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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think taking light fitting might put buyer off

66 replies

legaleagle21 · 26/05/2010 20:59

We are selling our house and have an offer from a very nice young coupe who are first time buyers.

When they first viewd they asked what fittings we would be living - I said i'd have to check with dh.

Anyway they are coming for a second viewing tomorrow so I am thinking they'll ask agin about fitting and fixtures.

Basically I am happy to leave for free anything that I will be of no use to me in the new house. So i'll leave the shed, cooker, most carpets, light fitting etc.

However, is it reasonable to charge market rate for the things I could use?:
*a carpet in one of the bedrooms (£200)

*2 free standing chest of drawers that matche a fitted bedroom suite I(which in all honesty veiwers may have thought we're part of the fitted units) (£400)

*light fittings in the lounge (£100)

Do you think me saying these things are not included would put off the buyers? I really do not want to loose the sale though.

OP posts:
trixymalixy · 26/05/2010 21:03

YABU, I would think you are absolutely taking the pi** if I was the buyer and you tried to charge me for those things.

pumperspumpkin · 26/05/2010 21:04

No I can't imagine it would - either you like a house or you don't and whether you're going to buy your own light fittings or not is fairly minor in the scheme of things - but if you are worried, can't you just either not be there or just repeat that you haven't decided what you are taking and what you're not yet.

ABatInBunkFive · 26/05/2010 21:06

I always thought it was expected that you left light fittings, carpets and some sort of screening over windows. I thought it was some sort of rule but i may be wrong on that.

woopsidaisy · 26/05/2010 21:08

For the sake of losing the sale..for a couple of hundred quid? In this market,give it to them.

geordieminx · 26/05/2010 21:09

You are going to take a bedroom carpet with you or charge them £200??? Are you joking?

I would not pay £200 for a second hand carpet, £400 for 2 sets of second hand drawers or £100 for second hand light fittings. I would pay £100 for second hand oven.

It would put me off. It would make me think that you were actually quite a nasty piece of work that was trying to rip us off.

Sorry

GrendelsMum · 26/05/2010 21:09

I think it's fair enough to take the chests of drawers.

Taking light fittings is a bit awkward - we took one (had to replace it with something plainer), but largely because it was clear that the new buyers really didn't like our taste!

I think asking them to pay for a carpet is a bit odd, tbh, but my parents did it, and the buyers paid...

zandy · 26/05/2010 21:10

If you leave them, the chances are they'll just rip them all out and send them to the tip, anyway.

Just be honest, tell them you are taking them, but can leave them behind for the right price.

JaynieB · 26/05/2010 21:10

My Mum moved recently and she had a really nice, but large wardrobe in the bedroom that she wasn't sure if she could move - the buyer was interested in buying it, but in the end the survey threw up some extra work that needed doing so instead of negotiating the house price, she offered the wardrobe instead which the buyer was happy to agree to.
Its not unreasonable to say you want to take certain fittings, or maybe to offer to sell them - but by 'market rate' do you mean how much you paid for them (in which case I'd say you are being unreasonable) or how much you think they are worth second hand?
Not including items is unlikely to put off buyers that much. Although taking light fittings is a bit tight!

echt · 26/05/2010 21:10

If the chest of drawers is free-standing, then this needs pointing out, but you have to list the fixtures and fittings as part of the deal, anyway.

As for the rest; it's severely taking the piss to take away fittings. You're lucky to have sale at all at the moment - don't wreck it.

chegggersplayspop · 26/05/2010 21:11

I would think you were a bit odd if you put a price list on things. Just say what you are leaving and what you are taking. If they want something enough they can ask you to leave it and you can negotiate a price later.

I always think its a bit odd when people pull up the carpets to take somewhere else (even though my parents did this!)

If its a nice light fitting, like a chandelier or something, I would expect someone to take it with them but replace with a bog standard light fitting that I could put a shade over. I wouldn't expect them to leave wires hanging.

cassell · 26/05/2010 21:11

carpets and light fittings are normally regarded as part of the "fixtures and fittings" so they would not expect to pay for them! The furniture is a bit different if it's not fitted so maybe ask them about that but really don't think you can charge them for the light fittings/carpet.

pumperspumpkin · 26/05/2010 21:11

If you take light fittings off you have to replace them with a straightforward hanging bulb jobby - I meant to add that. You may find the hassle of doing that means actually your living room light fittings don't mean as much to you.

You can take carpets and curtains with you though - the only rule is you have to leave what you've said you'll leave. You can take the fitted kitchen and the plants in the garden if your fancy takes you (though I think those might just put the buyers off). When we sold last year we left the carpets (for free), took all the curtains, and sold them the cooker and the dishwasher. We bought the curtains at our new house from the old owners.

worldgonemad72 · 26/05/2010 21:12

i think yabu, i would expect carpet or wooden flooring, curtains and wired in light fittings to be left. If youve advertised a fitted bedroom suite then i would expect the drawers to stay aswel.
Have you put them as included on your fixtures and fittings list?

Pozzled · 26/05/2010 21:13

Fair enough to take the chest of drawers if they are freestanding. I think the carpet is taking the mick tbh. The light fitting, fine but obviously you would need to replace it with a cheap one.

If I were the buyer I would be put off if you started putting prices on things. Just tell them what you're taking and what you're leaving.

PrivetDancer · 26/05/2010 21:14

you can't charge for a carpet!! That would put me right off. I'd think if you're going to be that petty at the viewing stage you'll be a nightmare further down the line.

If they are special light fittings that you really want in your new house then take them, but you will have to replace with basic ones (and make good any damage from removing them). The vendors of our house did that and it was fine as I didn't really like the lights anyway.

Free-standing drawers you could maybe ask for some money for, but if they are part of a set then again, it sounds quite petty.

hippopo · 26/05/2010 21:15

I would expect the carpet and light fittings to be left (may be wrong but I think you legally have to leave) however maybe not the chest of drawers.

When we were first time buyers our offer was on the condition that all light fittings, curtains and integrated kitchen appliances were left. We did this because we offered as much as we could afford and knew we could not afford to replace any of this straight away of they were taken and didn't want to live without curtains for example for months on end. Also when you get lawyers in they draw up a list of absolutely everything that will be left before you exchange contracts.

I have also know of house sales that have fallen through because the buyer and seller have 'fallen out' over a couple of hundred pounds for a cooker for example.

You could say you haven't decided what you are leaving and it would be dependent on the offer. (For example if they offer asking price you may be have to leave everything but if it is several thousand pound below maybenot). Can you check with your estate agent first thing what you legally do or do not have to leave?

Original poster
legaleagle21 · 26/05/2010 21:18

Just spoke to my husband and said the general gist on here is that we would be unreasonable to not leave all carpet (it was from only one room) and light fitting - so we will leave them.

On the freestanding chest of drawers - still undecided. They match the fitted 'hammonds' wardrobes - so they would be unlikely to be able to buy an exact match themselves. However, they we would need to buy drawers ourselves in the new house if we left them.
Not sure really

OP posts:
larks35 · 26/05/2010 21:20

YABU. I would take my bedroom curtains cos I lurve them very much and no money would be enough to persuade me to leave em. However, I wouldn't start putting price tags on stuff if I were you, if you want to take stuff then fair enough, let the buyer know that, don't start adding £700 to your asking price on their second viewing cos I think you'll find they'll either pullout or offer around £1000 less than you're asking.

MrsHarkness · 26/05/2010 21:21

£200 for a second hand carpet, you are joking arent you to be honest your attitude would put me off right from the start. If you are acting like that just now it would worry me how you would act further along the sale line!

blowninonabreeze · 26/05/2010 21:22

Beware of Karma!

I fitted a very expensive carpet into an old house of ours. It was a large lounge.
A month later we discovered we had to move, and found a cottage project to move to where the carpet would have fit into anyone of several rooms.

So I told our buyers that I was willing to sell it at half cost price (provided reciepts etc) or I would take it with me.

2 days later I dropped my iron onto it, cue large burn mark.

Buyers came back saying they'd buy it and I had to tell them I couldn't accept money due to burn.

(Disclaimer: this was all in a much more buoyant market following a bidding war on our house)

IfAtFirstUDontSucceed · 26/05/2010 21:23

DH & I bought our first home from an elderly couple.
When we moved in, EVERY single one of the carpets throughout the house had been removed

I'm not sure if they were trying to make a point, or if they were embarrased to leave such skanky carpets

Anyway, we lived for several months on bare floorboards because we couldnt afford to put carpets down in every room and landing!

They did however, leave some hideous light shades

MrsC2010 · 26/05/2010 21:24

We paid about £50 for all of the curtains/blinds etc in our place which we thought was fine. We also paid about £150 total for the oven and dishwasher. We didn't object to paying for them as we got such a bargain on the house and the prices were fair. In this market I wouldn't necessarily be risking it as a seller to be fair.

bamboo · 26/05/2010 21:26

I think it's a bit tight, really, though I think your attitude is quite common. Our vendors took curtain poles, light fittings, water butt to name but a few things.

Glad you have decided against taking carpet and light fittings. Personally I wouldn't pay the market rate for chests of drawers that probably wouldn't be to my taste. It would make me a bit to be asked to pay but I wouldn't lose a house over it.

Original poster
legaleagle21 · 26/05/2010 21:31

I know they love the wardrobes - and they are quite new - 12 months old.

I could just take them and say nothing - they are not mentioned in the house particulars and I doubt they will mention them specifially tomorrow. BUT I sort of feel they should have them as they match the wardrobes. I did plan to leave the footstool that goes with the fitted dressing table as I can manage without that. But if I leave the drawers I need to replace.

OP posts:
Original poster
legaleagle21 · 26/05/2010 21:34

NB - they have already made an offer - the asking price - but we had only just reduced the house to the new price to undercut the market as we needed a quick sale.

OP posts: