They're taking the curtain poles and fitted units. Is this normal?

[ThePurpleCarrot]

We're buying our first house and I've just received the property information form. I'm shocked that it says the sellers are taking their curtains rails/poles/pelmets.

It says they are also taking their fitted units from bedrooms, hallway, living room, dining room.

Are we dealing with difficult people or is this normal behaviour in London area?

You can take what you like as long as you've agreed it beforehand. They've told you what they're taking. Their new house probably doesn't have curtain poles etc and I imagine they don't want the hassle of forking out for new ones when they have perfectly good ones to take with them. The fitted cupboards thing is a bit weird but they have specified it in advance.
I don't understand what the problem is - you're buying bricks and mortar and I think it's a bit unreasonable to assume that you would get decorative fixtures like curtain poles for free.

Maybe it depends where they are moving to? We are about to move and are taking curtains and some poles as our seller is taking all the curtains and poles from our new house so if it fits we are taking it.

But then if they are selling their house for £485 you'd think they could afford new stuff. We cant our new mortgage will be stretching us a lot.

Fitted furniture takes the piss a bit I think.

They could also be wanting to use it as a negotiation point? I would phone up and say include the stuff or I drop £5k/pull out. If your not that attached to the house maybe pulling out would be the best thing to do.

Harriett - Perhaps it's because I'm used to the Scottish buying/selling procedure that I'm finding this really distasteful?

I know the house these people are hoping to buy and it's a completely different shape. Curtain rails, blinds etc are not going to fit.

I've spoken to DH on phone and he's of the same mind as me as far as walking away. As some of you have said if they are like this just now, what else is going to happen.

Sounds to me like you just want an excuse to pull out and you want to justify it by making the sellers out to be unreasonable.

Honestly, having seen the antics some buyers/sellers get up to, this really shouldn't be a deal-breaker without even discussing it. How do you know they are just trying to be difficult? Maybe they have friends or relatives that want the stuff? It's up to them what they choose to do with it provided they don't try to make out its part of the sale.

I've done exactly the same as ruby. I said on the questionnaire that we're taking curtains and light fittings with us (but not blinds) although we're actually only going to take some with us. At this stage I don't know which curtains will stay and which will not so just in case I said that we're taking them all.
I also said that we're taking the air conditioning unit as we will need it as a heat pump in the garage conversion of the new house.
I don't really understand what's the problem with taking your own stuff with you when you move. Surely you've paid for it so you have the prerogative to take it with you?
Bizzare!

Cross posts with Guinevere.
I was going to say the same thing but didn't have the guts to : sounds like you're trying to justify yourself for pulling out of the deal.

Light fittings etc, curtrains and so forth I would not expect to be included and the vendor to take them.

Someone upthread said their vendors even took the door handles. We renovated a period flat that then had to be sold when we moved for work. We bought all the door handles ourselves... going to reclamation yards etc looking on ebay for genuine Victorian 'bee hive' doorhandles. we paid hundreds and hundreds of pounds for them in the end. Damn right we did not include them in the sale!!!!

for my current place, we had to negotitate hard with the vendor to include the light fittings as we loved them. cost us extra, but worth it.

I think curtains and poles are one thing, fitted units quite another.

We've taken a fitted unit out of one of our bedrooms recently and it needed new (matching) skirting, plaster on ceiling, coving, and new wallpaper. It was a major job, not something I could fix, and I'm doing all our diy.

Link? Go on, you know you want to.....

It's not about being allowed, i think Mary. It is what is specified. We made it very clear we were taking them. The OP's vendors have also made clear what they want to take.

That is fair, I think. I would not take flooring, etc. Anything fitted is taking the piss.

I don't understand these people who keep saying, "But, you could move into a house with a kitchen if this madness is allowed!"

No you bloody couldn't! It's agreed to before the contracts are exchanged. White goods are pretty standard, but again, it will always be specified. If it ever did happen where you moved in, and all doors, white goods, etc., were removed, you would have a lawsuit on your hands, as that's a violation of the contract.

OP, it's really not that difficult. If you want the fitted units left, say so. If they want you to pay, and you aren't willing to, say so. Just talk it through with them, rather than dithering about it on an internet forum. Everyone is different, and you have no idea what experience they've had in the past... Maybe they think it's the done thing? As I mentioned, I've had a house that I viewed that had fitted units in every room, and I asked the estate agent and found out they were being taken by the seller, and didn't think anything less of the seller for doing so.

Is there something more you're not saying? It seems like an awfully petty reason to scrap the purchase of a house.

The vendors of our current place even had the fish in the fish pond listed as being taken with them.

I'm with reggie on this. But, if your gut is telling you the vendors are taking the piss, then maybe be a little wary and specify everything else as well.

and the bottom line is..if we went ahead because they decided to be sensible and stop being arses..and then they left the place as a tip what is the actual "punishment". What can be done when people disregard the moral code as far as selling their home?

I think taking fitted units and fireplaces are taking the piss. However I'd be more inclined to say take them, but where they've been moved from must exactly match the rest of the room as if they'd never been there.

I think you can use civil action against them if the worst happens and hopefully win costs as well but I might be wrong.

PurpleCarrot but they're not actually being arses about it, from what I've read. They paid for the fitted cabinets (or whatever else they want to take), so it is their right to take it if they want. As a vendor, you have the right to completely gut the house if you want, so long as it's in the contract.

If it's a complete tip when you move in, but nothing's damaged that wasn't before, and nothing is missing that should be there, then you don't have a lot of recourse unfortunately. However, if they say they're taking the fitted cabinets, and then proceed to take all the white goods and the mantle as well, then you can take them to court.

Anything fitted is generally assumed to be fixtures and fittings. It's not actually illegal if they've made you aware in advance, but I'd walk away on principle.
Miserable fuckers!

Curtain poles are usually taken ime

fitted cupboards, no