 19/03/2016 01:12

I'd throw away the consumable stuff that's half-used like food and toiletries (or keep them to use myself!) and then give anything that might have any re-sell value or that he might miss (eg: folding table) to a charity shop.

If he really wants it then he can buy it back and if he doesn't hopefully it will help out someone buy it. Seems a waste to just bin things if they're still usable but agree you should get them out of your new home.

Topsy34 · 19/03/2016 03:24

I would change the locks and contact the estate agent and say that you aren't very happy with having to clear stuff.

But...i wouldnt bin it all immediately, i would check through whats there and keep any photos etc and bin the rest. I don't think that I could just bin

UsedToBeAPaxmanFan · 19/03/2016 03:36

I've never changed the locks when we've bought a house. It's never occurred to me to do so. Do people really do this? For every external door?

lalalalyra · 19/03/2016 03:59

Used I've always changed the barrel of the lock, its easy enough to do and doesn't cost much. There's no way of knowing how many people have keys (although I did buy my first place off a divorcing couple where one of them really didn't want to sell so was advised too).

jlivingstone · 19/03/2016 04:26

Morally you should just box it up.

Legally, you shouldn't bin it.

www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/problem/my-tenant-has-left-some-items-behind-after-the-end-of-their-tenure.

Asked my brother (works in contact law) and that link pretty much covers buying a property too.

Cataline hope you stepped on a plug when moving in. What a horrible thing to do.

MackerelOfFact · 19/03/2016 04:53

If you've got space, I'd just box everything up and give him a deadline to collect it. Chucking it seems a bit harsh if it completed while he was on holiday. If he'd requested to wait until he got back, you wouldn't have the keys at all yet.

merlinalison · 19/03/2016 05:10

When we moved earlier this year (in Scotland if that's relevant) lawyer told me I mustn't leave anything except the things agreed in the missives because otherwise the purchaser could charge me for having to bin it all.

wowfudge · 19/03/2016 05:45

Just bin what has been left and speak to your solicitor about the state he left the place. Probably not a lot you can do, but at least it's logged. Really arrogant of him not to clear the place. Not to mention he has probably done nothing to clean it. Definitely change the lock barrels and return the mail to sender.

notonyurjellybellynelly · 19/03/2016 05:50

We had this when we moved into our house. Freezer and fridge full of food, jewellery and photos in drawers. Board games in cupboards and more.
Everything was chucked in the bin

I sincerely hope you've just said this to show you're some kind of warped no
nonsense hard case because if its true is says loads about you - but not in a nice way.

caker · 19/03/2016 06:07

Yes to changing all locks - who knows how many spare keys there are among neighbours, relatives, past tenants etc.

thenewaveragebear1983 · 19/03/2016 06:23

When we bought our house 6 years ago, our sellers left their cat behind, shut inside, because they didn't want to frighten it while unpacking at the new house. For three days. Three days where our own cats were In a cattery at great expense . after 3 days we threatened to take it to the rspca and they came and got it. Cheeky feckers.

MyLocal · 19/03/2016 06:24

Firstly, I would be very cross he has left things. I would suggest this is all stuff he doesn't want but couldn't be arsed to dispose of, and thought it would easier for you to do it. I take it he didn't leave anything of any value behind? I would therefore bag it up, including EVERTTHING from the used soap to the dust I swept from the floor and drop it off at the estate agents this morning, then change the locks and move on. I would give the EA a few sharp words about the state of the flat, close the door and get on with my painting. But I am childish like this.

Original poster
Teaandcakeat8 · 19/03/2016 06:34

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Firstly as the flat has been empty since it was put on the market (back in October - the estate agent pics show the 'empty' flat) my gut feeling is he doesn't want any of this stuff.

Maybe he was coming back to clear it hence keeping hold of a key. If exchange/completion took him by surprise fair enough but it might have been nice of him to mention to the estate agent that the property still needed clearing...

Tbh he's been a complete nightmare throughout the whole process so I'm not sure why I'm surprised at all!

OP posts:
Janecc · 19/03/2016 06:42

Then I would bin the rubbish. Give anything saleable to the charity shop. Congrats. Happy painting.

1frenchfoodie · 19/03/2016 06:58

You are within your rights to bin but it would be nicer to box - doesn't the estate agent have a way of sending a quick email/text to ask if they need anything? It is annoying not to have it completely clear but the volume and fact much is in cupboards, drawers etc doesn't sound impossible to paint around. If a mop is one of the larger items we are presumably mot talking about you needing a skip..

Millymollymoo8 · 19/03/2016 06:59

Bin it, or if you are feeling nice box it and drop it at estate agents 😄 Let them earn their commission.

The person we bought from left all sorts of random shit that she couldn't move/ didn't have room for. I wasn't here ( away with work) or I would have gone mad.

BoxofSnails · 19/03/2016 07:06

Especially since he's been a nightmare I'd change the lock barrel - first job I did (and if a house, new alarm, or reprogramme the code too). I'd really not trust him not to have other keys.

londonrach · 19/03/2016 07:06

First thing to do is change the lock as you never know how else has the key. As for the stuff either bin it or drop it at ea. congratulations xx

glueandstick · 19/03/2016 07:11

Changing a barrel lock is easy and about a tenner from
Screwfix. Will take about 15mins. Do it for your own peace of mind.

eddielizzard · 19/03/2016 07:20

i would phone the ea today and ask what to do. they can contact seller.

i'd get locks changed. forget about spare.

what a cheek. sounds to me like he couldn't be bothered to clear up properly.

HortonWho · 19/03/2016 07:29

He didn't say anything about leaving anything. You therefore assumed it was trash. Where can you send him the invoice, as the flat was not in vacant and empty possession as stipulated in the contract?

There was another thread on here where a poster had the previous owners' stuff in their garage and called the police eventually. They were told anything on their property is legally theirs. So the which article about tenants and landlords is differs.

witsender · 19/03/2016 07:33

Get a quote for clearance and give it to the solicitors.