What would a buyer expect, having demanded carpets removed?

[Mandy2003]

My Dad is moving next month and his buyers have demanded that the carpets be removed from the house. Logistically I expect that if I got house clearance guys in (some advertise carpets removed) after the furniture has gone that would be the best bet.

Is it ever possible with completion dates, times etc for outgoing owners to clear up properly? The reason I ask is that there's a huge amount of 50 year old degraded underlay beneath the carpets

The buyers have asked for the carpets to be removed, and I suppose I would have to check for the words "And Made Good" but if they don't, would they expect to come in to a mountain of old rubber crumbs? Morally, I don't think I could but what's your experience?

Is it on an official agreement between solicitors? Did your Dad state in the chattels document that he would be leaving them etc? I'm not a solicitor and have no direct experience of this but I imagine that if it's just a verbal agreement (and not officialand signed etc) then just ripping them out would suffice.

I'll have to check how the paperwork panned out but he ticked the vendors form to say carpets to remain then heard (I think via his solicitor) that they didn't want the carpets.

I have no experience, but if it were me (as either the buyer or vendor) I would expect the carpets and underlay gone, and all of the floors swept so that it was just the bare floorboards/hardwood.

I presume they have asked for this to be done as its an expensive PIA job.

WRT the legalities I'm not sure where you stand, but when my DM bought her last house they had taken fittings that were listed as included in the sale such as curtains and rails, bathroom accessories (loo roll holder etc) and some of the ceiling lights. When she told her solicitor she was advised that while they were in breach of the contract and technically could be pursued for the items/costs - it was not worth doing as the legal fees and time scale would leave my DM well out of pocket. She still seeths about it now!

So I don't think they can do anything about it if you did leave the crumbs, I think I would clear them up though for the sake of keeping things right.

Interesting one as it is usually the other way round! I would say as they were included on the list of things to be left, then how about just leaving them. Sounds to me like they are trying to get you to do work that they don't want to do. What would you say if they said, for example, we don't want the fitted kitchen....

or 'we don't want this wiring/plumbing, please remove' ??

I would check with your solicitor whether you are actually obliged to remove them. It will be a massive PITA and is quite unreasonable imo.

Yes, I'm with blackduck and GobblersKnob

Sort of what I was suggesting. If it's not written anywhere I'd leave them. "Demanded" indeed, pfft!

If removing the carpets has not been agreed in writing between solicitors then I would bloody well leave them!

Cheeky so and so's.

Ah I miss read the Op, I thought it had been agreed! If not then definitly don't remove them.

I hope you don't need to come back to check mumsnetters opinions when they ask you to strip the wallpaper they don't want.

Advise the buyers they will be left behind and don't worry yourself.

Exactly what Popoozle said

Hell yes, leave them! [thinks of the horrors that lurked under the carpets here when we ripped them up ]

Op it is unclear what the situation is. If agreed as a condition of the sale i think removal of floor coverings would include underlay- swept clear as someone else said. Even if they just referred to carpet.
If this is just a random request i would be less inclined to comply but i suppose it would depend how keen i was to keep the sale and/or call their bluff. If it has been officially agreed and they are really on the ball they may check and refuse to complete until it is done as they expected. I nearly had someone pull out because of dust on the window sills once.....

I agree. If it is a condition of sale then remove carpets and dispose (I'd leave underlay unless it's falling apart). If its not a condition of sale then they stay!