Ok, so the vendors are taking pretty much everything with them...what next?!

[Sarahlouboo]

Three weeks before the agreed completion date, after chasing the vendors for the fixtures and fittings, they decided to exclude pretty much everything including the integrated appliances (which were advertised in the brochure), fitted carpets and fireplace and surround. I know they are completely in their rights to do this (well I didn't but I do now ) but it came as a shock and, obviously, an unwelcome additional expense at a time when money is already tight. To add insult to injury they are dragging their heels and taking ages to respond to any communication. They have made it clear that they will take everything out if we don't agree to pay for it. They are unlikely to have any need for the fitted carpets etc. as they are emigrating to Canada but we have offered them an amount and we are waiting to hear back. I am not hopeful that they will accept our offer as it substantially below what they were asking but it is all we can afford. In which case we are going to proceed with the sale but just replace everything as new. Better we think than having to pay for 4 year old appliances (they want £200 for a 4 year old fridge freezer!). So...has this happened to anyone else? Did the vendors follow through with their threats? Do you think it is a good idea to ask for a pre-completion inspection? I am dreading what we will be walking into. Bare floors in January with children is not what I was hoping to achieve when we set out to buy this house!!

I thought it was listed in the house specs then they weren't allowed to take it? Like fitted appliances and fitted carpets?

What has your solicitor said? I don't think this is quite right.

Call their bluff, offer them a small amount but say that you are happy to buy new or get stuff from Freecycle so no worries if they need to take it all with them, as you know money is tight.

If things were in the brochure, then they need to leave those, get your solicitor onto theirs about that. It will be more of a PITA to take the carpets I suspect than to leave them - they are just playing you. Plus they can't use the white goods in Canada due to having different voltage system out there.

I can't offer any legal advice, but I can tell you that it happened to my parents when I was a child - we arrived at the new house to find it stripped of carpets and curtains, including net curtains, so our bedrooms were open to the neighbours and the street (bungalow). My DMum was very upset, she had no idea or warning.

We had to live with bare floors for months as they couldn't afford carpets. The silver lining was the discovery of a beautiful parquet floor in the main living area, which they repaired and left uncarpeted, and also the discovery of a large infestation of silverfish, which without the carpets was easily treated before new carpets went down.

We wore slippers in the house until the new carpets were down, and were able to laugh about it in due course. At least you are forewarned that this might happen and can prepare somewhat. However, if they are emigrating then I would call their bluff.

Yes this happened to me. My vendor wanted to take her John Lewis bathroom fittings, so it was agreed she would replace with B&Q ones. On the day we moved in she had taken all fittings, for two bathrooms and a cloakroom with no replacements! worst thing was she had also replaced all the kitchen stainless steel wall sockets with plastic white ones! Even the agent was shocked, he then said she had wanted to take the integrated oven but he told her she couldn't. Why on earth would someone take fitted carpets and integrated appliances?

Hope you get this sorted out before completion.

Refuse as they are taking the mick. If advertised then they should leave unless stipulated early. They are of no use to them and they will have to pay to dispose of. I suspect they have realised their moving costs and are trying to make a quick buck. Totally stupid. Worse case scenario buy rugs and second hand appliances or offer them a tenner for each item. We had to chuck our filthy carpets out!!!

I would do as you have and offer a token amount.

Was your offer for the house a lot below the asking price?

If they advertised that the integrated appliances were included then surely they need to leave them? Get your solicitor on the job.

I would guess that they're actually not planning to take all of the fittings and carpets to Canada - they're just trying to get more money.

Hold your nerve with the low offer. If they don't accept, then worst case scenario you can replace over time (gumtree in the interim if it's something you can't live without). However, I would suspect that they will leave everything anyway whether you pay for it or not.

I would request another viewing, taking with you the with the form from the solicitors that lists fixtures and fittings, and go through every single item so that they are committed to that and won't take anything else.

Oh what is wrong with people?!! Who removes a bathroom for heaven's sake?! Don't give them ideas! Thank you for making me feel like a normal, reasonable person. There have been times when I have really doubted myself.

The estate agents said they have never known anything like this (re the integrated appliances) but they sought legal advice and the vendors are entitled to change their mind so the brochure is basically worthless (we haven't exchanged yet as vendors haven't signed the paperwork). The vendors said it had been a mistake and we should have checked what was included when we put an offer in and not made assumptions. I don't think they have any intention of taking the appliances/carpet etc. with them, but they have said they will take them out - spite? I just cannot get my head around it but they are so worked up over it that it pains me to think that they feel exactly the same way about us! Perhaps they think we are being the greedy, unreasonable buyers!

Note to self - buy some slippers!

I would get solicitor to contact them, price you agreed was surely due to what you thought was included so tell them to take everything & drop price accordingly.

Sorry x posting. Thank you, you have strengthened my resolve not to increase the offer. I would rather make do/buy new when we can afford. The solicitors have been hopeless really. The estate agents have been lovely but also hopeless - they told us several times the appliances were included but there is a disclaimer on Rightmove which basically says the brochure is a guide only.

I'd chance them leaving the items tbh . I don't think when push comes to shove they'll bother to remove them unless they can sell locally. Have you been at all difficult in the process , is this them getting their own back ?

I'm a bitch when people try to take the piss and I'd refuse to buy them full stop. I agree with aliciagardner

I don't think you are allowed to take integrated appliances. Get solicitor to check.

I think you're kind even offering a token amount, given you agreed a price based on those items being there, and now they're added extra expense too by taking the stuff away.

It's hard to do, but hold your ground - if they're emigrating they're on a timetable I expect.

I think I would be tempted to do what FanyFifer suggests and add that you may pull out altogether if this nonsense doesn't stop.

Depending on how brave you feel and the state of the market in your area - how quickly do things sell? - if be inclined to respond saying 'naturally, as our offer was based on the particulars in the brochure, we need to reduce the price offered accordingly. Our revised offer is X (where X is the agreed price minus the amount they requested for the f&f).'

It's risky but they are moving abroad so probably a bit desperate to get it done. And they are absolutely taking the piss.

If they did take them, they do need to make the fittings safe I believe - you can't just leave bare wires dangling (of course my vendors did, despite promising not to - but that was the least of the issues they'd left)

Lizs and Petalunicorn - I have thought about this a lot as I hate any conflict and I try to take responsibility for my own actions! They accepted an offer that was about £7,000 below the asking price (they asked for offers in the region of), this was accepted on the condition that we wait until January (offered in August). I don't think it was an unfair offer or, if they felt it was, they were free to hold out for a higher offer/leave it on the market. We did have a minor panic in Dec about the chain breaking and asked if there was any wiggle room on moving date/price which may have pissed them off? But honestly no I don't we have been difficult. If anything it is our buyers we have pissed off due to the amount of time it has all taken! Karma?!

Chunky pickle - yes this is why I wondered about a pre-completion inspection but then I tend to agree - least of our problems!

I'd absolutely refuse to pay anything for them on principle. You could buy a new fridge/freezer with guarantee and all for under £250.

We lived without carpets for a few months, bought some cheap rugs from Dunelm and IKEA and wore slippers all the time.

They sound like absolute chancers and there's no way they are taking them to Canada with them!

Jassy and fanyfifer - we have buyers snapping at our heels (understandably) and I have a feeling that the vendors would prefer to move out late Jan (they have always been coy about actually date of emigration) so I don't want to risk delaying things anymore than needed. But I feel happier now not to offer any more. I am going to try and press them for an answer today and I will report back. Must get ready for work!

When we bought our house the seller (who had already been quite difficult) produced a full inventory of everything in the house, all individually priced. Fair enough for items like beds, white goods (there was nothing integrated)........ but this list ran to about 20 pages and even included things like 'mop & bucket - £5' 'cleaning products - £1 each' and, I kid you not, 'compost heap - £5'!!

When we saw this we said we don't want anything except for the fridge and one pair of curtains in the bedroom (which we obviously paid for). It had been rented out previously and seller lived 2hrs away so the thought of them having to move everything out was just hilarious!

When we moved in they'd left everything, including all curtains and unsurprisingly the compost heap........however they'd taken the fridge

So based on my experience I'd bet they'll leave it all but judging by some of the other stories on here - who knows?! Sockets ffs!!

When we moved into our house the vendor had taken ALL the light bulbs. I have never understood what kind of person does this.