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AIBU?

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Original poster

To hide the bad bits?

22 replies

Bereft2020 · 21/08/2020 21:19

We are preparing the house to put it on the market soon.

I am sprucing it up as much as I can. It’s looking quite lovely. But we don’t want to spend a total fortune on it.

Example - there is a bit of wallpaper in the hall that DD scribbled on. It’s quite a big, low down patch. I had moved a table in front of it when it happened to hide it because it looked a bit shit. I am frankly not for repapering the hall because of it - new person will come in and redecorate anyway.

DH feels we should move the table so that it is clear. He is concerned about hiding faults in case after it’s sold the buyer kicks off about things not being as they were presented.

But surely everyone hides the bad bits??

OP posts:
LouiseTrees · 21/08/2020 21:46

I think put the table there so it hides the extent but also tell them to be nice.

Boom45 · 21/08/2020 21:49

There is nothing wrong with showing your house to it's best advantage. And it is usually very obvious which houses are newly renovated/finished to a high standard and those that have tables covering scribble marks so its not like people wont get a good idea which one your house is and someone will buy it anyway.

parietal · 21/08/2020 21:52

our house has a small study with only one sensible desk configuration. when we viewed, a desk was in place & all looked nice.

we move in to an empty house & realised that someone sitting at the desk had spilt coffee which left a big dark stain all down the wall behind the desk. it looked awful.

dh just put his desk in the same place which hid the stain and forgot about it.

EdwardCullensBiteOnTheSide · 21/08/2020 21:54

I thought you were going to say bad bits like broken not working things, not just a bit of wallpaper! Yes it's perfectly fine to hide things like that! I do this anyway, for my own benefit, we're not selling.

Original poster
Bereft2020 · 21/08/2020 21:55

The wallpaper was an example. I mean generally it’s fine but there are a couple of small issues. The wallpaper. One of the blinds is a bit broken but you wouldn’t be able to see that if they’re open (which they would be to make the place seem light and bright and airy)

OP posts:
Merryoldgoat · 21/08/2020 21:56

It’s only big stuff people care about - boilers not working properly, bad wiring etc.

Bit of scribbled on wallpaper matters to no one.

Hibbetyhob · 21/08/2020 22:00

Of course you hide it! This is totally normal!

Leaannb · 21/08/2020 22:34

@Bereft2020

The wallpaper was an example. I mean generally it’s fine but there are a couple of small issues. The wallpaper. One of the blinds is a bit broken but you wouldn’t be able to see that if they’re open (which they would be to make the place seem light and bright and airy)
Wouldn't inspection and appraisal find this before exchange?
BlueSlice · 21/08/2020 22:38

@parietal was it fancy wallpaper or something? If it was paint would you not clean it and repaint it? (The nee owners I mean, not the seller.)

OP I think it’s normal to show your house at its best.

BlueSlice · 21/08/2020 22:40

Wouldn't inspection and appraisal find this before exchange?

Do they open and close all the blinds? They’re certainly not going to move every single piece of furniture around.

ParlezVousWronglais · 21/08/2020 22:44

One of the blinds is a bit broken

What else? Spill.

thevassal · 21/08/2020 22:52

wouldn't you take the blinds with you anyway? I would have thought they would count as soft furnishings rather than installed items. I can see you maybe leaving them if they wouldn't be of use to you in your new place but I wouldn't expect them to still be there as the new buyer.

I mean on one hand I can see where you mean, as when I moved into my first house they had removed the built in wardrobes when they moved out so there was no skirting boards on one wall of both the bedrooms, just big gaps, which was a bit of an unpleasant surprise I could have done without. But with tiny things you've mentioned like the wallpaper of course I would hide it! Wallpaper is something that it's very likely they would change at some point anyway.

Original poster
Bereft2020 · 21/08/2020 22:55

I think that’s all really. The carpet in one of the bedrooms is a bit old and needing replaced but I’ve ordered a carpet clean

OP posts:
Original poster
Bereft2020 · 21/08/2020 22:56

We were planning to leave the blinds. Probably won’t use them again and I remember the hellish night we moved into this house. It was our first house and the fact it wouldn’t have curtains or blinds didn’t occur to us and we spend the first two nights with sheets and shower curtains covering the windows 😂

OP posts:
UnderTheSleepingBaby · 21/08/2020 23:05

Our sellers offered to sell us the living room blinds and the undercounter fridge and freezer, which we did because it seemed easiest (no kitchen space for our tall fridge freezer). Turned out that the blinds were broken and the fridge was all that was holding the worktop up (so they would probably have had to leave it anyway). There was also a hole in the living room floor that they had put a sofa over (we then put a door mat over it). I'm only bitter about the stuff the sold us that was duff, I can forgive stuff that was free and a bit rubbish.

Kaiserin · 21/08/2020 23:10

If it's superficial and easily fixed (not a structural issue), I think it's no big deal.

So, scribbled wallpaper is OK. Moldy damp marks, not OK!

chubbyhotchoc · 21/08/2020 23:22

Yes you're fine. It's the big structural things that you're on dodgy ground with. Our fridge is scratched so I've strategically placed some magnets over them for viewings.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 21/08/2020 23:30

Our seller painted around their furniture to quickly spruce the house up. REALLY, fucking REALLY sucked because we didn't plan on decorating for a bit so we could save up for nice paint and wallpaper😑

Original poster
Bereft2020 · 21/08/2020 23:31

Oh no I wouldn’t be expecting them to pay for the blinds.

OP posts:
ParlezVousWronglais · 22/08/2020 00:05

No problem they’re trivial things.

EdwardCullensBiteOnTheSide · 22/08/2020 08:33

Op you are selling a used home. It is to be expected that there will be general wear and tear, they're not buying a brand new show home, don't worry about it!

Pipandmum · 22/08/2020 08:41

A few a scribbles and stains are normal in a family home. Not telling your buyers the boiler doesn't work is not - you have to answer a property condition form about things like that. My first flat I bought from a well known newsreader and when I turned on the heat the neighbours flew down and told me not too as it was dangerous! When I see him on TV I hiss at him even now, 30 years later.

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