Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Moving house... seller taking summer house

60 replies

Charrrb · 17/02/2021 22:29

Hi, I’m hoping to get as many opinions possible. Myself and my partner put an offer in on a house last November. The house was absolutely perfect for us. One thing that stood out hugely was the garden. It was spacious, had decking and a summer house that had been created into a bar! The sellers invited us to look round this summer house at the viewing and with the electric fire coupled with a gin bar, it was perfect! Fast forward 2 months and on the completion of the property forms, low and behold, the summer house was stated as ‘not included in the sale’ and the seller would be taking this with them. We were gutted but also, this was never included in the sale brochure and although the seller has said at the viewing that this was ‘highly likely to stay due to them down-sizing’ we didn’t really have a leg to stand on. Fast forward another month and we discover that when the summer house will be removed from the garden, this will leave a large concreted base that doesn’t match the patio of the rest of the garden. We feel a little cheated, as this isn’t the garden we saw when we viewed the house and put the offer down on. Would anyone agree it would be fair to ask the owner to rectify the huge whole that is going to be in the garden by either putting down patio that matches the rest of the garden? I don’t want to be picky but also we were looking at houses that needed as little work as possible initially and this just isn’t something we want to be forking out for! Any advice appreciated!

OP posts:

Trumplosttheelection · 17/02/2021 22:36

Nah you've got no chance.
They aren't obliged to sell you a matching garden or anything that wasn't specified.
It's just hard luck.

SarahLox77 · 17/02/2021 22:45

I'm not surprised they are taking the summer house; it sounds a one-off labour of love that could be hard to recreate.

If the vendor told you at the viewing that "more than likely it would be staying" then you certainly have a case to ask for a discount, for at least the cost of the shed structure itself (not so much the bar fittings) or new paving slabs.

If that's not forthcoming then you must decide how much you want the house itself, and the summerhouse. Would you be willing to pay extra for the vendors to leave the summerhouse behind? Or alternatively how much would it cost you to recreate the summerhouse or pave the area yourselves? Would you want to cancel the sale of there is no negotiation to be done? You need to get the answers to these questions clear in your head.

I once had a friend who pulled out of her dream house purchase because the vendors announced they planned to take designer light fittings from the kitchen - she argued she was "buying the whole look" and basically had a little tantrum. I felt this was more than a little short-sighted as the house she eventually bought ticked fewer of her other boxes in many other ways and her delayed move meant she missed the school applications window for her daughter.

SarahLox77 · 17/02/2021 22:46

I'm not surprised they are taking the summer house; it sounds a one-off labour of love that could be hard to recreate.

whatdoesthismeaneh · 17/02/2021 22:48

Reduce your offer. You may not have been guaranteed that it would be there but were clearly under the impression and now you either have the cost of replacement or the cost of removing the concrete.

Its no different to identifying some other defect.

Rivergreen · 17/02/2021 22:53

Your time to reduce the offer was when you saw it wasn't on the property information forms. I'd give you short shrift if you tried that with me. Just stick some pots over it in the short term until you save up for the summerhouse/shed you want.

WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants · 17/02/2021 22:55

I'm sorry they're taking it, but I do feel (sorry) that you only have yourselves to blame 'this will most likely be staying was a bit of a heads up to check before you agreed in the sale price & to ensure it was on the papers. I'd actually understand your POV more if it hadn't been mentioned!

I don't think you've got a leg to stand on, so you need to decide if you are prepared to offer them more to leave it or to just pave, or replace it yourselves.

Again, sorry it's happened, it's disappointing.

WonkyCactus · 17/02/2021 22:55

If I had a summer house I would take it with me too!
Agree with PP that it's just tough luck. The concrete might be unsightly but surely it is liveable with until you can afford to sort it yourselves.

LawnFever · 17/02/2021 22:59

Nope not a chance, if you wanted it including in the price you should’ve stated that ages ago, they’re under no obligation to do anything with the space left in the garden at all

itwillbehormones · 17/02/2021 23:03

Was it on the brochure photos? It does seem a bit of a shame and misleading maybe.

But just ask before they remove it to take lots of photos and recreate it!! It won't cost much and could be fun to put your own mark on it.

QuiltingFlower · 17/02/2021 23:16

Just buy another one! The solid base is already there.

Good luck with the move.

Gra18 · 17/02/2021 23:17

Yes I’d ask they are leaving a concert hole in the garden. It’s sounds awful, yes you could have addressed it earlier but it sounds like they lead you to believe it would remain. I wouldn’t be pleased.

HelloThereMeHearties · 17/02/2021 23:18

Just save up for a new summer house.

ViperAtTheGatesOfDawn · 17/02/2021 23:18

@QuiltingFlower

Just buy another one! The solid base is already there.

Good luck with the move.

This.

Jgdgjbdssvuuuuu · 17/02/2021 23:20

I can’t believe someone would take a summer house! Scabs. They should have said at viewing or early doors. Re negotiate.

SnarkyBag · 17/02/2021 23:22

If you want a cheap fix for the concrete base when we took down our old summer house we used masonry paint to paint and stencil the left over base to create another seating area.

Bananacocks · 17/02/2021 23:23

But another one, although I bet they will regret it they are not dismantle to move and rarely go back together as well once moved.

Elieza · 17/02/2021 23:26

They may get a quote to remove and relocate it that’s way dearer than they expected. At which point they may offer it to you for a reduced price?

If not just get your own.

crazylikechocolate · 17/02/2021 23:31

They probably are not taking it but selling it on , ask to buy it as an extra it's got to be cheaper than replacing it

donquixotedelamancha · 17/02/2021 23:41

Was the summer house listed on the advert or in the photos?

If so I'd reduce my offer by 15k (they are very expensive) and make clear to the estate agent that if that isn't accepted and you pull out you'll be seeking any fees you paid out because the property was falsely advertised.

Don't mention the 'highly likely to stay' bit because that's a clear warning it wasn't included and completely undermines your case. Keep it vague: you were given the impression it was part of the sale- it's a fixture of the property.

Don't get acrimonious and lose the house (unless it's that important)- this is just negotiation. It's quite possible they have no real intention to move it and just want the cash.

Original poster

Charrrb · 17/02/2021 23:59

Thanks everyone! We have decided to try and negotiate it by asking them to leave the summer house put for a price or to patio over the garden. In retrospect they probably showed us round the summer house and said it was highly likely to stay as a (really effective) sales technique knowing that they were going to take it with them/sell it on. A lesson learned I suppose! That being said, we put the offer in on the house with no anticipation of having a huge hole in centre of the patio garden and so we aren’t happy with this. Hopefully we should get a response tomorrow. Thanks again for all the advice!

OP posts:

converseandjeans · 18/02/2021 00:28

I imagine they are going to leave it but will ask you now for money towards it?

Silkiechickscat · 18/02/2021 01:12

If you put an offer in based on the summer house being included then I would tell them that and say they can either leave it or reduce your offer based on what it was worth to you. I would point out they told you it was highly likely to stay which is misleading if they had no intention of leaving it.

PickAChew · 18/02/2021 01:18

Cross your fingers that their summer house never quite goes back together and the annoying leaks turn everything rotten.

It won't benefit you but they'll be pissed off with it and wish they hadn't bothered.

WB205020 · 18/02/2021 07:58

If you were shown around the summer house with no mention of it being taken then you do have come back.

I would state you were under the impression it was being left and that is part of the draw to the house and why you offered what you did. Have a look at replacement costs. We put a good sized one in our garden 2 years ago and it was over £3500. They are not cheap. I would perhaps say you are prepared to pay £500 to keep it but if they insist on taking it you will take £3000 off the offer as it will cost that to replace it.

To those saying you can’t do anything, OP was shown around the summer house and told it was likely staying and OP placed the offer knowing this information. That’s misleading so OP does have comeback.

Equalityumber · 18/02/2021 08:06

It does sound like you were mislead a bit so definitely worth pushing back on them.

Flip

1 2 3