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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this buyer is being totally and utterly unreasonable?

164 replies

stillpinching · 12/03/2018 18:49

I am so stressed about this I don't know what to do - and I now feel powerless until tomorrow at least.

We are selling a house having already moved over 100 miles away. That's been a nightmare in itself, but we are/were finally due to complete tomorrow. Just a couple of hours ago I had a phone call from the agent to say the buyer has been round today and seen 'a load of rubbish' in the garden. This is bollocks anyway - there's a table and chairs, which, while not new, are not rubbish and are perfectly usable, and a few pots. Nothing has been said before about them wanting it cleared but now they're saying they won't complete while it's there.

Me and dh have work tomorrow and can't take leave at this notice and there's no one else to ask. We are absolutely on the bones of our arse at the moment and desperately need the money from this sale. I can't stand for it to all fall through now. Can they do this? I'm not UR am I - if they had said a couple of months ago when they put the offer in they wanted it cleared we would easily have got it done by now, but we haven't got a magic wand to sort it now.

OP posts:
footphobic · 12/03/2018 19:10

Is there one of you old neighbours you could call upon who might remove them temporarily until you can get there and collect/dispose of them, buy them a drink in return?

Or, in our area we have very active Facebook buying and selling, I guarantee if I put ‘free if collected by morning’ on a post for some half decent garden furniture and pots they would easily be gone in that timescale.

Might be worth a try?

We moved a few months ago for the first time in over 20 years, so much stress, never again. Hope it gets resolved.

WhatToDoAboutThis2017 · 12/03/2018 19:11

Why go round and check today at the last minute. Feels like they are trying to catch us out. They have got a bargain as well...

Because they didn’t trust you. And they were right not to.

Them letting a bargain doesn’t mean you can leave them any old crap you don’t want and can’t be bothered getting rid of.

EweDoEwe · 12/03/2018 19:11

They shouldn't have needed to have said sooner that they wanted it gone... that's the default position. Have you ever sold a house before?

They probably went round for a last viewing today on their solicitors advice, when you buy an empty property - to check there are no squatters and that you haven't left a load of shit behind, which it seems you have.

There is absolutely no fault on the buyers part here at all.

OlennasWimple · 12/03/2018 19:11

They really aren't being U or trying to catch you out Confused

I've driven past houses we are in the process of buying loads of times - it's quite exciting to see it and think "this time tomorrow it will be ours!"

The onus is on you to get the stuff sorted out. Hopefully you can pull in a favour (neighbours, local friends, the agent....) and get it cleared. I doubt they would genuinely not complete purely on the basis of a few chairs, but perhaps they are worried what else might be waiting inside for them

ozymandiusking · 12/03/2018 19:11

Living the good life, Vacant possession means that on completion of the sale, the previous occupant has moved out. Not property.

Mrscog · 12/03/2018 19:11

You are unreasonable op in therms of the rules. But to be honest it does amaze me how highly strung people are these days. I’d just think ‘great, bonus pots and chairs’ or ‘poor sellers they must have forgotten in the hurry of moving, I’ll see if I can get £50 for them as a bonus’ it’s not like you left filth or actual junk like broken appliances etc!

MaverickSnoopy · 12/03/2018 19:12

I have never ever said this but YABU. That's my first YABU.

Why would they need to say anything if vacant possession was agreed? That's what it means. You would have signed to have said that you will ensure the entire property is empty. Assuming of course that vacant possession has been agreed.

They likely went over to look at moving logistics and to check everything was as it should be (which it isn't).

MaverickSnoopy · 12/03/2018 19:13

That being said ask your solicitor if you can pay for the buyers to move it themselves. If you leave things in the property then they can after you for costs so this seems (to me) like the sensible option.

MaverickSnoopy · 12/03/2018 19:13

That being said ask your solicitor if you can pay for the buyers to move it themselves. If you leave things in the property then they can after you for costs so this seems (to me) like the sensible option.

WhatToDoAboutThis2017 · 12/03/2018 19:13

But to be honest it does amaze me how highly strung people are these days.

It’s not being highly strung. There’s already an enormous amount of things that need doing when you move house, selfish sellers that leave their crap behind just add to it.

Brummiecahhh · 12/03/2018 19:14

For all the stress you seem to be feeling, why not just do the journey and get the stuff?

It's 3 1/2 hours of your life. Not a huge deal.

MatildaTheCat · 12/03/2018 19:14

Trust me the agent doesn’t want a sale to fall through. Contact them in the morning and ask for them to arrange for disposal of the items in the most cost effective way possible. Be firm, they are working for you and you need a solution.

In the meantime look at a local website and look for man and van services and contact a couple for a quote to take the lot to the tip or sell.

Deep breath this isn’t a deal breaker just a last minute request. Too many people find a whole mass of junk when they have completed and getting removal or money for doing so is almost impossible then so they are right to raise it now.

MadMags · 12/03/2018 19:16

They shouldn’t have to say anything! This is on you, not them.

NoSquirrels · 12/03/2018 19:16

If I were you, OP, I’d offer them £50 to complete tomorrow with the garden furniture still there. “As compensation for the cost of removal”.

Celebelly · 12/03/2018 19:16

I suppose YABU a bit but if I were the buyer I wouldn't really care enough to make anything of it. Our house had some stuff left in it, including a really lovely chest of drawers (they couldn't get it back down the stairs) which we are using in our bedroom and some odds and ends in the cupboards. There was also a picnic bench and pots left in the garden (which we still have). The house was pristine and scrubbed clean so it didn't bother me in the slightest. People do like to get aggro about minor things, though, so I'd just see if you can get a local man and van from a community Facebook group or something to pop round and get rid of it.

SpringHen · 12/03/2018 19:17

But to be honest it does amaze me how highly strung people are these days.

Or maybe the buyers are on a tight budget themselves?

MaggieFS · 12/03/2018 19:17

Sounds like they were quite sensible to go and take a quick look before completing. Sorry OP, but YABU. You should have cleared it, or factored in a last day clean and clear out. You can't just leave stuff.

Grumpyoldblonde · 12/03/2018 19:18

Do you mean exchange or complete tomorrow? They won't back out if you've exchanged but you should have cleared everything. It's just what you do.
I have been left with lofts full of crap in the past which is a pita.

Original poster
stillpinching · 12/03/2018 19:20

Yes I've bought/sold a house before Hmm. Never had an issue like this. Ok it should have been gone, but no need to make threats. Who needs this hassle/

I like the idea of offering to pay them ? Can't see there's time to do much else, but dh is now making noises about driving down there, which would lose him a day's pay. FFS Angry.

OP posts:
ohtheholidays · 12/03/2018 19:22

Do you have a neighbour where the old house is that would move the table chairs and pots for you?

I'm presuming it's garden furniture so maybe someone could move it into they're garden until you can sort something out?

I don't think YABU and I'm sorry your having a rough time,I hope you can sort something out.

Bluelady · 12/03/2018 19:22

Just get the agent to sort a man with a van to take it all to the tip. It'll be about £100.

ilovekitkats · 12/03/2018 19:23

Sorry OP, but you are being unreasonable. There is no reason why they should have told you that they didn't want it, because they would have presumed that you would have cleared everything.

I would not expect to move into a house and find anything there, unless it had been specifically requested and bought by myself.

All you need to do though, is as someone has suggested, knock a small amount off the purchase price. Ring round in your old area, get a couple of quotes, then knock that amount of the sale.

If they really want the house, they are not going to let it fall through, nor will the agent!

Celebelly · 12/03/2018 19:23

I meant to add, I've bought three houses in my life and all have had some stuff left. Nothing major but a few odds and ends. Maybe in Scotland we're more laid back about that kind of thing!

In fact, an hour or so after we got keys to our current house, the old owners turned up to ask if they could collect a couple of things from the garage. I'm sure some people here would be APPALLED. But I just said 'Sure, thank you so much for the wine you left us and how clean the house is' and we had a five-min chat while their removal guys stuck the last bits in the van and they went away.

ilovekitkats · 12/03/2018 19:25

OP, just cross posted. If you add up the cost of a days pay, plus diesel, then I am sure it will be cheaper to just pay for it. As long as everyone agrees, there won't be a problem.

Seeing as completion is so close, you could transfer the money direct to the Estate Agent's Client Account for them to pass on, then none of the paperwork needs to be changed and makes life easier for everyone.

pickles184 · 12/03/2018 19:25

Whilst there is no disputing that vacant possession means exactly that I am surprised that the buyers are threatening to not complete over what you have described as being left. Are you sure that there hasn't been some fly tipping in the time between now and when you moved?

If it is just a patio set and some pots then get on to your local Facebook selling page and offer them free to first to collect in the morning. You'll be surprised how quickly things like that are snapped up.
Failing that get on to anyvan or similar and pay for someone with a van to collect and dispose of the items, you should be able to find someone prepared to do it quickly for you.