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 took me eight fucking hours to get rid of my vendor. She had delayed completion by eight weeks to 'pack' and then we got there with our lorry at 1pm and she hasn't packed a thing. After three hours I got my removal men to give her a hand moving stuff out. We were still moving our stuff in at midnight and at two am her feckless son and his mates were still loading her crap into vans and our bloody garage. They left loads of stuff and we had to pay a couple of hundred to have it taken away. Best bit, next morning she let herself in to pick up some bits she had left! Cheeky mare.

I'm so glad I bought off a dead person

Toobeeornot - !!!

Teddybee - I bet you were livid! You can't believe the bare arsed cheek of people. I really, really hope they are long gone by the time we get there because the atmosphere would be icy to say the least!

Well with no date yet, still feeling anxious obviously but we have actually seen a couple of houses including one that is unoccupied and priced to sell and one that would consider a part-ex so, if our buyer does pull out or our vendor continues to piss us about, we might have some options. Luckily both are on with our vendors EA so gonna book some viewings tomorrow to try and stir up some trouble !

Is bare arsed cheek an expression?

I thought it was bare faced cheek

(Foreigner still learning expressions!)

They are taking the piss. As I said on another thread, this is my 7th property.
Many years ago a good friend gave me some advice, and this applies in all things to do with buying: BE PREPARED TO WALK AWAY.
I have done this twice in house buying and both times the vendors have acted pretty sharpish.
If it's true that they are emigrating, you have the whip hand, they can't afford to go through the hassle of advertising the property again.
Always remember: there's always another one.

Well if that doesn't work then nothing will and we need to find another house in any case! This is only the second property I have bought so I have learnt a lot from this experience !

Chandon - um yes, might have got my words mixed up there, don't try out your new phrase on anyone!!

Rather than speaking to your EA, get your solicitor to go through the EA particulars and the F&F list and write a stiff letter to the vendor solicitor to strongly put forward the argument that items listed in the EA particulars are assumed to be included. F&F doesn't match particulars and needs to. Integrated appliances are said to be fixtures in legal terms. I work in conveyancing and this is exactly what you are paying a solicitor to sort out.

Hi Spickle - solicitor not interested. Initially said f & f was to do with EA and needed to be sorted with them. They have become involved now but only in terms of putting offers in writing to their sols etc. There is a disclaimer on the brochure which effectively says it is a guide and not a contract. The vendors said they would be happy to go back and change the brochure! I appreciate the sentiment behind your advice and it is interesting to hear from someone who works in conveyancing so thank you for posting but we have already offered them some money to try and moved it along

This reminded me of our house, slightly strange as in we bought off a neighbour of parents in law and the wives were good friends. Completion kept getting put off as the place he was buying from they just wouldn't move out then on the day we got keys they just wouldn't go! At 2 they we're still making cups of tea and kitchen cupboards were still full eventually at 8pm they went and 1/2 hr later we realised they'd left two cats who'd came home via cat flap! At 11pm just as my husband was about to deliver them they came back for them!

Are you paying a fixed fee to the Sols? I wonder if that's why they're being so spectacularly unhelpful. F and F has to come through them given it's part of the contract - unless I'm very much mistaken. I'm sure we had to go through the solicitors with regard to F and F.

Something sounds very fishy here. I hope your viewings turn up something better and that you can ditch this bunch of cheeky so and so's.

please raise merry hell with your solicitor's boss. 'not interested' is not an option. The f and f form is his/her job, tough.

Yes Phoenixfrights you are right. f&F forms part of the contract and is attached to it when signing. This is part of a solicitors job not the EA. if you've already offered money to move it along, then please do not offer/compromise any more. Either the vendor wants to move or not. As others have said, be prepared to walk away. As special subject says, not interested is not an option.

the brochure is indeed worthless, it is the F and F form that matters.

you know what? Walk. These people are bluffing, possibly, but they consider you 'little people' and will give you a whole world of pain. And if they are in Canada you won't have any redress.

To posters who are suggesting a pre-exchange inspection, do bear in mind that it is not uncommon to exchange and complete on the same day, a practice I do not like.

I worked in conveyancing for years and you would not believe what people would argue over on the day of completion. To resolve a dispute to allow completion to proceed(a matrimonial sale) I had a couple's tumble dryer brought into our office where it sat in the estate agency section. It looked like we were selling white goods to go in the properties.

I was called down when it arrived and the male seller was dressed as a woman in a dress and full makeup which took me slightly by surprise.

When my dm bought her last home, the sellers said they were taking the fire surround because "it was a family heirloom". I told them they must replace it with one of a similar quality and wanted to check. The family were mysteriously struck down with a D and V bug so I couldn't go round. The fireplace was not very nice, but I rubbed it down and varnished it. My dm then decided she didn't like the colour and I had to do it again....

When she died, I sold her house and the buyer wanted completion in ten days. He did not even have a survey or search done, his ony concern being if there had any been any rats or mice seen on a nearby beck.

I bought a vicarage many years ago off the Diocesan board. All the light bulbs had been taken, but I had been left lots of lovely green mould inside the kitchen units and manky socks in the airing cupboard.

I bought a flat from a minister and his wife. There was a used condom on top of one of the cupboards.

Which says one of them didnt know it was there.....

Probably the teenage kids. Who I'd known forever, which made it more icky.

Oh yuck !!

Finally heard back yesterday - no bombshells re cancelled emigration etc., just the usual excuse of "only just heard from solicitor" - hmmmm! Coincidentally they have now said they can't move out until next week so I think they were definitely stalling for more time. However, could be much worse and, fingers crossed, we are close to exchanging this week. I only wish that I had come on here sooner! I am cautiously hopeful that the fact we have reached an agreement will mean that they leave the property in an ok state...but no doubt will be back on here to have moan or to celebrate one way or the other!

now the buyers are threatening to pull out if not exchanged by Friday - bit late to the party! Could have done with a non-direct ultimatum earlier in the week!

I have nothing to offer advicewise, being completely in shock with some of the stories on this thread. How can people be so desperately ungenerous and tight? It is disgraceful!

for you OP.

I bet you any money they won't remove any of the stuff they've said they will. It'll be far too much hassle, and there is almost no resale value in things like fireplaces (unless they are victorian or something). They are chancing their arm. No doubt they will leave you all their tasteless tat. You can inspect between exchange and completion to see whether any work is being carried out to your satisfaction.

Arghhhhhh pinned the vendors down to exchange tomorrow and complete next Friday and in the meantime the buyers called their solicitor and pulled out! Apparently adamant and claiming they have seen another house!!

Im surprised at your solicitors as there are rules about things that are integral to the property. Whilst this most def doesn't extend to carpets or integrated extras like dishwashers and washing machines which can be isolated and a gap left, it definitely does ensure they can't leave you without basic services eg central heating, fitted kitchen and bathrooms and it is reasonable to assume if the specification detailed the property as having a kitchen and a bathroom etc that you will get these in the transaction. Although what constitutes them may be open to debate - but an empty room with pipe work and holes would def not be acceptable. We know this from experience.

Apologies just seen your update. In all honesty if I were you I'd start to think this was an omen and accept this one wasn't meant to be - probably because a better option is just round the corner - keep you chin up