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Original poster

Post Sale Issues - any thoughts?

239 replies

MargoLivebetter · 23/04/2025 08:41

Recently moved. My buyers have put together a list of things that they think need fixing and want me to contribute to them. They got their solicitor to send it to mine. They didn't have a survey done, other than for valuation purposes, and only came to see the property once. They asked no questions about the state of anything, even though I offered to answer any questions they might have.

The property was in really lovely condition IMO obviously. I left it spotlessly clean and there wasn't a scrap of anything that shouldn't have been there left. There's no damp or anything concerning and all the appliances work properly. I also left all the instruction manuals, guarantees and useful information.

Their list has things like replacing a chipped cupboard door, replacing a misted double glazed window, replacing fridge and freezer drawers because the plastic has cracked in some places, replacing cracked tiles on the bathroom floor, replacing some of the paving stones that have become discoloured outside etc. None of these things were hidden or concealed when they viewed my place.

I've moved quite a few times now and I've never had this before. Is this normal nowadays? Do I just politely decline to contribute or is this a thing now?

OP posts:
Lazlothevampire · 23/04/2025 12:42

FuckityFux · 23/04/2025 12:36

Lol, they’re either cheeky fuckers or simply a bit dim and think you’re their landlord.

We had a similar email when we moved house a few years ago and completely ignored it and never replied. Some of the things they were complaining about was basic repairs/decoration they should have noticed if they’d had a decent survey done and other stuff was pure made up bollocks!

This included complaining that the heating oil tank was empty.
Did they really think I wanted to pay their future heating bills? 😂😂
In fact, I’d specifically asked the Estate Agent to tell them that Oil would need to be ordered soon. It was late Spring so not cold and the house had an immersion heater and wood burning stoves, so plenty of alternatives in the short term.

Ignore the email and get on with your life. They had ample opportunity to raise issues before purchase as any sensible buyer should do. It’s now 100% their problem that they didn’t.

Omg, we had the same thing once when selling a rural house with an oil tank.

The estate agent called us on the afternoon of completion saying the people that bought my house were in there office shouting that we’d “emptied” the oil tank and were demanding that we fill it. um, no. That would have cost almost a grand at that point 🤣 like we’d emptied it into buckets and took it with us!

She was very young, on her own in the office and they were threatening all sorts, I felt so bad for her. We ended up getting out solicitor to urgently call theirs, who obviously told them they were mental and that we had no obligation to fill the oil tank, and they left the estate agent.

Some people are beyond thick.

ThisZanyPinkSquid · 23/04/2025 12:43

100% refuse!! This is all minor/aesthetic details they can easily fix.

Had it been the boiler not working day they moved in them possibly but this is petty!! Just say no and leave them to it.

prelovedusername · 23/04/2025 12:44

pinkdelight · 23/04/2025 08:56

Sounds like they think they're renting and you're the landlord! These are their problems to fix - they bought them. Tell them to jog on.

Yeah, renters. None of those things would be for you to fix.

Their solicitor is involved because he/she can charge them for the letter, an opportunity not to be missed.

audreyandaubrey · 23/04/2025 12:44

Ignore it. Cheeky b*ers. Many years ago I bought a house and the day after I moved the water tank overflowed soaking the stairs and carpet. My neighbours told me it had happened before so the previous owners knew but hadn’t mentioned it to me, nor had I checked before exchange. I was annoyed at them and at myself but at no point did I think that they should pay for this as I had bought as seen and I had to pay to have it fixed

redphonecase · 23/04/2025 12:44

You've already completed? Ignore.

WearyAuldWumman · 23/04/2025 12:45

Ineffable23 · 23/04/2025 08:41

Just decline. I don't think they would have a leg to stand on. Have they gone through their/your solicitor?

Edit: doh, didn't spot the second or third sentence.

In that case, what has your solicitor said?

Edited

When I sold a house last year, the legal bumph from the other side - sorry, can't remember the term - came with a list of things which had to done. That included making sure that the loft was emptied and stated that if the heating and some other things went wrong in the first month, then I had to pay for it. (I had recently had a new part fitted to the boiler, so I knew that it was old but working fine.)

This came directly from their solicitor...and included all kitchen appliances. The kitchen had been installed about 1990 and was sold as seen. My solicitor immediately shot back an email to say that we didn't accept that clause. Apart from anything else, my estate agent had informed me that the buyers intended to rewire the house, rip out the kitchen, put in a new boiler...

Taytoface · 23/04/2025 12:45

Just write back lol. It will cost the money in solicitor time.

Strictlymad · 23/04/2025 12:45

Tell them to pull the other one lol

orangedream · 23/04/2025 12:45

Hilarious! Total idiots. As if they get to do a snag list on a secondhand property. Just get your solicitor to tell them to buzz off.

Iamnotalemming · 23/04/2025 12:46

They are being ridiculous. The rule is buyer beware.

ILoveMyWeeds · 23/04/2025 12:46

I’d decline and skip the polite bit

1jack · 23/04/2025 12:47

Spending many £10s of thousands.
My last move over qtr of a £million.
Plus the cost of build over insurance for the place I was selling.

No survey.
No checking the buyer pack/ contents list/ seeing the place a couple of times prior to completion.
A fool and their money...
Dickwads.
Wish they'd bought my last sold home 🤣

meganorks · 23/04/2025 12:48

I don't think any of those things would even be negotiable before the sale! A cracked cupboard?! Fridge freezer isn't even usually included in a sale. Maybe they just think you'll be a push over (because you left the card and wine potentially!). I'd just ignore.

FBIsMostWanted · 23/04/2025 12:48

@MargoLivebetter I have just out the other side of this kind of CF’ery! I sold my Great Aunts flat with most of the furnishings for no extra money. I thought I was being nice. The FTB took me to court as they said they had bought the flat including all furnishings and the sofa bed (that was 10+ years old) didn’t pull out. It got all the way to court.
The judge laughed at them and directed them to the part of the survey that stated no appliances or furnishings were checked and it was up to the buyer to get condition reports.
Don’t worry they don’t have a leg to stand on, I know from personal experience.

Ilovemyshed · 23/04/2025 12:50

Dear [my] solicitor. Thank you for passing the message on. As you will understand, I will be ignoring this inappropriate request from the buyers, and have no further instructions for you. Please close the conveyancing file. Yours etc

Original poster
MargoLivebetter · 23/04/2025 12:52

@FBIsMostWanted I can't believe it got all the way to court!!!! What madness.

OP posts:
SunnyDecember · 23/04/2025 12:53

Hi OP, my understanding of this is they've not got a leg to stand on. It's their responsibility to see what they are buying. Solicitors make it very clear, as you said yours did, that they have a responsibility to be clear on the condition of the property. It's not like you've concealed anything at all. They will have (I imagine) had months to ask for viewings and raise any questions and they haven't. They aren't buying a new house and need to do one. It's unreasonable and cheeky. I would ignore the letter or reply saying no, that's not how it works, and I would contact your surveyor if you are unhappy with the condition of the property - you know they didn't get one so that will give them some food for thought!

Also agree with other posts saying don't spend money on solicitors letters. You don't need to! You've done nothing wrong.

florasl · 23/04/2025 12:53

Our seller somehow smashed a whole window moving out and we had a struggle getting them to replace it. I can’t imagine anybody asking for a freezer door to be replaced!

Spankmeonthebottomwithawomansweekly · 23/04/2025 12:55

FBIsMostWanted · 23/04/2025 12:48

@MargoLivebetter I have just out the other side of this kind of CF’ery! I sold my Great Aunts flat with most of the furnishings for no extra money. I thought I was being nice. The FTB took me to court as they said they had bought the flat including all furnishings and the sofa bed (that was 10+ years old) didn’t pull out. It got all the way to court.
The judge laughed at them and directed them to the part of the survey that stated no appliances or furnishings were checked and it was up to the buyer to get condition reports.
Don’t worry they don’t have a leg to stand on, I know from personal experience.

Holy shit! Did you get awarded costs? Were they not from the UK? This is so well known in the UK I can't believe someone didn't warn them off.

Trumptonagain · 23/04/2025 12:55

They don't have a leg to stand on.

Whether your solicitor thinks the buyers are being CF's or not they still have to pass on any correspondence to you from them, what you do with it from there is your choice.

You can, if wanted reply straight to their solicitor stating that the move has now been completed and the property now belongs to the buyers, you asked if they wanted any info, they replied no.

You can of course call your own solicitor and ask if you'll be liable to fix these things.

Either way you don't need to spend any money sending letters back and forth for something that really is of no concern to you now.

BlackWhiteCircle · 23/04/2025 12:59

pinkdelight · 23/04/2025 08:56

Sounds like they think they're renting and you're the landlord! These are their problems to fix - they bought them. Tell them to jog on.

This!
Ignore or get solicitor to respond with a fuck off,

saltandvinegarchipsticks · 23/04/2025 13:02

Ilovemyshed · 23/04/2025 12:50

Dear [my] solicitor. Thank you for passing the message on. As you will understand, I will be ignoring this inappropriate request from the buyers, and have no further instructions for you. Please close the conveyancing file. Yours etc

Exactly this! Don’t entertain the idiocy.

Hdjdb42 · 23/04/2025 13:06

I would say, no. That's ridiculous, you have to inspect a property and get a survey done before the sale. Otherwise where does it end? Will they call you about other things they see for the next 12 months?!

Tomorrowisanewday · 23/04/2025 13:10

In Scotland. There is a very limited list of things that the seller is responsible for, and limited timesacle for notification by buyer of issues. For example, any issues with the boiler have to be notiifed within 7 days of completion

outdooryone · 23/04/2025 13:12

Geneticsbunny · 23/04/2025 08:51

Lol. Ignore them. Caveat emptor. Totally their fault. Also if they have your phone no, please block their number.

Totally this.
There is NOTHING they can do legally, and morally they bough the place as it is.

I have had this before - sold a house and a few weeks later had a list of a few things like the front door key needed a 'shoogle' to get it to work, so they replaced the door(!) and lock and wanted me to pay. I ignored. Then 6 months later a solicitors letter asking me to pay for a burst pipe in an attic bathroom! I replied that time with 'stop asking, the answer is caveat emptor'.