AIB a CF?

[GrapesAndCheese]

Ok MN, hit me with it.

We're currently doing up our house to sell and part of that involves replacing a light fixture which is dated and broken. I was talking to DFIL about this and he offered us a spare light fixture that they had left over from their recent renovation (I wasn't aware they had a spare btw). Now this is a designer light and probably cost £100+. He said he'd been trying to find somewhere else to hang it but there wasn't the right place so we could have it if we like it and when we move we should take it with us.

I love the light and think it would look fab in our bedroom. DP also likes the light but says that we should hang it in the house we intend to move to and just hang a cheap one in the bedroom here. Also I'm pretty sure I read on MN so it must be true that you have to leave light fittings?

So AIB a CF to take the light but not hang it in the bedroom and keep hold of it until we move? Is that bad manners and a bit grabby? Something about taking it and not using it here like DFIL suggested feels underhand to me but I don't know if I'm being overly worrisome?

FWIW DFIL is lovely, we have a great relationship.

I would do the same as your DH suggested.

Offer him some money for it, say how much you love it and you know a perfect space for it in your new house. See what he says....

I’ve always taken lighting, unless spotlights. One place I moved into had replaced all of their plugs etc with plastic ones before I moved in, which I was a bit miffed about but didn’t say anything. They had previously been brushed chrome.

You can take what you like when you move, but you have to declare it if it’s something that is expected to stay such as an intergrated was her.

Ffs washer

You can take light fittings with you, as long as you declare it on the fixture and fittings forms, and make safe or replace with basic fittings if required. We moved 18 months ago, and remember reading the contract.
I would probably use it, and take it with me if I loved it that much

DFIL has already said to take it with you when you move. It is totally ok to hang onto it until you do move as he is expecting you to keep it, not leave it in the house you are selling.

Thanks everyone. Good to know that you can take lights with you.

I would also like to use it now, and then take it with us as I think it would make our room look a lot nicer in the photos etc. Also, whilst we want to move soon, it could still be 6+ months so that's still a long time to enjoy the light in situ.

@Russell19 I would offer him money but I know exactly what he'd say: 'oh bloody hell don't be so stupid! I don't want anything for it!'---- he's a curmudgeonly old chap but I like him!

You can specify in the sake particularsbthat you will be taking the light fitting from x room but will leave a fibctionungmought in its place. You can them replace it with a cheaper fitting (just keep whatever one you remove) or just wait till you move so that you don’t have to faff with putting it up, taking it down, replacing it and putting it back up!

Cook him dinner one night as payment for the light if he won’t take cash.

I think it's fine. Just make sure you're very grateful - offer some money, a nice bottle of wine, bake a cake or lasagna etc. Whatever would suit FIL.

Out of interest, what’s the stance on curtain poles? We’re hooefully moving soon and didn’t have curtains in the previous place, so bought all new ones here. Is it normal to take them?

Yep take the poles. Although depends what you put in the inventory paper work.