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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think this is cheeky? (Property related)

226 replies

opinionatedfreak · 17/01/2021 22:18

We are due to complete on the sale of a family home tomorrow.

The person died so the house is empty.

I’ve just gone round to read the meters and discovered a pile of garden furniture in the back garden.

I’m assuming it belongs to the buyers.

AIBU to think it is cheeky to do this without asking?

YANBU = they are cheeky
YABU = what’s the problem the house will be theirs tomorrow.

OP posts:
Kintsugi16 · 18/01/2021 08:14

Would it bother me - no
Is it a bit cheeky - yes
Would I be bothered enough to post on MN - absolutely not

stackemhigh · 18/01/2021 08:16

Just be grateful you’ve inherited and sold a house.

Our brother forced parents to leave their house (worth £600k) to him alone. What’s galling is he didn’t pitch in with caring for them.

fourandnomore · 18/01/2021 08:18

I’m really surprised so many people think this is ok, I would be annoyed and I think yanbu, definitely cheeky. I am sorry for your loss.

JanewaysBun · 18/01/2021 08:34

I would be a bit annoyed but I would imagine they asked the estate agents and it was the EA who said to go ahead, very estate agenty behaviour!
I wouldn't give it anymore headspace, it's only impacting your day but being upset about it so let it go and have you least memories of the house be happy ones.

If they've not been total PITAs the whole way through that is!

CatNoBag · 18/01/2021 08:42

I would be incredibly annoyed. It isn't their property yet, I can't fathom how they'd think this is ok without at least asking, but also until it is their property anything they leave there is at their own risk. I'd have at least taken the cover home with me.

northbacchus · 18/01/2021 08:43

While its cheeky, if that's the only problem you've had in the sale you're quite lucky Wink

CompleteBarstool · 18/01/2021 08:47

Yes it was cheeky of them but I wouldn't lose any sleep over it TBH.

When we bought our last house we got permission from the vendor (the son of the owner who had died) to start clearing the garden in the week before completion. He was happy for us to do it because even if our purchase had fallen through at the last minute, having a garden cleared of overgrown brambles etc would have benefitted him.

GreenClock · 18/01/2021 08:48

I’d like to think that as a buyer I’d be a bit more sensitive towards the two adult children selling their family home tbh. Would it have been that difficult to seek permission via the agent?

Sorry for your loss, OP. I hope everything goes smoothly later.

SpiderinaWingMirror · 18/01/2021 08:49

Literally nothing could bother me less.
We relocated which meant house was empty for 2 days. Told our buyers they were welcome to move stuff into the shed and garage just to make it easier.
Ok TINY chance that we wouldn't complete but I'm happy to take TINY chances.
But if you want to be offended, crack on.

Bluntness100 · 18/01/2021 08:49

Gosh this is an extreme reaction. I don’t think anyone could have guessed you’d react like this. Yes technically they should have asked, but it’s theirs tomorrow.

Is this maybe tied up in the loss you’ve dealt with and emotions associated with the sale?

RandomMess · 18/01/2021 08:51

It's cheeky and yes a shock and I can understand why you are upset!!!

catwithflowers · 18/01/2021 08:53

Opinionatedfreak I'm amazed at the reactions on this thread!!! In what world is it okay to leave your furniture in someone else's garden?

I would be really annoyed if buyers did this without asking! They are trespassing. But more to the point, they are being so bloody rude 🤷‍♀️

MagnoliaBeige · 18/01/2021 08:55

@stackemhigh

Just be grateful you’ve inherited and sold a house.

Our brother forced parents to leave their house (worth £600k) to him alone. What’s galling is he didn’t pitch in with caring for them.

You do realise the OP is grieving right? Sod off telling her to be grateful or could be worse as at least she’s got some money out of it!

Mumsnet has a vocal minority of people who fall over themselves to prove how nothing in the world bothers them. If you’d posted they’d had a house party and wrecked the place before the property changed hands legally, someone would pop up and tell you they wouldn’t care and the CFs were just checking the acoustics for future house parties. Hmm

OP I’d feel the same as you. If it was me, I’d move the furniture slightly so they were aware I knew what they’d done and I’d definitely remove the gift. But then I’d try to re-frame it on my mind as a small anecdote in my long association with the house and try to not let it encroach in what is probably an unsettling time for you anyway xx

CakeRequired · 18/01/2021 08:56

It's very cheeky. Anyone who thinks that's normal is just like the buyers to be honest. The cfs we meet on a regular basis, think its all about them. Grin

Just tip it all onto the other side of the fence op, or out onto the road if the other side is someone's garden. If the buyers complain, ask them why they thought it was OK to do without asking? And that you assumed it was flytippers because they didn't ask.

MiniCooperLover · 18/01/2021 09:05

It was more than cheeky of them to do this without checking but I think they were being thoughtless rather than deliberately antagonistic. They just thought 'oh the house is empty, this will save time'. Not great but not awful. Make it clear today that you weren't impressed with them but don't let it ruin your last memories of the house.

Bluntness100 · 18/01/2021 09:16

Gosh some of the hysterical reactions on here. 😱 you’d think they’d broken in and camped over night, not just saved themselves some time and dropped thr patio furniture off a day early.

I don’t think anyone said it was “normal” and of course they should have asked, if they found someone they could ask, as agents and solicitors are often not working at the weekend, but it’s really not a big deal. The op doesn’t live there and the property is empty. So it’s not inconveniencing her in any way

notanothertakeaway · 18/01/2021 09:19

Purchasers were out of order, but I think it's not worth losing sleep over. Removing the fizz would be sufficient response for me to feel I'd got my own back. No need to remove their furniture (but tempting)

Whoateallthestuffingballs · 18/01/2021 09:26

I understand your feelings, OP. But I think trying to move past it is going to be better for you. I remember how awful it felt to see the new owners in my grandmother's house, and at least they actually owned it at that point.

Sorry for your loss Flowers

acatcalledjohn · 18/01/2021 11:49

From an insurance perspective it's an issue so all of you ok with this: would you be ok being sued should they have had an accident on what is legally your property? Yes, you'd likely win if they can't prove they were granted access ahead of exchange, but the hassle of it I'm sure you'd rather avoid.

MN baffles me at times. Some of you would offer a burglar a cuppa.

Bluntness100 · 18/01/2021 12:04

@acatcalledjohn

From an insurance perspective it's an issue so all of you ok with this: would you be ok being sued should they have had an accident on what is legally your property? Yes, you'd likely win if they can't prove they were granted access ahead of exchange, but the hassle of it I'm sure you'd rather avoid.

MN baffles me at times. Some of you would offer a burglar a cuppa.

For goodness sake. What hysterical drama.

The people who will own it the next day dropped their patio furniture off. 😂

acatcalledjohn · 18/01/2021 12:13

Hysterical? Righty-ho.

Not that my response has anything to do with my uterus. Just with basic insurance T&Cs.

islockdownoveryet · 18/01/2021 12:18

@opinionatedfreak

The buyers know the circumstances.

I’m incredulous that so many of you would be chilled about people accessing a property you owned to drop stuff off.

I can’t work out if it’s just mumsnet being “super chill” or if my attitude toward property and trespass is massively out of step with the rest of the world.

Seriously , jumping the gun maybe but all they did was brought patio furniture a few hours early calm down .
Petitmum · 18/01/2021 12:26

It is a bit cheeky .............but I really couldn't get worked up about it. Moving is a nightmare and lockdown makes it harder............I would just be glad that the sale is going though.

LaceyBetty · 18/01/2021 12:58

This is hilarious. Who cares? It's cheeky for sure, but what difference does it make at this point.

LaceyBetty · 18/01/2021 13:00

Just tip it all onto the other side of the fence op, or out onto the road if the other side is someone's garden. If the buyers complain, ask them why they thought it was OK to do without asking? And that you assumed it was flytippers because they didn't ask.

Seriously?!