to expect to pay less for something than when it was purchased 15 (!) years ago?

[NoMoreLimbo]

So, I am looking to buy a second hand bed frame. The owner claim they paid £1,500 for it when they bought it 15 years ago.

It is a beautiful wrought iron super king sized frame. BUT surely to be expected to pay £1,500 today is a tad outrageous?

What would you think was a fair price? It is in good nick and very pretty. I thought it was pretty standard to pay at least 30% less

Forgot to add that the original price of this bed was also £1500, and that the next most expensive bed frame is £150.

1.5k for a second hand bed is insane.
The beautiful wooden bed frame I have would cost more to buy it now than it was then, but selling something 15 years old and second hand for the price I’d paid is bonkers.

Even iron beadsteads get 15 years of wear and tear.

stayathomegardener Its neither unique nor unavailable. I have had a gander online and found a very similar brand new bed online for less than a third of the price. Obviously it would be a hassle to get a new bed all the way up to the third floor where it needs to be rather than leaving the existing bed there.

Is this you negotiating to buy the bed to go with the house you are buying? If so they should be asking a token amount if anything. You are doing them a favour by taking it off their hands.

Are you buying their house and they want to charge you that for the bed?

I'd tell them to take a hike.

So you are buying a house and the current owners are trying to stiff you for the full cost of a bed they have had use of for 15 years rather than have to shift it?! Tell them to jog on. Offer them £150 or they will have to remove it, you might find their attitude changes when they realise they will have the palaver of moving it out!

That is hilarious! £1500 😂

Oh, and if you buy a new one the shop will deliver it and carry it up to where it needs to be on the 3rd floor. Mine (about 20 years old) can be dismantled for moving which makes it far less cumbersome.

It depends on what the bedframe is like, wrought iron Victorian, mid century piece by a known designer or a custom wooden one would hold its value or even increase in value as they become harder to find. I'm happy to pay more for old good quality furniture than buy new mdf crap from Ikea or the high street.

Just read your update, they are shafting you. I'd refuse. We had a woman try and charge us ££££ for some plants and pots she wanted to leave in the garden in a house we were moving to. Bonkers.

Selling something in very good condition second hand I would expect to get a max. of 1/2 what I paid for it.

Refuse and say you can get one a lot cheaper. Then she can either come back with a lower price or take it with her.

No way!! Offer £300 at absolute most!!

It's simple, if you think it's too much, simply don't buy it. Maybe the current owner feels it's only worth selling it if they get a decent price and will buy a new very expensive one, or they are better off taking it with them.
Maybe they will dump it anyway, who knows.

Just offer what you are willing to pay, it's no drama.

Offer them scrap value for the bed for being such cheeky gits!

Perhaps she thinks 15 years of supporting her slumbering form has increased the value? Is she famous?

Ah... the bed comes with the house?

I would tell them that you intend to buy the brand new one at less than a third of the price. If they would leave their bed there for the same price, you will pay that for everyone's convenience. Otherwise, they need to remove it.

Obviously it would be a hassle to get a new bed all the way up to the third floor where it needs to be rather than leaving the existing bed there.

And hassle for her to get it out and in somewhere else, so you're even on that score.

I guess the bottom line is for her it's only worth her selling it if she can use the money to buy something she'd like more than what she already has, and that so happens to cost £1500.

So after your last post.... do we assume it is a bed already in situ in a house you are buying and you've mentioned you like it so the current owner is trying to sell it to you?

If so, tell them you offer £150. I bet they accept or just leave it anyway to save them having to move it.

Has any used Portico's handyman or cleaner services in South London? Any thoughts or recommendations?

Cheeky fuckers.

I am buying a property (fingers and toes crossed it goes through) and this particular bed is on the top floor. As mentioned earlier they bought it 15 years ago and have obviously used it themselves AND rented out the place for the last 15 years

According to the bank of England inflation calculator, £1500 in 2003 was £2254 in 2017. So they're offering it at £700 discount.

So it comes down to whether the quality is such that you'd be expecting to use it for hundreds of years and it's be the antique of the future.

So, yes, TheViceOfReason, the bed is in situ. The couple selling the property have already vacated the premises and furnished their new home.

When we bought our last house the owners wanted a lot of money for the light fittings they had installed. They were lovely but not what I would have spent that much money on.

They decided it was too much hassle to take them down and change them so left them for us for free!

If you wouldn't pay that much, tell them no. They will have to move the bed or leave it for free!