Completed on my very first house today and the vendor has taken everything that was supposed to be staying!!

[FilmaWlintstone]

Hi everyone - I'm a bit flummoxed so thought I would share whilst I wait for an answer...

I'm a FTB, completed today, arrive at my new shiny house I now own (well old and dirty but still my little achievement) and the vendor- despite agreeing on the fixtures and fittings form to leave loads of furniture (sofa, beds(!) various chests/wardrobes, dining table(!) - has taken it all (he was moving in with a partner so didn't need it)

I've obviously called the solicitor and he's looking into it... I'm moving out of a furnished place so I have nothing to sleep on and not a lot of cash!!

AIBU in being fairly miffed??

Thank you for all your advice btw!! I really don't mean to sound snippy- I've been majorly cleaning all day

My solicitor did just say 'depending on how things proceed you may need to take him to small claims court but you may decide it's not worth it'
TBH I am quite disgusted by the attitude of your solicitors.

Fulma that's exactly it. Furniture is usually left on condition that you pay the full asking price at least, and it's sometimes negotiated separately to the sale. You kept your part of the bargain, and if you didn't want the furniture you would have offered at least £2k less than the full asking price. He's reneged on his contract, and if I were you I would definitely pursue this through small claims.

Freegle is also a good place to ask for furniture, furnishings, etc
ilovefreegle.org You have to go collect the stuff ourself, but it's all free
I hope you get a good settlement from him.

I hope you get a favourable outcome OP. For your solicitor to be so flippant is not acceptable and makes a mockery. People shouldn't be able to get away with this shit.

I think your solicitor has got a damn cheek suggesting you go to the hassle of a small claims court. This sounds like a cock-up on his part, in which case, he is the one who needs to sort it out or re-imburse you.

Don't be fobbed off.

Woken up with the realisation I own no stuff

This is why completing on a Friday - and especially the Friday before a Bank Holiday - is never a good idea! Lesson learned for next time, always try to complete earlier in the week. I'm sure your solicitor will be able to sort this out, but not until Tuesday at the earliest.

However if the seller is just being an arse he would have been an arse whatever the day of the week, and you might end up in small claims.

We were lucky when we moved here - the vendors had had a nightmare with their purchase and ended up moving into rented, so left stuff which wasn't supposed to be left. Like a washer dryer and things like ladders and tools in the garage. We did phone them and let them know though.

Woken up with the realisation I own no stuff
That must feel awful but you are in your own home for the first time!!

solicitor's (conveyancer's mistake most probably) it may be unfair to blame the seller who probably did not want the furniture but removed it as otherwise some buyers would slap him with a 'cost of removal' bill.

Well he's left a garage full of junk...

Can I claim for clearing that? Maybe I'm being wet behind the ears but thought that was a non starter

Yes you can, you can give him X amount of time to clear, then charge him for a skip

Take a photo of it and email it to your solicitor first thing Tuesday and ask when the vendor will be collecting the rest of his property, otherwise you will be hiring a skip and doing as Stratters says to do. I'm mad for you! What a liberty!

Our seller left a load of junk, and we got reimbursed for skip-hire to get rid of it all. Sorry you're having these issues, hope it's not ruining the excitement of owning your first home.

Our seller left garage full and a fitted wardrobe full. She paid for a man with a van eventually.

THis happens to me every time. Last bloke took all the wall lights and left live wires hanging out the wall

What a dick! You've paid for it, it's yours. Of it was part of the house sale the price you paid will have included those fixtures and fittings. What's he playing at?

If they were listed as chattels when you exchanged they are legally yours.

This happened to us. Seller took the built in oven and hob, all light fittings, ripped out everything she could really and left a load of damage behind 😡
Our solicitor was absolutely useless and got us £100 'as a gesture of goodwill' and told us we were lucky to be getting anything at all. Furious does not describe it!

Hopefully you will have a better solicitor.

You can get him to come and clear the stuff, don't pay and send him a bill you will never see the money.

You should have vacant possession and with a garage full you haven't.

Would I chuff spend a day of my time clearing out a garage full of someone else's crap, even if the skip was paid for. Worst job in the world. He can damn well come back and do it himself or pay for proper house-clearers to do it.