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Original poster

Leaving expensive(ish) light fittings - would you?

76 replies

40grump7 · 01/03/2021 10:09

The light fittings I chose for our house were fairly expensive and I love them. All handmade and solid brass.

DH thinks we should leave them for the buyers - but I think they should come with us, or be negotiated for by the buyer. (They haven’t said anything about fixtures and fittings yet.)

We are selling and not immediately buying, so won’t know if we need them for some time. And anyway, maybe the buyers will want to put their own stamp on the place?

But DH thinks leaving wires hanging out where the light fittings all should be would be rude!

I don’t know. What is good form here?

OP posts:
ExConstance · 01/03/2021 14:53

In our second house the vendor made a great fuss about how they were leaving their wonderful light fittings, they might have been wonderful to them but they were decidedly not to my taste. OP, have a chat with your purchasers, they might want them and be prepared to pay, or t;hey might prefer to have just plain ones. I'd personally be a bit miffed to get hanging wires, but this issue should be covered by the contract.

GrumpyHoonMain · 01/03/2021 14:56

I wish the previous owners took her disgusting chandeliers with her. She and her family were short but I’m always banging my head on the sharp bit at the bottom.

Dogsandbabies · 01/03/2021 14:57

@floofycroissant

Unless they've explicitly said so, please don't assume that the buyer shares your sense of taste.

It's more likely they'd appreciate a regular light fitting that they can add their own shade.

Absolutely this.

I have always removed light fittings that were very expensive but not to my taste. And would rather have had the vendor remove them.

For what it is worth brass light fittings would definitely be in the remove immediately category for me, so if you love them you should definitely take them with you. It's a waste otherwise.

minniemoocher · 01/03/2021 15:04

Legally you must leave a standard light fitting, bare wires are not allowed! I think a standard bulb must be left too, but not sure if that's a legal requirement. I suggest if they were particularly expensive you offer them as an extra, if they featured in the photos there's an assumption they are being left unless explicitly stated otherwise. We just bought and all light fittings were left but not standard lampshades

ComtesseDeSpair · 01/03/2021 15:04

@floofycroissant

Unless they've explicitly said so, please don't assume that the buyer shares your sense of taste.

It's more likely they'd appreciate a regular light fitting that they can add their own shade.

Agreed, and I’ve never understood why threads like this often up with insults being thrown at those who are apparently “cheap” or “selfish” for taking their things with them. Decor is very much personal taste. My seller left curtains and blinds and light fittings and I immediately took them all down and either binned or gave them to the charity shop because I didn’t like them or want them - so I’d really hate to think they actually quite liked them, had spent a lot of money on them, and would have taken them had they not read a MN thread telling them they should leave them!
Botanicals · 01/03/2021 15:14

I found curtains and blinds really useful until I had my own made so it was appreciated by me.

My vendor left dangerous bare wires hanging out of the ceiling, I didn’t want his Moroccan style light fitting but the solicitor said it was illegal not to have got a simple pendant fitted. Mind you some miserly people take all the lightbulbs too.

Sunisshining12 · 01/03/2021 15:22

The buyers may not even want your fixtures. Get the Fixtures & Fittings Form off your Solicitor...list everything you’re willing to include and you can add a cost for said items too if you wish...and see what comes back

Midlifephoenix · 01/03/2021 15:24

I'm selling my house and leaving a blown glass light fitting which cost me almost £500. I love it but it won't go in my new house. I'm not asking anything for it.
The only thing I specifically have said I am taking is the door knocker (bought in America with special meaning to me) and some tea light holders which are screwed in to the the wall. I will of course replace the knocker.
Blinds are custom to the windows so I'm leaving all of them and the curtains too, but have said if they don't want them I will take them. It does seem a bit petty to take things like curtain poles, but if they match your lights and you are taking them then fine, but be clear about this. I would not expect people to pay for them unless they costs thousands.
I remember the days when people would ask you to pay for fitted carpets! Never did and they were never removed...

steppemum · 01/03/2021 15:28

personally I would NOT replace with bog standard, but I would make it very clear in the fixtures and fittings part of the contract that they would be removed, and not repleced with anything.

I wouldn't replace, as they will probably put their own up. But I would obviously put a bulb holder etc so no bare wire, and they can have light when they arrive.

Should not cost £20 per light!

wandawombat · 01/03/2021 15:34

Someone's dad removed the avocado soap holder from the first house we bought. He turned up on the doorstep with them, think the seller made him return them.

Don't leave the house in a dangerous state, be clear on the forms.

NotMeNoNo · 01/03/2021 18:08

You don't have to leave curtain rails but be crystal clear that they will not be replaced so the buyer can have an alternative lined up.

The standard F&F form states that if a light fitting is removed then it's assumed a standard ceiling rose fitting will be left in its place in a safe condition. I would be severely unimpressed to get keys on a Friday afternoon to move into a house without working lights.

SJaneS49 · 01/03/2021 18:32

I’m really sorry, while I wouldn’t make any ‘quality of light’ kind of argument, I do think it’s a bit cheap taking the curtain poles and light fittings. When we moved into our current house, they’d done just that without any warning and any replacement, just hanging bulbs and nowhere to put the curtains.

Going by this thread, I’m in the minority though so crack on but give them a heads up!

sausagerollcake · 01/03/2021 18:33

Put them as an extra cost. If they want them they pay you for them, if not you keep them and refit or resell.

Gubanc · 01/03/2021 18:33

Nope. I'd make repair to curtain rail holes and put cheap light fittings up.

DespairingHomeowner · 01/03/2021 19:03

@Midlifephoenix: honestly, take your light fitting! Even if it won’t go in your new house, could it eventually go in home of a relative/friend so you can enjoy it, or a later house? Or sell it?

Somethings it’s not worth, but £500 is an expensive light fitting...

Botanicals · 01/03/2021 19:07

Who takes curtain poles?!

Hallyup5 · 01/03/2021 19:11

As long as you leave a working light then you're good. Bulb on a wire is fine. Our vendors took the light fittings and to be honest I was grateful because they were bloody awful chandelier style ones. Write it on the property information form that they're not included and it won't be an issue. The buyers probably won't have even noticed what lights you have up. Same with curtain rails, you should leave something but it doesn't have to be expensive.

PickAChew · 01/03/2021 19:18

Cheap to take b&q fixtures and fittings that cost ££ with you, perhaps. Perfectly understandable to take £££ or more lights, poles etc unless there is no way they can be re-used.

I wouldn't leave something like this any more than I would leave a similarly priced lamp.

Leaving expensive(ish) light fittings - would you?
jaundicedoutlook · 01/03/2021 19:18

As others have said, it is not unreasonable to remove the light fitting and replace with a standard ceiling rose or equivalent, with working bulb. Likewise, curtain poles can be removed but holes need to be filled (though not decorated over).

When we bought our current house recently the previous owners left behind the most godawful ‘fancy’ light fittings in some of the spare bedrooms which it then took us months to replace. I wish they had removed and replaced with basics...

lottieree · 01/03/2021 19:26

I can't believe you would consider leaving bare wires! Would you like to move into a house without working lights?

CoffeeBeansGalore · 01/03/2021 19:29

Botanicals
Who takes curtain poles?!

The first house we bought, not only did they take the poles, they took the backboard that they were screwed into as well (fitted by the builders when the house was new - 3 years old when we bought). Left holes in the walls where they were removed.
They also took all the lightbulbs and the 2 carpets they fitted because we wouldn't pay £500 for them. They had tried to remove the carpet grippers & damaged the flooring underneath. This was 1991 and didn't look like they cost £500 new.

Botanicals · 01/03/2021 19:30

@CoffeeBeansGalore

Botanicals Who takes curtain poles?!

The first house we bought, not only did they take the poles, they took the backboard that they were screwed into as well (fitted by the builders when the house was new - 3 years old when we bought). Left holes in the walls where they were removed.
They also took all the lightbulbs and the 2 carpets they fitted because we wouldn't pay £500 for them. They had tried to remove the carpet grippers & damaged the flooring underneath. This was 1991 and didn't look like they cost £500 new.

The tightness is unbelievable.
LockdownIsDragging · 01/03/2021 19:33

What did it say in the sale particulars, because if they were listed they should be included. If not mentioned then it is fine to take them as long as you make it clear on the fixtures and fitting list but as others have said you have to ‘make good’ with something useable.

ComtesseDeSpair · 01/03/2021 19:35

@Botanicals

Who takes curtain poles?!
People who can’t afford to spend hundreds of pounds buying several new ones for their new house just because the people buying their house decided not to bring or buy their own. People who choose their decor carefully and have stylish stuff they like and want to keep. People who are moving into a new-build where curtain poles aren’t included and who don’t want to have bare windows when they move in.

I just mentally added up the cost of all my light fittings and curtain poles and they cost me about £3,000 altogether. I like them. I want them. Why would I leave them behind, free, any more than I would my dining chairs or kettle in case my buyer doesn’t have those, either?

altlife · 01/03/2021 19:37

When we bought our current house the then-owner said he would be taking the lights unless we wanted to pay extra for them, as they cost him X amount.

We paid and kept them. Didn't mind him saying it at all, prefer everything to be transparent, makes it easier