Post Sale Issues - any thoughts?

[MargoLivebetter]

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?

I'd agree here - pretty shit solicitor to pass this on without even saying "it's rubbish".

I am not clear ... have they actually completed the purchase?

If so, then just ignore it.

The previous owners of a property we bought rolled up a few weeks later to say they had left their mother's jewels in the safe, which I did not know existed. I agreed to them picking them up and there was a whole stash of really valuable jewellery ... I was tempted to lay claim to it!

Also 6 months later they rang to say they were having a BBQ and could they have theirs back! We did not even know there was one! Eventually we identified it as the pile of rusting metal in the garden that we had chucked away long before.

They were CFs of the first order.

We had this with my DMs buyers - they literally bullied us out of the house on completion day (before completion) leaving my DM (home for 50+ years, where my DF died)devastated as she didn’t get to have any closure. (IFYKWIM)

Anyway - we accidentally left something behind - in an outbuilding, I arranged to have it collected (which I paid for not DM), they then continued to harrass me via text several months later - I spoke to her solicitor, he said there wasn’t much they could do but I again thought I didn’t want to muddy her name locally so sorted someone to do those jobs. Instead of a thank you, I got a very upset tradesman (YES THE BUYERS UPSET THIS HARD BLOKE!!) who said he wasn’t ever going back there - they then harassed me again and told me they were taking ME to court and how I’d made money out of them (not my house 🤣). Anyway I wrote a lovely message back wishing them well and if they felt the need to do that, then that’s what they should do. And then I blocked them.

Anyway - I haven’t been sued, my DM hasn’t been sued and I’m afraid I laughed when I heard the roof was having to be replaced (we didn’t know) which a survey that they DID’NT do would probably have told them. Couldn’t have happened to nicer people.

I like to think DF is haunting the bastards - I may jest now but it was so stressful - I kept if from my elderly DM as they were so nasty.

Ignore them OP, or send a message back saying none of these things are your problem. (unless your solicitor will charge for that, in which case don't bother).

I bought a house that had a rug on the floor in the hall when I looked around. On the day I moved in, the rug had obviously gone, revealing a broken floorboard. I thought it was a bit sneaky of the vendors to hide a broken floorboard, but totally my own fault for not lifting the rug. I just put a rug down myself and forgot all about it.

Some people are just whack a doodle. The buyers of my house made a list of complaints including 1 of the 3 lights in the garage didn’t work (change the bloody bulb?!), and also we had a room plastered and one of the light switch housings hadn’t been screwed back on. They wanted us to pay for an electrician to come out and do it 😂😂

Ignore, Ignore, Ignore, any issues they had should have been discussed before the contract was signed, they did not do their own due diligence and should have had a survey done.
The things they are complaining about are minor and silly

we also left 4 tins of paint in the garage that corresponded with the decor in the house. They said they wanted reimbursing for having them removed.

Decline to pay.

@Mischance - yes completed last week. I can't believe people would leave valuables in the safe!!!!

Thank you all. So reassuring to hear other tales of similar kinds of madness. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I was a bit blindsided - well, hence posting. I honestly felt like I was a dodgy 2nd hand car salesman caught out selling a Dacia as a Daimler! I don't really want to be asking too much of my conveyancing solicitor because I'm guessing they will start charging me, as the file is now closed. From all that you've said it doesn't sound like I need to.

@FBIsMostWanted I remember your thread. I can't believe they put you through that - but am glad the judge laughed them out of court!

Absolute chancers and CF, ignore them OP. Tell your solicitor to delete any further emails from them, unread. Nothing to do with you anymore, and block their number if it's on your mobile. The front of some people.

Not on quite the same scale but I sold a camper van a couple of years ago. 12 months later I got an arsey text message asking where I'd had the MOT done as it had failed .... implying it was a dodgy MOT and wanting me to pay.

Ignore OP.
Theyve offered based on the properties condition.
If there hasn’t been a survey picking up major stuff like subsidence then it’s not on you.
Ihate buyers like this trying it on.

They seem to be under the misapprehension that they have purchased a new build.

@MargoLivebetter I would write to the buyers solicitor

Dear Sirs

Thank you for your email. Please advise your clients what Caveat Emptor means.

Margo Livebetter

You may find this thread interesting, just read the ops posts. https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/legal_matters/5137823-help-being-taken-to-small-claims-court?postsby=FBIsMostWanted

@MargoLivebetter "My solicitor said she was passing on a message received from the buyers solicitor. No advice offered at this stage. However, she was very clear when I was buying my place that I needed to satisfy myself about the condition of the property I was buying as there was little option to negotiate afterwards unless things were deliberately concealed or mis-sold." It seems this is the advice you need.
You could ignore the message, but personally I'd just get the solicitor to write back along the lines of the advice they gave you above (i.e. nothing was deliberately concealed or mis-sold so "buyer beware").
Unfortunately, there are CFs out there who will make the house sale/purchase process as unpleasant as possible. I had a CF buyer with my second house sale and I also wish I hadn't left them a "New Home" card and bottle of wine! 😂

No way, sale has gone through now and contracts exchanged so just ignore them or tell them you won't be contributing to anything as the sale is now complete.

My FTB did this to me.

Complained about the freezer drawers being cracked.
A hairline crack in the bath not leaking.
That the lean to was leaking, it was not leaking when I left the property they did not move in for a few weeks as they were aboard when we completed.
Complained that I had left stuff in the loft. It was the paint for each room.

I sent the letter back saying sold as seen, and do one.

Thank you @Harassedevictee I've had a good read. Very insightful. People are nuts!

I was wondering if I should have mentioned somewhere "small chip on kitchen cabinet door, hairline crack in bathroom floor tile x 2 etc" but I don't know where you'd start and end with all of that, let alone where you'd put it on any of the forms. So there has to be caveat emptor - as well as not telling porkies if asked straight up questions.

This happened to my daughter - a list of things they wanted 'repaired' or 'replaced' along with a list of things that hadn't even happened (the house was filthy for example. I know it wasn't as I cleaned it beyond an inch of its life). They were trying it on. The solicitor is obliged to pass on their demand. We ignored it. They ranted and raved. We ignored it. They sent another letter. We ignored it. Rinse and repeat. They absolutely have no leg to stand on. Don't give them a penny.

I would completely ignore

Oh my gosh. Well I suppose any idiot can buy a house. I really wonder how these people get through life. I'm surprised their solicitor engaged in such nonsense. I wouldn't even respond.

They are nuts. 🙄

Caveat emptor, OP. Just ignore them.

100%, but with a slight preference for the ignoring option.

Remember the power of silence!

My answer would be 'behave'