Moved into a new house - fixtures and fittings issue

[Lejas2503]

Hi Mums,

My husband and I just bought a new family home, after a very very long process. To cut a long story short the sellers were going through a divorce and we gave them all the time (after they accepted our offer) that they needed to sort their personal issues out (10months!) before we completed. Even though they both owned the house, only Mrs was living in the property.

Literally as soon as we got the keys and stepped in the house, Mrs was knocking on the door saying she wanted certain things from the house (curtains, white goods and other household items). She even went knocking to a nearby relatives house as she knew we were staying their in the interim. We were accommodating and agreed that she can collect at a mutually agreeable time (even though she should have removed prior to completion!) A few days later, she turns up at the door saying she wants the goods now and had a van waiting outside. We gave her her stuff thinking it would be the end of it.

Now approx two weeks after completion she has been calling saying that she wants the blinds in the house. We feel that we have been extremely reasonable and gave her opportunity to collect what she wanted from the house, even after we completed. Does anyone know where we stand legally? Do we let her take the blinds? What if next week she wants the lamp shades on the ceiling?

To add aswell, she left a skip on the drive and went rummaging through it on the second night we were there! She hadn't arranged a collection and we had to call the skip hire company instead!

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

Cheers

Let her contact her solicitors. They will should clarify her lack of 'rights' to her and maybe charge her for doing so
She's got not a single leg to stand on.

I agree Wowfudge. I think she is a woman scorned and unfortunately we have been tangled up in their business.

And I.e. means what she's said. If she's said e.g. them that implies more. Either way the law says no.
Harassment is the next response.

GiddyOnZackHunt - thats what I am hoping for! Fingers crossed the professional advise she receives is not to pursue this further!

Totally agree with GiddyOn, she has specified carpets and blinds, rather than giving them as an example of whatever else she might want.

Either way, she's out of luck.

If she wanted to keep them, she should have removed them before you got the keys. She didn't.

There's a bit of me that feels sorry for her, but that same bit feels she's she's taking her anger at her ex out on you.

And that's really not fair. So yes, warn her that any further communication will be viewed as harrassment.

There's nothing more you can do. Sorry you find yourself in this situation, and I hope you can still have many happy years in your new home, without this blighting your pleasure.

Thanks HirplesWithHaggis. I too felt sorry for and that is why we let her take all the items she requested from the house. We also gave her any personal belongings that we found in the house. But at the same time we would really like to enjoy and settle into our new home. Thank you for your best wishes : )

And yes, my apologies..I know what 'i.e.' means and I totally blame baby brain for my confusion with 'e.g.' - the outcome of only a couple of hours of sleep with a 2month old ; ) haha

you are right. She is wrong. No decent solicitor will take this on for her.

what idiot takes carpets from a house anyway - they are never going to fit another house!!

if you feel this is becoming harrassment (and it sounds like it) maybe time for a non-urgent police call, 101.

This does seem to be getting ridiculous now. I would contact your solicitor and let them know what is happening.

If they didn't arrange to collect specific items before they completed, surely it's too late now? What about vacant possession or whatever the legal phrase is?

We collected items after the sale of a property, but it was arranged BEFORE we completed and agreed with the buyers. A property we bought had been rented out and the original owners (who no longer lived nearby) had items in the attic they wanted back - we said we'd keep them. I think if it's arranged and agreed before completion - OK. Chancing your arm afterwards because you are not happy with the price the property went for/angry at ex-partner - not OK. I bet you wouldn't have signed the contracts for the property if you knew you were going to be hassled about stuff they couldn't be bothered to remove in time despite 10 MONTHS ADVANCE WARNING!

This is bizarre and she sounds bonkers.

Has she collected the skip yet? I would get your solicitors to send her a bill for the skip removal and also have them make it clear to her she should have taken all belongings on completion!