Vendor left the property super dirty - How likely am I to recover any costs from them?

[allthecatsintheworld]

I just got the keys to my first ever flat (yay!) but I was somewhat surprised to see the state of it.. The vendors did not even attempt to clean up after themselves (think all the integrated white goods with some yuck inside, x years worth of dust where they removed the furniture and every surface sticky etc etc). They basically lifted their stuff and went . I wasn't expecting it to be sparkling clean, but this is just gross..

They left plenty of holes in the walls, some with hangers still in, some without that need to be fixed after the hangers were pulled out with force, and, probably worst, did a terrible job at fixing some of the holes they made in the walls and skirting boards, which means now I need to remove whatever is done did before fixing it.

I'm quite broke after spending way more time in rentals than I planned to after the vendors moved the completion date 4 times, so if it's not realistic to recover the costs from the sellers I will probably need to clean it up myself and do some DIY on walls. Part of me wants to call in the professionals and try to recover the costs from the vendors, because how on earth do they think this is acceptable, but then I think my judgement may be clouded by rage.

www.robertdyas.co.uk/unibond-aero-360-moisture-absorber-white-dehumidifier?msclkid=501df77fa66f12c8dc429681fa7b88ee&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Shopping%20-%20Smart%20-%20Medium&utm_term=4578435185948944&utm_content=Smart%20-%20Medium
this type of non electric dehumidifier works quite well if you have damp

Oh & old toothbrushes are ace at cleaning small spaces & gaps
(tile grouting etc) & washing powder can be used to clean tiles etc

I think cleaning every inch of a new home is my way of getting to know it, and every time I've moved, even though I've left previous place clean, I'm sure new owners cleaned anyway. Look at it like a getting to know you adventure, put the radio on, get some treat snacks, and you'll remember those songs/play/podcast for ever! (Plus, we've had properties with literally skips worth of shite left in them, so tbh yours sounds relatively painless)

We moved into ours, the previous owner had died, relatives took what they wanted and left everything else. I mean everything. Food in cupboards, furniture, clothes, photos etc. We couldn't recover any costs.

We moved onto one flat after 17 cats moved out. That was an experience. Lucky we had a week to clean before we had to actually live there.

@Pegasussnail

Pretty standard but lacks manners or care. I would polyfiller and sand holes. Baking powder and vinegar will sort grime. You will have it lovely soon

Baking (bicarbonate of) soda! Don’t use baking powder!

Hi @allthecatsintheworld filling holes in walls is really easy. You'll need Polyfiller powder, not premixed, a pallet knife to mix, a set of stainless steel filler blades, 120 grit aluminium oxide paper and black rubber sanding block. It will probably set you back £30.

Thanks for all the responses! Sorry I didn't reply, I was busy cleaning. After a day of cleaning my rage is lower and the flat is almost not gross .

I was expecting to do a deep clean, but there is a difference between deep cleaning a clean place and removing a mess before.
I wasn't expecting the vendor to clean the place FOR me @Snowiscold, I was expecting them to clean it up AFTER themselves to a reasonable standard.

I hope pp saying its standard are not endorsing this behaviour and are being courteous themselves when they move out. It's disgusting, pig like behaviour and bad karma. People who do this should know they're attracting bad vibes. We had flies in the cupboard and cm thick grease in the oven and hob. Why can't people be arsed? They made the effort when selling, then after the contract is signed they just became pigs? Says a lot about people's character and I'll be mentioning their filth to all the neighbours I meet. And to think we had left a wonderfully clean house, which I will again, when we move. Yes moving is stressful but if I can clean, so can they.

Ps, the only time this behaviour is acceptable is if owners were disabled, old, or had dome other real issue. Which then during the viewings would be obvious anyway

Some people have no shame. I am disabled, I left my property immaculately clean when I left it. There is no excuse for leaving a property dirty. I had it in the contract that the property would be left in clean condition. The property we bought was immaculate too. I would speak to your solicitor about it.

Not at all likely I am afraid for the various reasons set out. Far better to spend a bit on cleaning supplies and a second hand hoover.

It's particularly galling as a FTB if you've just finished scrubbing up your rental flat within an inch of its life to get your deposit back.

But still, congratulations!

@Crabwoman

Pretty standard, sorry. It's not like renting where you will get the keys to a clean property.

I have moved a few times and I fully expect to spend a few days deep cleaning. From bitter experience I now also change the loo seats and locks

@Crabwoman that's just a whole story you need to explains on

*Expand on

We always pay for a full professional clean if we don’t have the time/energy to do a move out clean ourselves. But our current house was pretty filthy when we moved in, unfortunately seems to be more common than not.

It’s such an exciting day moving into a new house, it sucks to arrive and find it in a shit state. Sorry you’re going through that OP.

Our vendors left the house immaculate and filled every hole. We left our house clean and empty but not scrubbed up to ceiling height and brilliant finish as the buyers were going to be doing work and renting it out. I was thrilled with the state of our new house but I didn't expect it.

@eurochick

Cleaning is a courtesy. There's nothing you can do about it being grubby.

If it hasn't been left empty of their crap, that's a different matter as they are obliged to leave it empty.

I had one vendor try it on, though. Having suspected that he’d leave a lot of junk (he was said to be returning straight away to his own country*) I specified that the place had to be cleared completely.

I arranged with the EA to check before any cash was handed over - sure enough, he’d left a manky old sofa and all sort of other rubbish.
Completion was delayed for 24 hours until he got shot of it. He was mightily pissed off but it served the bugger right.

Luckily I wasn’t moving in straight away, so no hassle with removal vans.
*He left a lot of debt, too - at least £20k worth.

My first ever flat, not only did they leave the place filthy, they left had the rotten stinking (they smoked inside) furniture behind. It was a probate sale, so it looked like the family just didn't bother. I cried as soon as I walked in.

However I was planning to gut the place, so 2 skips later, the rubbish was all gone, and I was able to start the refurbishment.

The last house I sold, not only did I leave it immaculate, I have professional cleaners in on the morning of completion. The place was spick and span!

The state the place is on really depends on the person you are buying from. Although you'd be entitled to claim from them, the time and effort involved means in reality it's not worth pursuing.

once place we bought had 5 layers of carpets...all flea infested...brown grease on everything....when viewing the light bulbs were really dim...old 25 watt bulbs...now we know why,...plus a pile of hardcore lesbian porn mags vintage 70's german...!!!...once you clean etc it will feel better and then tackle the diy jobs...nothing major.

@earsup

once place we bought had 5 layers of carpets...all flea infested...brown grease on everything....when viewing the light bulbs were really dim...old 25 watt bulbs...now we know why,...plus a pile of hardcore lesbian porn mags vintage 70's german...!!!...once you clean etc it will feel better and then tackle the diy jobs...nothing major.

There was probably a specialist niche market for those magazines. You could have made a fortune

Welcome to your new home, shame to previous owner left it in the state they did. You need to get down to your local screwfix and pick up some filler, filling knife, sand paper and sand block. You can easily fill the walls yourself.
www.screwfix.com/p/ronseal-big-hole-ready-mixed-wall-filler-grey-1-2ltr/95289

It should be clean and cleared but our last house had so much rubbish left. You will get it sparkling clean and it will really feel like your home then.

Don't panic. When my daughter bought her first flat they left a broken fridge freezer making gunk,adoor hanging off and a broken window ledge etc. It is beautiful now as your home will soon be.