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 would ignore. You can ask a solicitor to write anything. There’s no basis in law.

I would put together your thoughts and email it to yourself whilst everything is fresh in your mind.

Then forget about it.

We had this with late MiL's flat. The buyer dragged her heels throughout the process, "didn't realise" she would need to pay a deposit and was generally a complete PITA. We ended up exchanging & completing on the same day due to her ineptitude. Our solicitor was awesome though.

A week or so later she called me and said "Malbecfan, you aren't going to believe this but I've had a letter from the buyer's solicitors wanting you to pay £500 for replacement window keys. What should I tell them?" A quick Google of key prices (at the time £1.50 each) and there were 2 windows really annoyed me. The windows all opened and the flat was on the 2nd floor so it was hardly a security risk and MiL had no issues in over 12 years there. I asked our lovely solicitor if she was familiar with the answer in the case of Arkell vs Pressdram. She wasn't, but I quickly brought her up to speed with it. She LOVED it and promptly wrote a letter to the idiot buyer's solicitor quoting it. Best of all, she refused to charge us for it because she said she'd learned from it.

In short, one side told the other to F*ck Off. That's it. OP, I derived enormous pleasure from getting it in legalese. Do it! Edited to say @Motcouk beat me to it - great minds!

Caveat emptor. No survey, no leg to stand on. The only thing I've ever answered post sale have been regarding how things work or where things are.

I still find it surprising that people will spend huge amounts buying a property after spending 1/2 an hour viewing, never return until completion and don't have a survey.

I’ve just moved house having bought and we realised on moving in we realised all white goods needed replacing, a new boiler and all new flooring was needed due to damage not picked up on survey. It never even occurred to me to ask sellers for contributions towards this - it’s our house and it was our obligation to undertake investigations about the state of the property before purchase. I wouldn’t have a legal leg to stand on. I’d dismiss this stuff, which is relatively minor and in fact just the sort of normal repairs you might expect on buying a new house.

We bought a house yeas ago. First night there the taps in the bath didn’t work. Contacted our solicitor who contacted theirs. The reply was that they were fine when they left in the morning. I am pretty sure this was BS but couldn’t prove otherwise so had to suck it up. You should leave a couple of grand after moving to cover repairs. Ignore them op.

Caveat emptor Buyer beware. Ergo you buy something like a property and you find issues, thats no longer the sellers issue.

I'd honestly write back, quote caveat emptor.

You have zero responsibility here.

It certainly covers a fridge that is not in full working order, yes. A cooker with one ring not working is still a cooker.
It depends what you state in the comments. If you put "condition unknown" then its up to the buyer to check beforehand. If you state "in working order" and it isn't in working order, then you might have an issue.

This Is ridiculous! You inspect and have a full survey done if worried, but it still doesn’t include things like freezer drawers!! Are they mad??

Once exchanged & completed that’s it and there’s no looking for money afterwards unless you’ve clearly lied on the conveyancing forms or about previous floods or other serious issues asked there. Then people can sue but even that’s not easy. They sound like they think they’ve rented it. They need to wake up and join the real world. When you complete on a property you not only own the house but any ongoing maintenance. That’s why house insurance is required at exchange and not just on completion. These sound like ridiculously small things anyway.

This has to be a joke, not sure why your solicitor is even entertaining it!

It's sold as seen. If they didn't get a survey it's their tough cheese. Either go back with no or ignore it. They are changing their arms.

My last house should have been left clean and empty and it was neither. My solicitor approached the seller because it should have been empty and he had bizzarre reasons like because I was buying his house his tenants moved out so I owed him money. I just left it because I was glad to be rid of the weirdo.

Haaaaaaaa not a chance the cheeky fuckers, politely reply no you won't be contributing but wish them well in their new home and move on. My newbuild doesn't look showroom clear after 4 years it'll look totally different at 20. I suspect the fact the sols have said they are passing on a message is them distancing themselves ie...its not on their instructions.
Some people now really are entitled we have some neighbours at the moment having rants over a peice of land they want and is owned by other neighbours and calling them awkward and entitled for saying no.... honestly you can't reason with stupid, the solicitors tell you to check for a reason.. sold as seen

Chancers ! Tell them to jog on .

They are either barmy, clueless, or they're cheeky fuckers. Don't respond.

The drawers on the the fridge freezer had a crack in them?! Who buys a property worth hundreds of thousands of pounds then moans about that! Surely the fridge freezer isn't actually part of the house. You said do you want it left or chucked they replied left? Ignore of course.
Idiots...lol.

It certainly covers a fridge that is not in full working order, yes. A cooker with one ring not working is still a cooker.

That's cosmetic 😂
If the fridge is keeping things cold it's in full working order.

When I moved 2 years ago, the house was left in a state. Two showers didn't work, the garden had big holes dug in it(weren't there when we viewed the property) the kitchen was full of dog hair-every single kitchen cupboard was dirty and had dog hair in it, big stains on the carpet, a smashed toilet seat. There was masses of rubbish dumped at the side of the house. It was unpleasant. I contacted the solicitor about the showers and the holes in the garden but was told as it was over 5 days since completion, they could only do something if the damage to each part was over £500. I'm in Scotland so not sure if it varies in England

@MargoLivebetter we sold my late db's house last year and it was priced according to its condition. It was perfectly liveable in, no damp etc but in need of modernisation. My parents reduced the price by a huge amount and fitted a new garage roof, side door to garage and window to garage even though the condition of the garage was reflected in the price! They were still complaining about things days before completion and my parents were worried they'd back out ( they just wanted the house gone).

Ah yes, Arkell vs Pressdram - that would be my preferred response.

And make sure it’s an affiliate link so you earn commission…

I’m pretty sure it does have to be in working order. I don’t think you can include appliances in the sale if they are non functioning.

The BBQ is ridiculous but wanting to come get jewellery they accidentally forgot I a hidden safe isn’t cheeky. We all forget bits in the haste of moving, if you had laid claim to the jewellery, you’d have been heartless.

Very strange to call you for the BBQ though!

Of course you can. They don't need to accept them though.

There's nothing major wrong - walls missing, subsidence, holes in roof etc.

Do you need to have a positive relationship with them - forwarding post, neighbours etc. No?

So a letter back along the lines of...

Dear buyer thank you for your communication detailing problems you have found post purchase.

This is not a new house and like all houses there are items of wear and tear. You only visited once and were given the opportunity to ask questions, look, examine, measure etc.

I filled in the forms, as required, giving details of the house, equipment, services accurately and honestly.

You chose to have a basic survey, a more comprehensive one might have mentioned these minor faults, we could have discussed these prior to purchase.

Consequently we do not feel able to help further.

Yours xxxxxx

Don't send this letter. Absolutely too much information.

Nah. That’s not how this works. Just decline.