AIBU-Leaving Property

[Wingingit202122]

I’m currently in the process of completing a mutual exchange (house swap for council/HA tenants) and was wondering if IABU
i found a couple (mid 60s) who are downsizing to my flat and i am having there’s so we then filled all forms and had to send in proof of passport and address
We have had all of our inspection checks done and everything was ok so now we have been given a date to sign new tenancys
When we looked at each other’s property we were discussing what things we would leave behind and what we would take but agreed nothing to be certain until we had approval swap was actually going ahead
The husband emailed me last night with a list of things they were leaving in property and things they were expecting me to leave
They are leaving- carpets throughout the house also in bathroom and kitchen (31 years old which stink of dog), old curtains, lampshades, old fridge freezer and even older cooker, wardrobes and old bed frames
They are requesting i leave the same as a like for like swap so that none of us have the ‘stress of moving these heavy items’
I reply saying I will not leave any of these items as ive only had all of my items for less than 2 yrs as i got everything brand new when i moved to this house as had been in a shelter before this so had nothing. I had anticipated having to leave The carpet as don’t know how i would move this but wasn’t planning on leaving my living room wood flooring as i can use this in new house
Also my beds and childrens furniture i want to take, also my kitchen stuff!

He has replied saying they will now have to rethink the exchange as they don’t have the money to replace anything
I don’t understand as they can just bring there stuff with them and only thing to replace is the carpet

They should have considered this before they agreed to the exchange.

Also I would make the point again that these are not ‘like for like’ replacements. An ancient cooker in exchange for one barely out of warranty? Not likely.

Surely they can choose whether to move their stuff or replace it. They don't have to. If I were you I'd back down on flooring as that is more often fixtures and fittings but your furniture is your furniture.
It may that the floor is overwhelming them (it would me) and by backing down over that (and suggesting a moving company) they'll calm down.

You should leave the flooring and the kitchen white goods, but not furniture or lampshades. Curtains are optional really.

@Ellmau

You should leave the flooring and the kitchen white goods, but not furniture or lampshades. Curtains are optional really.

WTF why should she leave expensive white goods ?

I think you should leave the flooring.
They need to get a removal firm in for the rest, and do inform them that they can’t leave it there.

I would leave the flooring as it isn't like to come up and go back down that well.

I would just go back and say you don’t understand why they need to rethink. They have all their furniture they can transport to your fiat, and you have yours to transport to their existing house

I might consider leaving the flooring as I don’t see how you can get that up easily

@Ellmau

You should leave the flooring and the kitchen white goods, but not furniture or lampshades. Curtains are optional really.

Why should she leave new white goods for them? If they were built in fine, my guess is they are not so they go with her

YABU about the flooring I think, but not about the white goods!

I would leave the flooring. I would never take mine with me and I think it is unreasonable to take that.

The rest I would take - furniture is usually taken. Curtains and poles might be taken (depending on if they fit in the new place).

Back down on the flooring but nothing else.

You are really unlikely to be able to get the floor up un damaged so I would leave that.
The white goods I agree you should take

In HA properties you're not supposed to leave the flooring. Some Wooden flooring comes up easily and can be refitted . Why would OP leave it when she is going to have to replace stinky dog carpets anyway

You don't leave white goods you've bought either.

It sounds like this older couple anticipated thousands of ££ of your new belongings and white goods !

They can take their carpets wardrobes beds abs cooker with them, no need for them to buy new . You have to replace carpets at your own cost at HA flats anyway

You don't want them to leave their old tatt at your house abs of course you'll be taking your belongings with you

I would write back and say that- their flat needs to be left clear as will yours- as it's a change of tenancy

Are the kitchen items build in/fitted? If so you need to leave them. If not then you take them and insist they take theirs.

You can take all your furniture. Sounds like they want to save on costs of a removal van, but they can’t leave the house full of old junk either (like bed frames, furniture and old curtains!)

Flooring I think you may have to leave as it’s part of fixtures and fittings? The thought of replacing flooring could make them back out of the exchange. It may also have been a reason they agreed to the swap (assuming they’re downsizing to a smaller place, the nice new flooring and carpets may have been an incentive to move. It’s unusual for people to give up a larger property in favour of one with less space/no garden unless there are lots of positives about the swap?

@hollyivysaurus

YABU about the flooring I think, but not about the white goods!

Yes I agree.

I know that in HA properties when you move out some expect you to strip everything even the carpets (or if you don't the HA will do that before the next tenant moves in) but an exchange is closer to a standard house move and I think expecting flooring to be left is not unreasonable.

Sounds like they are overwhelmed by the prospect of moving after many years. If you really want their place, I'd try and be conciliatory - give them names of 2-3 local removal firms, and back down over the flooring. Taking the white goods and your furniture is quite reasonable though.

let them rethink,
lazy chancers

they surely dont need to replace anything if they take it with them?

The swap is entirely optional so there are no 'rules' only what you agree to.
You need to decide if you are prepared to lose the swap if you don't want their conditions.

I think YABU to take the flooring as even if they can be replaced it won’t be immediate and they will have to live for a period without flooring in those rooms.

YANBU about the furniture and white goods, but you probably should have been clear right from the start that you were going to be taking everything with you rather than saying you’d wait until nearer the time.

Flooring I would leave and just have to replace in new house, there may though be nice floorboards under the carpet. The rest I would want to move though. White goods are possibly negotiable but I would maybe suggest that they give you some cash to help you replace considering yours are new. Ultimately though it depends on how much you want to move to that house.

YABVU re flooring.

YANBU re the rest of the stuff.

I'd take any freestanding white goods but leave any integrated. Obviously take your children's beds and furniture, and your bedroom furniture. Leave the flooring. Wood flooring is a bugger to get up and will be difficult to re-lay. We had to take our skirting boards off to get ours out, but it depends how it's been fitted, I guess. Leave the curtains/blinds.

I see having to replace things like carpet as part and parcel of moving. It doesn't have to be expensive. We got carpet tiles as a put-me-on for our hallway and it only cost a few quid. Curtains don't have to be expensive either.

You're getting a bigger property. That's surely a bonus, regardless of the condition. You can make it yours in time. Nobody moves into a perfect house.

I would leave the flooring but absolutely take your white goods and beds with you,

I swapped homes a couple of years ago and it can be a nightmare negotiating without the buffer of a solicitor.
I'm in agreement with the other posters about what should be taken or left but it occurred to me that they may have concerns about shifting heavy items into a flat and'm wondering if this is their reasoning behind their request.

As finding a house swap is as rare as hens teeth,I'd be inclined to try to be as reasonable as possible and find out why they're suggesting this and find away around it.
Could you perhaps contribute to their moving costs to allow for the heavy items to be removed?