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Original poster

Anyone bought household items from the seller?

32 replies

Bakingnovice · 11/07/2013 13:57

Has anyone done this? Our vendor is downsizing and is 'prepared to leave lots of stuff'. To be honest we've got plenty of our stuff and I'd rather have my own things. But I am a bit surprised at how much the seller wants for her things - 80 for some kitchen stools, 100 for freezer in garage, 200 fridge freezer, 350 for 'antique wardrobe' (which looked on its last legs to me at the viewing when she told us it might have to stay as if it was unscrewed it would fall apart), 300 for v old sofas, 50 for bathroom light fitting etc.

I don't want to piss of the seller it when I saw the list I was like wtf?!! What have you bought and what did you pay?

OP posts:

PolterGoose · 11/07/2013 14:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Rockdoctor · 11/07/2013 14:15

It sounds a bit much to me, particularly if you don't really want it.

Mum and dad did this when they downsized and to be honest, I think they just asked for nominal amounts. The guy they sold to was newly separated and had nothing of his own so he was really happy to buy a "furnished" house.

When we downsized, we ended up paying someone £100 to take a garage load of stuff away (good quality too), I realise now that we were mugs -but at the time the hassle of trying to sell it was just too much.

Don't underestimate how much it will cost her to clear the stuff out. I would call her bluff and only buy stuff that you really want.

Original poster

Bakingnovice · 11/07/2013 14:15

Our vendors are old and a lot of their stuff is as old as them. I would have liked the chest freezer but I can buy a brand new one from Argos for £100.

Apparently we will be getting a 'comprehensive list of items for sale' later today. Can't wait.

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LazyMonkeyButler · 11/07/2013 14:21

Do not pay those prices! If you actually want the items then offer a smaller amount - if not, just say no. Actually, get the estate agent or solicitor to say no for you .

We are in the process of selling mum's house - it was also full of unwanted furniture but all we are leaving are two items the buyers actually asked for. We aren't making any charge for them though, as one is a whacking great wardrobe that would have taken ages & been a right hassle to take apart to get downstairs! Assuming that's it probably going to be much more convenient (and cheaper) for the seller to leave the stuff for you than take it with her & sell it elsewhere you are in an excellent position to negotiate what you want to pay (if anything).

LazyMonkeyButler · 11/07/2013 14:26

Actually, now that I've seen that the sellers are older it reminds me of my grandma when she was selling up. She was insistent she wanted £500 for her lounge & hallway carpets as they were Axminster (I think I mean Axminster anyway) and had cost a fortune. We had to delicately tell her that after 25 years, she had probably had her monies worth out of them already & a burgundy paisley pattern is not to everyone's taste nowadays .

She never believed us.

specialsubject · 11/07/2013 14:31

just tell her that you don't want the stuff, thank you.

Original poster

Bakingnovice · 11/07/2013 14:38

To be honest I wouldn't mind the freezer and wardrobe but feel really cheeky negotiating. Do you think they would be pissed off with a suggestion of lower amounts?

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MummytoMog · 11/07/2013 14:41

I wouldn't buy any of it - but do be clear that the house has to be emptied when they move out, we ended up having to pay £250 to get the crap moved that our vendor left stacked in our garage. And smash up a wardrobe they left to get it down the stairs.

poocatcherchampion · 11/07/2013 17:02

I might decline for now and get them all disappointed then go back after a week or so and say, actually circs have changed now want xyz how about x for them? see what happens..

Relaxedandhappyperson · 11/07/2013 17:11

Why would you pay all that money for stuff you don't even want?

When I bought this place the seller wanted to sell me things like the number on the house door for £25. I said I didn't want to pay for any of it but they were welcome to leave it behind. They took it all, even the number on the door , except a really heavy plant-pot. The only thing I regret rejecting were the curtains and window-seat covers for the living room, but she wanted £400 for them - they were just secondhand curtains!!

MrsFlorrick · 11/07/2013 17:15

Just say no thanks. And if it makes you feel better fib and say you already have tons of stuff and wouldn't have room for any extra.

The seller is trying to palm old junk off on you for lots of cash. Don't get sucked. Just offer for the house without the added junk.

Original poster

Bakingnovice · 11/07/2013 18:18

Poo that's a good idea.

Relax and mrs thank you for the advice too. To be honest now I sit and think about it they've got about of a cheek. As it is they've pushed us to our absolute max budget. They're baby boomers who are mortgage free and downsizing with lots of cash. I dont begrudge them that but i think in this instance theyre being a bit grabby! I'm just going to be honest and say that as we've spent all our budget on the house we don't have spare cash for extras.

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wonkylegs · 11/07/2013 18:29

We've bought lawn tractor, a few garden bits and one set of curtains but it was a fair price.
We've left a few things for free (offered to dispose of them if they didn't want them) and then they asked if they could buy a few things from us we were taking. I offered them at full price as I would have to directly replace them, which they have agreed too.

greenfolder · 11/07/2013 19:58

i have never asked for a penny for stuff. last house we had fridge, dishwasher, washing machine a huge chest freezer. they were first time buyers- i took the view more hassle to move them. told them they could have them for free as long as they were willing to clean the cooker and not complain to the neighbours! we paid the council to pick up the freezer. i would refuse to pay- they may leave the freezer anyway

LunaticFringe · 11/07/2013 20:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BikeRunSki · 11/07/2013 20:12

We paid £200 for a huge big pine kitchen table and 6 chairs. We then sold them on for the same amount when we moved 3 years later.

HappyDoll · 11/07/2013 20:13

We have bespoke units around our fridge freezer & washing machine so it makes sense to leave them. We've been asked to put down some figures and didn't have a clue what to put - they are high end and only a year old. TBH I don't care if the buyer wants to negotiate, I just want the house sold swiftly and easily with relatively little hassle.
Offer a price that you think is worth, they can only say no, they'd be idiots to let that affect the house sale - you are talking hundreds of thousands v's hundreds or even tens.

Original poster

Bakingnovice · 11/07/2013 22:29

We told our buyers (who ended up not proceeding due to mortgage probs) that they could have any of the items we were leaving including fridge freezer, single bed, mattresses, kitchen table chairs, dishwasher. We just thought its be better for them to use them and easier for us than getting someone in to take them.

Might wait for the full list (what joy) then offer a rounded sum for the items I want, if any. We have been told that the sellers are kindly leaving all the carpets bar the carpet in the office! Bizarre. No bother for us though as we plan to rip them all out.

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MrsFlorrick · 12/07/2013 00:31

Bakingnovice. The first house DH and I bought together was an odd seller. He reckoned he had "interior designed" it. And wanted to sell all the furniture with it. Even down to his white leather bed with mattress and his B&O tv and stereo.

The odd man wanted extortionate sums for a load of hideous tat. Most of it was bought cheap. This became obvious when he actually insisted we could ONLY buy the house if we bought his crap. So he sent a list with prices. I then asked for brand names of furniture and it was tat.

He kept insisting we buy it or we couldn't have the house.

So I got our solicitor to send I request to odd mans solicitor and ask that we sign a declaration that none of the furniture or in particular the Bang & Olufsen had any outstanding finance against it.

Well that was the last we heard other than a short note from his solicitor that no furniture or B&O would be for sale.

Anyway your situation is different but they are still trying to palm you off with old crap. Be strong just say no thanks and you have your own. If they get insistent tell them you cannot afford anymore given the price they pushed you to offer.

Other side of the coin. When we moved two years ago, our purchaser came for another look the day after exchange (legally binding and no furniture or items offered). They tried to get us to give them several paintings and sculptural artwork and wanted my B&O tv and speakers as well.

They were read the riot act on the legally binding exchange where no such items were offered. I was 36 weeks pregnant at the time with a toddler in tow so the fact I didn't swing for them means they got off slightly.

People have no manners at all when it comes to buying and selling houses.

RocknRollNerd · 12/07/2013 09:09

You definitely need to get your solicitor to put in the contracts that all this stuff will be taken with them/removed from the house at Exchange (and you should insist that you can go and check before Completion). Otherwise you could find yourself having to pay to get it all disposed of - it does sound very much like stuff they don't want and they're trying to make a quick buck out of it.

A colleague once got asked the day before Completion to cough up £400 for heating oil - his solicitor declined and said it was ok, they could take it with them - unsurprisingly the tank had the oil in when they moved .

Mandy21 · 12/07/2013 18:30

Have you already agreed a price? The only time we "paid" for stuff was when we'd offered £Xk for the house and the vendor said if you pay £X + 1k, she'd leave us the dining room table and chairs and the 3 piece suite. Don't know what we were thinking but we agreed . We actually gave our lovely Next sofa to our 1st time buyer friends for nothing, and lived with the horrible terracotta circa 1990 suite for ages . The things new born twins can do to you!!

When we moved into this house, the old lady had died and the vendor (her daughter) just asked me to go round one day and put a sticker on anything we wanted (for free) and she emptied the rest. It was good quality (albeit fairly old fashioned) stuff - like Stag & Antler bedroom drawers etc that I've upcycled.

Original poster

Bakingnovice · 12/07/2013 19:38

We haven't agreed any price. I'm too chicken to email back saying we don't want any of their stuff as I can tell they've cherished it. Some of the drawers looked nice and solid but to be honest I'm really put off enquiring as I know the cost will be sky high.

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Gingerandproud · 12/07/2013 19:47

Our vendors wanted ridiculous sums for light fittings and bathroom cabinets that we would have replaced anyway.

DeepRedBetty · 12/07/2013 19:55

We did buy - at a fair secondhand price - some biggish bits that would have been a nightmare for them to move and us to replace. Notably the big wardrobe that had been assembled in the second floor bedroom. They also wanted us to buy a wardrobe in one of the first floor bedrooms that had also been assembled in the room as it would never go up or down the stairs intact, or out of the window either, but it was hideous, so I refused. They were perfectly decent about it (totally evil about some other things but that's a whole other thread...)

Original poster

Bakingnovice · 12/07/2013 23:29

Deepred I'm instructed about what evil things your sellers did. Spill....

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