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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Seller trying to charge £'000s on top for existing fitted window shutters!

347 replies

MrsKT123 · 16/01/2022 00:08

We're buying a house and have had the fixtures and fittings report back and our seller has noted that the fitted window shutters are not included and would be an extra few thousand £s if we'd like them to stay! (Don't want to give exact amount in case they're on here!)

We're already paying considerably over asking price, had no quibbles on around £5ks worth of work required noted on our survey and have said we're happy to exchange and complete in order with their timescale (they have asked for an extended period between exchange and completion). We love the house and just want things to go smoothly.

I'm really disappointed by this as I would not have expected them to be taking these as they're made-to-measure and I know the house they are buying and there's no way they'd fit. To me, it's like taking the kitchen cupboards or built in wardrobes with them.

Surely it's more hassle to them to get them removed and put good the decoration for all windows in the house (large 5-bed with some bay windows)?

YABU - you shouldn't expect fitted window shutters to be included
YANBU - of course fitted window shutters should be included

OP posts:
Aprilx · 16/01/2022 01:08

I have shutters in a few of my windows and there is no way we could remove them without damaging, they are sealed in and would require a professional to remove them. The poster who says the could remove all theirs within an hour surely just has fitted blinds, not shutters?

Shutters are made to measure, they are not going to fit another house, I would definitely consider ours part of the fittings. I would be kind of concerned with proceeding on this sale now, because if you don’t pay and they do decide to remove them, they will probably leave damaged walls and decoration.

Notcontent · 16/01/2022 01:09

@GirlOfTudor

Yabu. Tailor made shutters are ridiculously expensive. If I'd bought some, I'd take them with me to the next house unless the buyer really, really wanted them. If they didn't fit my new house's windows, I'd sell them. How do you know what house they're buying and what size the windows are, out of curiousity?Hmm
Yes - but things like kitchen cupboards are also expensive but you would not remove those!
ThurstonArmbrister · 16/01/2022 01:14

@GirlOfTudor

Yabu. Tailor made shutters are ridiculously expensive. If I'd bought some, I'd take them with me to the next house unless the buyer really, really wanted them. If they didn't fit my new house's windows, I'd sell them. How do you know what house they're buying and what size the windows are, out of curiousity?Hmm
Our new bathroom was ridiculously expensive too. When we put our house on the market I think we'll take it with us, and if it doesn't fit in the new house I guess we'll just sell it.
Original poster
MrsKT123 · 16/01/2022 01:15

@GirlOfTudor

Yabu. Tailor made shutters are ridiculously expensive. If I'd bought some, I'd take them with me to the next house unless the buyer really, really wanted them. If they didn't fit my new house's windows, I'd sell them. How do you know what house they're buying and what size the windows are, out of curiousity?Hmm
They are actually moving to a house which is on the same road we're on now - our agent has sold all 3 properties and mentioned it to us in a 'what a coincidence' kind of way.
OP posts:
Aprilx · 16/01/2022 01:16

@marpelier

We also don’t have chains ……. Why do you do that?????

Because unless you are a first time buyer, you are using the funds received from the sale of your existing home to buy the next home, so a chain starts to build up and is only ended if a first time buyer comes into it or alternatively if somebody is selling but not buying.

What do you do in Australia if you are moving house?

DeoForty · 16/01/2022 01:16

Shit, I took my antique towel rail with me when I moved. Not because I'm grabby or tight but because I liked it and wanted it in my new house...

Original poster
MrsKT123 · 16/01/2022 01:28

@Kipperandarthur I can't believe they tried to charge you £100 for logs -wow!

Our buyers are taking some random things (in my opinion anyway) that they've not offered to sell us such as lightbulbs and the doorbell but at least they're cheap and quick to replace, unlike window coverings.

OP posts:
Ellmau · 16/01/2022 01:33

We also don't have "chains" which seem to be where you guys sell on the basis that you will buy the next persons place, who sells on the basis that the next person will buy theirs and so. Why do you do that?????? confused

Is everyone a cash buyer in Australia, then?

Original poster
MrsKT123 · 16/01/2022 01:34

@EM1912

I know someone that has made 50000 profit on her house yet is trying to negotiate with the buyer for the light switches and taps etc. It's money grabbing.
Wow - that's crazy, especially for what I imagine would be a small amount for those things!
OP posts:
ThurstonArmbrister · 16/01/2022 01:35

@Ellmau

We also don't have "chains" which seem to be where you guys sell on the basis that you will buy the next persons place, who sells on the basis that the next person will buy theirs and so. Why do you do that?????? confused

Is everyone a cash buyer in Australia, then?

Yes, chains are almost unavoidable. How does this not happen in Australia? Is property so cheap that everyone can afford to own more than one house?
SunAndSea37 · 16/01/2022 01:36

Were they included in the property listing/description? My agent told me anything I wanted to charge for could not be included in that (in my case a fancy cooker.)

GatoradeMeBitch · 16/01/2022 01:36

I'd just say you'll pass on them, but that you've heard removing them can cause damage, and want assurances that the window area will be left in good condition. That would be my main concern, that you'll arrive in your new house to find chunks of plaster gouged out of the frames and surrounding area of every window in the house!

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 16/01/2022 01:38

Unless you're desperate to keep said shutters, if they don't back down on including them on the F&F listing, I'd refuse and tell them to take them, as you're not paying extra for them.

Original poster
MrsKT123 · 16/01/2022 01:41

@SunAndSea37

Were they included in the property listing/description? My agent told me anything I wanted to charge for could not be included in that (in my case a fancy cooker.)
We've just checked and it doesn't mention them!

We did notice it said 'space for' certain white goods so assumed they wouldn't be included (they're not and that's fine) but hadn't clocked on the shutters.

OP posts:
A580Hojas · 16/01/2022 01:47

If the shutters were mentioned in the property description you should expect them to be included in the sale price. If they weren't then the opposite applies.

Boozeless · 16/01/2022 01:53

I have shutters in my house & wouldn't consider removing them if I moved. They're fixtures as far as I'm concerned.

mjf981 · 16/01/2022 01:55

'Chains' don't exist in North America, or in Australia. Its a complicated British thing. I've lived in all 3 continents, and think the British system is very complicated and stressful. In other places, you sell and move out in the next 1-2 months. You rent, have another place bought, move in with family, go travelling. Gazumping or waiting months to years to complete the chain just doesn't seem to happen elsewhere. Its much more straightforward.

ThurstonArmbrister · 16/01/2022 02:08

@mjf981

'Chains' don't exist in North America, or in Australia. Its a complicated British thing. I've lived in all 3 continents, and think the British system is very complicated and stressful. In other places, you sell and move out in the next 1-2 months. You rent, have another place bought, move in with family, go travelling. Gazumping or waiting months to years to complete the chain just doesn't seem to happen elsewhere. Its much more straightforward.
have another place bought

You what now?

TooManyPJs · 16/01/2022 02:11

Just say the offer made assumed that the shutters as a fixture were included and if they are not you will need to reduce your offer. Plus you would like to point out that any damage following the removal of the shutters would if course have to be made good. And of course I'd just like to bring your attention to the survey....

knitnerd90 · 16/01/2022 02:25

Have bought & sold in North America. It's different here. It's sort of a chain but not the same. Most people don't move out and then buy, the process takes a good 60 days depending. What happens is that the whole chain doesn't happen at once. You've got two mortgages for a brief period. It's legal.

cabbageking · 16/01/2022 02:31

Pretty normal to offer to sell additional items like shutters, sheds, garden pots, water features that have value but are often too much of an issue to move.
If you want then offer a nominal fee like £40 and see what they say.
To remove them will take work and clearly they don't want them or they would have not made the offer. This keeps the situation amicable and they are less likely to remove other items they don't really want.

ThurstonArmbrister · 16/01/2022 02:40

@knitnerd90

Have bought & sold in North America. It's different here. It's sort of a chain but not the same. Most people don't move out and then buy, the process takes a good 60 days depending. What happens is that the whole chain doesn't happen at once. You've got two mortgages for a brief period. It's legal.
It's perfectly legal to have two mortgages here, just... most people can't afford that. Nor, as a PP said, to rent while still paying a mortgage, or go travelling (pandemics notwithstanding), and moving in with family for the duration is a big ask.
FleeceNavidadFromTheSheep · 16/01/2022 02:41

You've made an incorrect assumption that the shutters were included - as I seller I would say that's not my problem.

violetbunny · 16/01/2022 02:46

I'm in NZ, no "chains" here either. We moved into our house about 3 weeks after we made an offer.
Our house in the Uk on the other hand took about 4 months for the sale to be finalised and that was with me chasing the conveyancers at least once a week to move things along.

fairlygoodmother · 16/01/2022 02:47

@knitnerd90

Have bought & sold in North America. It's different here. It's sort of a chain but not the same. Most people don't move out and then buy, the process takes a good 60 days depending. What happens is that the whole chain doesn't happen at once. You've got two mortgages for a brief period. It's legal.
When we were selling our apartment in the US, we weren't ready to move as early as the buyers were ready to buy, so we sold to them and rented it back from them for 2 months. This was completely straightforward. Blew my mind.