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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think fitted wardrobes come with the house...

214 replies

NeverMovingAgain · 03/09/2022 12:54

We've taken bloody months and months to get to this stage and we're finally on the home stretch towards completion and exchange so it's entirely possible I've lost sight of what is and is reasonable but am I wrong to think fitted wardrobes should come with the house?

We've finally received a fixtures and fittings form today along with the paperwork we need to sign before we can complete and exchange and it says the fitted wardrobes are excluded from the sale.

Am I losing the plot to think they would surely be coming with the property? We're leaving them in our property, it never occurred to us not to because they are fitted to the space, so surley the whole point is they're designed for that room and you don't take them with you?

I've emailed to get clarification but was it presumptious of me to think they would be staying in the house?

OP posts:
Original poster
NeverMovingAgain · 03/09/2022 13:09

Same as previous poster said where they included in house description?

I've just rechecked and yes it mentions them. It says something along the lines of the master room with high ceiling and fitted wardrobes running across the length of the internal wall.

OP posts:
YorkshireTeaCup · 03/09/2022 13:09

Poppyseed14 · 03/09/2022 13:08

As well as the state of the wall behind them I'd also be worried that the flooring ends where the wardrobes start so if they do remove them the flooring will need to be replaced.

Yes this is what we have also discovered. Carpet about 30yrs old underneath them. Luckily walls are all being reskimmed anyway.

Maltester71 · 03/09/2022 13:10

I had a friend who fitted a 5k sharps bedroom to A house I knew she planned to sell a few years later.

when I questioned why she’d fork out 5k, she said that the buyer would be forced to buy them from her.

by contrast, when I bought my 1970s house, the seller tried to charge me for the 1970s fitted wardrobes. When I declined, she opted to leave them ‘as a goodwill gesture.’

you know what to do, OP

SandieCollins · 03/09/2022 13:10

Slightly different but when we sold we had a plate rack on the wall (farmhouse type style), we intended to take it with us as it was just a screw on thing but the estate agent pointed out that it had been listed on the house description of the kitchen so we left it.

We’re the wardrobes on the listing?

Spacerader · 03/09/2022 13:10

NeverMovingAgain · 03/09/2022 13:09

Same as previous poster said where they included in house description?

I've just rechecked and yes it mentions them. It says something along the lines of the master room with high ceiling and fitted wardrobes running across the length of the internal wall.

Then I would take this to your estate agent, call thier bluff tell them if they insist of taking them tour price needs to drop to reflect the cost of installing new

Luredbyapomegranate · 03/09/2022 13:10

nomistake · 03/09/2022 12:56

I was charged (and paid, stupidly) for an integrated washing machine, which they never would have been able to take with them, and turns out it was 8 years old!

Now I've learnt a lesson, going back I would call their bluff and say no you don't want it and see what they suggest. The faff and cost of taking them down and disposing of them will not be worth it for them.

Yes, it’s an attempt to get you to pay for them. They are never going to fit a new house.

Original poster
NeverMovingAgain · 03/09/2022 13:11

Poppyseed14 · 03/09/2022 13:08

As well as the state of the wall behind them I'd also be worried that the flooring ends where the wardrobes start so if they do remove them the flooring will need to be replaced.

Oh bloody heck I'd not thought of that either! The room has laminate flooring... This is not going to go well is it?

OP posts:
SandieCollins · 03/09/2022 13:11

NeverMovingAgain · 03/09/2022 13:09

Same as previous poster said where they included in house description?

I've just rechecked and yes it mentions them. It says something along the lines of the master room with high ceiling and fitted wardrobes running across the length of the internal wall.

There you go then, come back with this, they were advertised as part of the sale. Maybe reduce the offer if they’re insistent they aren’t leaving them?

ThisIsNotAFlyingToy · 03/09/2022 13:11

I'd expect them to remain but would be grateful if they took them (unless really really high end good looking useful ones ie not like ours).

SandieCollins · 03/09/2022 13:12

😂@Spacerader you’re one step ahead of me

Kazplus2 · 03/09/2022 13:13

I would state that they can keep them but that you expect them to make good the part of the room where the fitted wardrobes have been removed.

Swimmingpoolsally · 03/09/2022 13:14

Actually this is what the fix and fit form is for. They can absolutely legally exclude these, they don’t need to leave them but they need to put the carpet Snd wall right after.

Original poster
NeverMovingAgain · 03/09/2022 13:14

ThisIsNotAFlyingToy · 03/09/2022 13:11

I'd expect them to remain but would be grateful if they took them (unless really really high end good looking useful ones ie not like ours).

They are really really nice wardrobes. Exceedingly good quality and very well laid out inside, I looked as I presumed they would be staying.

I've rang and left a message with both the solicitor and agent to see if they can clarify. I'm sincerely hoping it's just a case of a mischeked box but I'm doubtful.

OP posts:
Blowthemandown · 03/09/2022 13:14

@NeverMovingAgain it would be a reasonable assumption but I’d have asked - if they only recently fitted them they might want a contribution because they aren’t really part of the valuation …and might have cost a lot. We paid extra for the oven and hob but didn’t pay extra for the other integrated white goods for example and we negotiated a value both parties were happy with.

Swimmingpoolsally · 03/09/2022 13:15

SandieCollins · 03/09/2022 13:11

There you go then, come back with this, they were advertised as part of the sale. Maybe reduce the offer if they’re insistent they aren’t leaving them?

Show quote history

No there is always a clause about final being subject to blah blah blah the description is not legally binding that’s genuinely why the fix and fitting form exists. But they do need to put right.

Pluto46 · 03/09/2022 13:16

If they are high end... Smallbone, Clive Christian, Tom Howley etc then they would have cost £££££ so they might be minded to move them as they do refit easily. You only need to look at all the websites reselling second hand kitchens etc. If they are high end its probably worth negotiating for but if they still want to take them they would obviously need to make good the walls etc

Denny53 · 03/09/2022 13:16

NeverMovingAgain · 03/09/2022 13:09

Same as previous poster said where they included in house description?

I've just rechecked and yes it mentions them. It says something along the lines of the master room with high ceiling and fitted wardrobes running across the length of the internal wall.

I think you’ll find there is a disclaimer on estate agents description saying that they are not responsible for any descriptions as to fixture’s and fittings. The vendors cannot dismantle things such as light fittings without replacing them with at least an ordinary pendant light fitting, same with sockets, you can’t leave bare cables but yes they can take fitted wardrobes. You need to query with solicitor

mizzo · 03/09/2022 13:16

In our old house they were on the F&F list but when we got the keys they'd been ripped out. There was a whole list of things that should have been left but weren't and a whole list of things that shouldn't have been disposed of but weren't.

toomuchlaundry · 03/09/2022 13:16

I didn’t think estate agent particulars are legally binding. The fixture and fittings form is

Floralnomad · 03/09/2022 13:18

If they are insisting on taking them then you need to make it clear that the floor and walls are in a good state and in keeping with the rest of the room as viewed . Frankly the hassle of doing that will probably mean they leave the wardrobes .

Original poster
NeverMovingAgain · 03/09/2022 13:21

Floralnomad · 03/09/2022 13:18

If they are insisting on taking them then you need to make it clear that the floor and walls are in a good state and in keeping with the rest of the room as viewed . Frankly the hassle of doing that will probably mean they leave the wardrobes .

I will definitely be insisting this happens should they end up taking them but I'm not sure how realistic it will be as I know its tricky to get trades people in at the moment and one of the mortgage offers for the chain runs out soon so it's not going to leave much time to sort everything out, unless they have already removed them and made it good, but I suspect that's wishful thinking.

OP posts:
Romeiswheretheheartis · 03/09/2022 13:21

They really shouldn't be excluding them if they were referred to in the house details. An estate agent wouldn't describe a 'beautiful dining table' or 'luxury curtains' that were more than likely being taken, they only refer to things like flooring, decor etc, that are integral to the property, so by referencing the fitted wardrobes the expectation is that they were staying. I'd raise it with the estate agent, they might be able to convince the sellers they're being unreasonable.

purplebells · 03/09/2022 13:22

It is their prerogative to negotiate as they please or to take them if they wish but I think they are being CFs.

We had this on a previous purchase - we negotiated a price which was less than the asking price but not unreasonable (eg 15k lower) - sellers put everything and anything that could be deemed fixture or fitting as not included (curtains, curtain poles, installed gas burner, washer/dryer, integrated dishwasher etc etc) - added up to more than 15k worth of assets. Think they were just trying the get back the negotiated price through the back door!

soph12347 · 03/09/2022 13:23

That is utterly bonkers. I honestly wouldn't let that slide i would be making sure they stayed as its stated in the description of that room.
Or if they are taking them regardless i would be telling them that you was leaving that room as is, you don't have the extra funds to redo the flooring and walls and that the area where the wardrobes are removed are to be left matching the rest of the room before completion

Gingercatlover · 03/09/2022 13:23

The guy we bought our house from was taking the fitted wardrobe in the spare room but decided last minute to leave it, I mean it had different carpet inside and paint colour it would have looked a right mess.
Some people are strange, he did take all the made to measure Roman blinds though 🤔