Seller wants to take range cooker despite saying it would stay!

[mabaf90]

We're buying a house and when viewing (viewed twice) the sellers said all fixtures and fittings in the kitchen will be included in the sale. We had a list of questions and specifically asked about the range cooker which they said would be included. We had our offer accepted which was under the advertised price. Just saw the F&F form and they have excluded not only the Stoves Richmond range cooker but also the kitchen pendant lights. They've also excluded a chandelier overhanging the staircase. They're also taking the shed, thee toilet roll holder which is screwed into the wall, and a host of other items. We don't really care for the shed and lights although a bit annoyed/confused as they said these were included when we viewed but are now excluding.

Just wondering what people's experiences have been? First time buyers so not entirely sure what is the norm re. the stove. On reading online it seems they can take the cooker. Wondering if they thought they would sell for higher and therefore are trying to make a point/recoup costs.

So OP, if you had been told at the outside that they were taking their cooker and a few lights and whatnots, your offer would have been what compared with what?

It wouldnt occur to me to offer a price based on second hand cookers

I would reduce the offer. Taking the loo roll holders if they’re attached to the wall is just completely and utterly tight.

Very simple. They either leave the items as originally stated or you reduce the price to reflect replacing the additional items from new to include professional installations.

I thought this too. When we bought our house the sellers tried to sell us the light fittings and a massive bookcase. We said we weren't bothered about these items having weighed up how much extra they wanted for them. They left them anyway as they were downsizing. I wouldn't bank on anything until you see the completed form and then if there is anything you are unsure of, query it. We were left with a load of bedroom furniture we weren't expecting!

I'll be taking loads of things like that when we ever move because they're simply not available any more and I cant get like for like. Nothing to do with price.

Ive already decided that prior to any sale I would be replacing things like lampshades, things on the wall like that, some cupboards, all my garden pots, probably need a specialist mover for them. Because a lot of them are second hand or bespoke and I just cant replace them.

The bare wires thing is actually illegal. They must put a flex and bulbholder as a minimum. I hope you followed this up via your solicitor.

My parents bought our family home in the early 80s and the sellers took all the light bulbs with them, didn't realise till nighttime.

I thought that was tight, but light fittings is shocking!

To be open and honest, the property is in the region of £700k so although our mistake, we had assumed that for that price, what we were seeing on viewing is what we would get, especially as we had clarified and they said yes. Just thought it odd and wanted to see what others had experienced but ultimately if push comes to shove, we’re fine without. I don’t even think there’ll be much pushing and shoving tbf.

Toilet roll holders????

Not strictly speaking illegal as it's not a crime. There's very little point as pursuing them will cost more money and energy than fitting a replacement.

Well ok, but what would your offer had been if you knew (and I meant outset not outside, brain fog), that these bits and bobs wouldnt make it. 695k? 698k?

I wouldn't actually pay for used appliances, etc as you've no idea how old they are or how they've been used and cared for, or not.

This.
Reduce your offer based on you having to replace the items they’re removing…….even the shed despite you not being fussed about that. Range cookers aren’t cheap either so for you to replace like for like (they are wider and occupy more space) you’ll be spending quite a lot.

If its a big stoves range cooker then it could be a couple of grands worth of kit so i can see why they are taking it. Normally fitted things are left and not fitted things go. So range cookers are a bit of a grey area. It often depends what is in the house they are moving to.

I suspect they thought it would stay, but found it fits in the house they are buying so changes their minds.

Light fittings are normal to take.

In reverse, our vendors said they were taking the range cooker and we were pleasantly surprised when we arrived on moving day to find it still there.

Just contact the agent and say you'd been told the cooker etc was staying and that you’ll have to amend your offer if not.
We buy houses quite often - last one had extravagant but not to our taste curtains. They wanted a fortune for them - told them we’d rather they took them away with them but they obviously didnt want to as the damn things were still there when we got the keys!

Things that are not moveable should be left. Eg a loo.
Things that are moveable are can be discussed price wise.
I think a seller is required to leave the property safe. Anything not get back to the legal team to explain what has happened.

I can top that ! The day we moved into our house , I looked out the kitchen window and they’d taken the garden , every plant shrub gone … the flower beds empty and they’d chopped down a beautiful magnolia tree . I nearly cried it was a beautiful garden when we viewed in the summer . I couldn’t understand why they did it Many were mature established plants and I paid 6k over asking price .

When I sold my house (also with a stoves range!) it was purchased as from
out buyers separately. They were keen to buy lots of our appliances and we were moving to a fitted kitchen with all appliances included. But it was in their offer price (£x for property and £x for these appliances/ curtains/ lights (chattels)). We didn’t suggest it.

I’ve also found as I moved up the housing ladder, the less has been included in the price!

If the stoves range has foil covered plastic knobs which only look metal (and it’s hard to tell without pulling them off!) they tend to bubble and look terrible after a few years. So there’s that to consider.

We regret our stove cooker too.

I agree with this. The sellers are being ridiculous. Talk to your estate agent. As first time buyers they wont want to lose you. They accepted your offer so no excuse for them to try and take things they said are included in the sale.

Tbh the stoves range we had years ago was nothing to write home about. Also the cat burnt his paw on the top which was halogen and never looked clean. You could never fit much in the ovens either.

Annoying though you now have to schedule a cooker for the same space.

@Starbri8criminal to chop down a tree! Was the sale / purchase particularly difficult? Just trying to understand their motivation.

That's awful. I'd have cried too.

Hopefully you've been able to replant it so it's even nicer than before?

Some people are as tight as arseholes. We bought our house over two decades ago and the seller said she’d sell us the 20 year old freestanding gas oven for £100. It wasn’t worth it so I said no thanks. She later said it wasn’t worth her getting the gas capped off so she would leave it. I said thanks.

Moved in and there was no oven. I never did anything because it just wasn’t worth it especially as she was still living in the small village (and was the postwoman). But I was without an oven for six months as we were renovating and it did piss me off having to use a microwave and a plug in hob for half a year.

i would definitely go back and ask for a price reduction. I think taking light fittings is fair enough.