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Original poster

The couple who bought our house are lying and asking for compensation?

200 replies

KitKat1985 · 30/04/2018 09:44

Hello.

Moved house a couple of weeks ago. Our buyers had been quite hard work all along (being very slow to do everything, holding the whole chain up, and just being a bit 'odd' generally), and we were pleased to have the whole thing over with. They were also quite 'odd' in the fact that they did an initial viewing with me back in August (agent not available) and were only in the house about 10 mins and had a quick look around only. I thought this was fairly standard for an initial viewing and assumed they would come back at some point to do a more detailed viewing when the agent was available, get a survey done etc. However they never in the entire conveyancing process (which was over 6 months) asked to come back for a second viewing or asked for a survey to be completed (bar their mortgage company which did a valuation survey, which came back with no issues). The property was priced to reflect the fact that some bits in the house needed replacing (a couple of tears in the lounge carpet, some cosmetic water damage to the shower, some paintwork a bit flaky etc, and the fitted oven was 10 years old and had seen better days, etc). We then got a letter through last week, forwarded on from their solicitor, to say the property was dirty when they moved in (it wasn't, and I have photos that prove it) and they want compensation for the fact that they've had to replace the oven and that the house needs some work doing to it. ALL the issues that they have mentioned were there when they viewed the house in August (although they looked around so briefly they probably didn't even notice) and was reflected in the asking price.

I've replied to my solicitor strongly disputing the fact that the house was left dirty (with photos I took of the vacated property), and explaining that all the work that needed doing to the house was there when they viewed the house, and was reflected in the asking price, and I'm therefore not prepared to offer any compensation.

They can't pursue this surely? Where do we stand on this?

OP posts:
Roussette · 30/04/2018 11:28

Your house was immaculate! If I were you, I'd literally not give them a second thought. You'e responded to your solicitor, now forget these idiots.

idontknowwhatimdoing · 30/04/2018 11:31

We had this! Left our buyers a bottle of champagne and a card as well! And they wrote us a letter to say that the oven was dirty (wasn't, to my standard anyway 😂) and there was an area where the paint had chipped in the lounge. Needless to say we told them where to go! (Politely and through a solicitor of course!) Dont worry about it.

EveningHare · 30/04/2018 11:34

We couldn't move in to our first house for 2 weeks when we bought it, mainly due to it needing such a clean... ewwww

SheSellSeaShells · 30/04/2018 11:36

wow what a bunch of loons . When we moved into our house the previous owners left it in such a state. It was bloody filthy - and they'd left LOADS of crappy furniture upstairs that hampered us moving in. I ended up hiring some people to do the cleaning it was so awful There was bags of broken crockery and all sorts of rubbish in the back garden, plus they'd had a chicken run that they had dismantled and torn apart then just left it all sat there - and I was 7.5 months pregnant at the time. I just got on with it, didn't even think about suing.

Was a bit miffed as I'd deeply cleaned the flat we'd just sold and left wine and a card for the girl moving in too ... to then have to do more cleaning.... pah! We did get them to come and collect their furniture though as that was a total piss take, they responded "we thought you might like it" haha, no thanks please take it back.

GabsAlot · 30/04/2018 11:39

nah theyre trying it on ignore them

no survey done also thir problem-its clear you cleaned very throughly when u left u didnt even have to do that

OVienna · 30/04/2018 11:45

Curious what made you take pictures before you moved out. Did you have a premonition they'd do something odd? Or have you always done that? IT is a good idea, I guess, if you can prove they were taken when you say.

I would get the solicitor to knock this one on the head though with a formal letter.

Cath2907 · 30/04/2018 11:48

We had this when we were selling. The new buyers viewed the flat and agreed a price. The housing market was booming at the time. We were a week before completion when they requested another viewing to measure up for furnishings and I agreed. They were young and this time brought older relatives (who I assume realised the boiler was old and far too big for the flat - it was in there when I bought the flat 2 years previously and could have heated buckingham Palace!). The next day they were requesting money off because the boiler was old. I said no (the boiler worked and hadn't changed since last time they looked round and was clearly visible in the bathroom chugging away and heating the house up to the temperature of a small sun). Then it was a request to have "Uncle Mike come in and look at the boiler" and I said no, wait until you buy the place. Then they wanted me to pay for a £2k insurance for them in case the boiler broke down within a year of them moving in. At that point my husband replied (he was less diplomatic - the solicitor showed me the letter he sent her, it was polite enough to her but basically said to tell them if we heard from them again we'd put the damn thing back on the market immediately as it was likely to be worth more now than when they offered on it 3 months before. We weren't that fussed about the house we were buying so it was no skin off our noses if we had to start the process again...) Apparently she did tone his wording down slightly when she replied to them.

They did moan after they moved in about other stuff (including having to pay for the boiler to be serviced by uncle mike themselves) but we told the solicitor we didn't wish to dignify their complaints with a response and they finally shut up and left us alone.

user1487194234 · 30/04/2018 11:50

In Scotland you normally get 5 working days to check everything is working but the obligation is to maintain the house in the condition it was in at the date the offer was made. And there is normally a de minimis clause so claim must be for £300 eg.

People often misunderstand this and put in a whole load of ridiculous things.

The solicitor has to copy you in,that is his/her legal obligation.

99 % of the time the seller says it was ok when we left Seller's solicitors writes back and says that.

Even if there is a valid claim ,if the seller resists it,then advice to the purchaser has to be that the only way to recover is to go to court,and probably not worth the cost and hassle

If its something major,eg central heating boiler ,then can be worth going to court,or at least threatening court action and I have recovered £ for clients for something like that on several occasions

As a solicitor I would never charge for doing 1 letter making the claim or 1 letter rebutting it

If a purchasing client come to me post settlement I would only do a letter for valid claims.

chuckiecheese · 30/04/2018 11:50

As afterthestorm says buyer beware. It was being discussed on the radio the other day! They do not have a leg to stand on Smile

Get decent legal advice and send a letter to end this nonsense.

Original poster
KitKat1985 · 30/04/2018 11:54

OVienna I took the pics for two reasons. Fristly I was doing a 'moving day' photo album with our old house being stripped away and our new house being put together. It sounds weird but I've done it before and it's really interesting to look back at.

Secondly I have to admit there was also an element of suspicion about our buyers too, and my brother had experienced similar issues with a flat he had moved out of, and had advised me that it is always worth taking photos of any properties you vacate / move into, as this was the only way he had managed to get his deposit back eventually on the flat he vacated.

Anyway, I'm going to ask Mumsnet to remove the pics now as they're quite identifying. I just wanted to show that it was clean when we left.

OP posts:
dejectedharry · 30/04/2018 11:57

OP I wish I'd bought our house off you, it is so clean compared to what we had to deal with! What a pair of chancers.

Trilogy18 · 30/04/2018 12:09

I doubt you will hear anything further, but if you do just tell your solicitor you will not be responding further. They are trying it on.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 30/04/2018 12:17

they must have fibbed about their finances ... as after weeks of delays and excuses in conveyancing we found out they had been turned down for two mortgages due to their shitty finances, and nearly caused the whole chain to collapse

Sounds like they see their claim against you as the answer to at least some of their financial problems Hmm

The thing that amazes me is that their solicitor was prepared to write such a ridiculous letter; I realise they're "instructed" by clients, but surely they should have advised that the buyers didn't stand a chance? Come to think of it, are you sure they did write it, and that the buyers haven't somehow got hold of a letterhead and done it themselves?

hooliodancer · 30/04/2018 12:21

I had a genuine issue with a house I bought, that cost us over 7 grand, but my solicitor said there was no point pursuing it. The vendor had actually lied on the property from as well as face to face.

YogaDrone · 30/04/2018 12:24

Oh KitKat what total arsing wank badgers VSC are. What a nerve they have after all the problems they caused during your conveyancing Angry

It was a good idea to take photos of your house before you left it - your solicitor must love you providing them with such concrete proof that VSC are talking out of their arses! I'm sure your solicitor is just forwarding the letter out of obligation. I understand why you are so angry and upset. I would be if our purchasers had pulled a stunt like this. Ultimately though, you have moved to your lovely new house. Please don't let them spoil it for you Flowers

YouStacey · 30/04/2018 12:28

They can sue you, that is they can issue a court claim against you, but on the facts you have given here they can't win. But in the event they do issue a curt claim don't just ignore it but do engage with the court case, e.g. by filing your response, otherwise that can automatically get judgement in their favour

youthrewmysandwichAWAY · 30/04/2018 12:34

Cheeky fuckers, I can't believe they've moaned the house was dirty. Whether it was or not, what do they expect?!!

Original poster
KitKat1985 · 30/04/2018 12:35

[Waves to YogaDrone] Totally agree. Maybe I should have given them the nickname AWB for Arsing Wank Badgers rather than VSC for Very Slow Couple? It would have expressed my feelings for them better. Grin

OP posts:
sausagedogsmakechipolatas · 30/04/2018 12:47

Flipping heck Kitkat, I’m sorry your buyers are (still) being absolutely ridiculous. Hopefully your solicitor will tell them to get to fuck.

Missingstreetlife · 30/04/2018 12:48

Ignore it. Cfs. Life is too short

Melamin · 30/04/2018 12:58

When I was 11 we moved to a house that was too dirty to move into (it was cheap Wink). One room was cleaned and all the furniture was stacked in it. It took 3 large skips to empty the 'contents' and all the wallpaper was stripped and the whole place washed down with Jeyes fluid. I didn't see it for 2 months coz I was at my grandma's Grin

Furano · 30/04/2018 13:18

House is sold as seen. They can do a running jump.

It is upsetting to have this kind of thing happen, but try not to give them any headspace. They are clearly loons.

SlothMama · 30/04/2018 13:45

I think they are just trying it on to get some extra cash! You have the proof of the photos, so I can't see them having a case tbh

YogaDrone · 30/04/2018 13:46

[waves back to KitKat] LOL !

As others have said, please try not to dwell on it. They are just trying their luck and have no claim on you.

Easilyflattered · 30/04/2018 14:02

My understanding is that they have no leg to stand on, I mean, they didn't even get a survey done!

However, genuinely interested as to why their solicitor bothered to write to you anyway? Surely he /she should have advised them they'd get nowhere and to suck it up and move on?