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Original poster

Selling a messy cluttered house !

80 replies

Kay286 · 14/04/2023 16:07

Whilst I know this is not ideal we’re selling our house which has tenants in , we served section 21 in November but they said they would try to see if they could buy. They can’t and it got close to eviction date so we agreed to allow more time we’d give a bit longer and revisit. We confirmed again in feb we are looking to sell. Estate agent went round took photos and placed house in market but it’s so cluttered and messy (this after asking to tidy !)
my question is … the exact same house as ours is on for 50k xtra it’s immaculate … would you be able to see past clutter and offer on a 50k cheaper house ?

OP posts:
zombiecupcakes · 14/04/2023 16:09

Yes, clutter is a problem. So are tenants. Sorry

JennyTheDonkey · 14/04/2023 16:10

Can you not wait until they've left then tart the place up a bit for the photos/viewings?

DrNo007 · 14/04/2023 16:10

Personally I would get the tenants out in a fair way, then clean the house, tidy up paintwork etc and then put it on the market with new pics. I can see beyond clutter but many cannot and worry that the clutter is hiding something, eg cracked plasterwork.

DrNo007 · 14/04/2023 16:12

Oh talking of tenants, having had a dreadful experience of trying to sell a house I jointly owned with my ex, while ex and new partner were living in it and partner did NOT want the house sold, I would say definitely get the tenants out first.

ReadersD1gest · 14/04/2023 16:14

Nobody's going to offer on a house with sitting tenants. Wait till they've gone and refurbish.

Sprig1 · 14/04/2023 16:16

Wait until they have left and give it a spruce up.

Original poster
Kay286 · 14/04/2023 16:17

Yes that was the intention to get them out first and then sell but as they were looking into buying we got close to eviction date and then they said couldn’t buy so we allowed longer and agreed to try and sell with them in it ! Wish we hadn’t now, it’s tricky we can’t really go round to tart it up either as we live abroad !

the house shell/ decor etc is all completely fine but the clutter is something else !

OP posts:
Goodread1 · 14/04/2023 16:24

Hi Op
You Need to seriously de clutter look up youtube videos of this

Plus you could put some personal belongings stuff into storage facality container to rent per month,

Depends on size ratio, how long for for e.g a month / or a few / or severals extra months or a year ect/
and what area of the country in uk 🇬🇧

How much price to rent storage facality container is...

Original poster
Kay286 · 14/04/2023 16:26

@Goodread1 its not my stuff it’s our tenants

OP posts:
MrsBunnyEars · 14/04/2023 16:26

The tenants will be a massive, massive problem for you, never mind the clutter. I suspect there’s very little point you marketing until they’ve moved.

Sorry…

Hoolihan · 14/04/2023 16:27

@Goodread1 great misnomer.

Oblomov23 · 14/04/2023 16:28

So what date have you now agreed to? Can it be changed?

Viviennemary · 14/04/2023 16:28

Wouldn't see past tenants.

Original poster
Kay286 · 14/04/2023 16:29

@MrsBunnyEars agree think we need to be firm on move out date now , we’ve tried to be flexible and allow more time as they have been good tenants paid always on time etc apart from the clutter

OP posts:
IglesiasPiggl · 14/04/2023 16:30

I could see past the clutter but not the tenants. Not only would I be worried about them not leaving, I generally think it's a bit of a shady thing to do so would be concerned about you as the seller.

Original poster
Kay286 · 14/04/2023 16:32

@IglesiasPiggl why is it shady of me ? We agreed to more time and try and sell at their request not mine

OP posts:
Makewayforsummer · 14/04/2023 16:34

Tennants are a bigger issue than clutter. I wouldn’t view a house with tenants.

caringcarer · 14/04/2023 16:34

You need to take your house off the market and evict tenants immediately. New legislation is coming in very soon to stop Section 21 so you need to be very quick, else you'll never get rid of them. Once they are gone they will take their clutter with them. Re paint to freshen, tidy up the garden and re list. The only person who would consider buying a house with tenants in situ is a LL. That will limit your market hugely as many LL's are leaving the market, not buying more houses.

CoffeeWithCheese · 14/04/2023 16:36

You can ask them to tidy up all you want - but they don't have to do this. Basically your choice is to list it as it is, hope someone can see past the clutter and the current tenants or take the value hit... or wait out till they've gone and go House Doctory on it.

When we were looking to buy our first time we viewed one house we weren't aware had sitting tenants - and they made the viewing soooo uncomfortable by insisting on being there and staring at us walking around, plus drying all their knickers on the radiators throughout the house - there was no way on earth we were going to make any form of an offer.

Wishona · 14/04/2023 16:36

The tenants probably don’t want their lives on show either! Wait till they’re gone. You can then play someone to deep clean it and maybe a handyman/painter to freshen it up. If it will make such a difference to the value it’s worth it.

Original poster
Kay286 · 14/04/2023 16:36

@caringcarer weve already issued a section 21, but yes it’s seems we need to now be firm on the move out date and get rid of clutter

OP posts:
Eileen101 · 14/04/2023 16:36

I could see past clutter but I would never offer on a house with sitting tenants.

Plus, you know that the section 21 mechanism is going soon...?

If you want to sell, it will realistically need to be with vacant possession.

CC4712 · 14/04/2023 16:38

@Goodread1 Did you even read the OP??? Clearly not. Its the tenants crap in the house, NOT the OPs!!!

I'm unsure why you gave them even extra time when it was clear they couldn't afford to buy? Why don't you already have a firm exit date for them???

CC4712 · 14/04/2023 16:40

I could look past clutter to a degree, but absolutely not sitting tenants! Even with the clutter- I'd have concerns that it might be hiding mould, mice, damage etc.

Lindy2 · 14/04/2023 16:41

Do you have any photos with your letting agent that were used to advertise the property when you were looking for tenants? If you do I'd use those photos until you can get upto date ones done after the tenants have gone.