Third viewing has left me worried about completing on this house

[Goldengamer]

We’ve been to view the house we are well on the way to completing on , surveys done, searches done etc .
It’s a 3rd viewing , we viewed for the 1st and 2nd time a couple of months back, this time was really to have a closer look. My goodness, it was filthy , cupboards dirty , floors not cleaned or swept . Unfinished DIY we hadn’t noticed first time round etc etc . The kitchen although newish has been very badly fitted and we are going to have to rip it all out . The survey picked up a few things but not the standard of work or cleanliness of the place . We are nearing retirement and it’s really daunting knowing we will have to start working on the house when we move in . Surely she will have to leave it clean and tidy when she moves out ? …. I’m sure when I filled in my forms for the sale of my house one of the questions was that it had to be left in a clean state . when my buyers dropped in to do a last viewing of our house it was spotless . I’m really having second thoughts but husband said don’t worry we can get a cleaner in to give it the once over before we move in but it’s the cost of renewing everything is bothering me . I’m 62 and really don’t want to be having to start again when I’m leaving a lovely house that’s been looked after. Can’t believe I didn’t notice it first time round . What do others think I should do ?

No - I've moved several times but never had to replace the carpets immediately.

Over the course of a few years the carpets may be replaced but not until they need to be.

As for other people's skin cells and dirt, how do you think people cope who move into rented properties or who sleep in hotels etc?

how many times have you bought a property? How much do you budget for new carpets throughout?

Most people work hard for their money.

That’s beyond my control. My own home is within my control so it will be as clean as I would like it to be.
You can do what you like, that’s the beauty of it

A few times, the first thing I do is rip it out so it costs whatever it costs
Personally, I would replace at least the downstairs with hard flooring, but everybody has different taste that’s up to them

How many is a few times?

and what do you replace with?

I’m not moving every year. I’d imagine that’s fairly normal.
Replaced with lots of different things depending on the decor or the fashion and the mood at the time

We do 3 viewings with all of our house purchases and we have had 3 viewings when we have sold too. 2 at the point of deciding where to buy and the 3rd closer to exchange to check the house is still in the condition at the point of putting the offer in, check a few logistical things - confirming what will be left, sizes of windows so we can make sure we have curtains for all of them and so on.

We have always left houses spotless and given them a deep clean as we empty each room. We have never moved into a house in the same condition and have had to deep clean the new house before unpacking. One house even the wallpaper was dusty! The master bedroom stank of aftershave, I assume they broke a bottle as it only went when we replaced the carpet.

My sister bought from a divorcing couple and didn't do a pre exchange viewing and massively regretted it. Since agreeing the sale the occupied had given up with cleaning and there was months worth of dust and grime in each of the rooms which wasn't necessarily too much trouble to rectify but they also had let their dogs use the house as a toilet and the whole house stank of dog pee and poo. It took a week of deep cleaning to get rid of the smells and get it into a fit state to move in. The only saving grace was they had broken their chain and moved in with family for the previous month and had their belongings in storage. They were able to extend their stay until it was in a liveable state.

I would raise the condition with your solicitor and get advice on how to processed but prepare to be told that these are things for you to deal with once you are in the property.

Ok so I’m guessing once or twice and you prefer hard flooring to carpet so have ripped up and replaced 👍

What’s the need for the passive aggressive thumbs up?
I’ve taken out flooring that I don’t like and I’ve replaced it with flooring. I do like hold the front page.

I meant everyone, not just me and dh, who works hard for their money doesn’t want to waste it on other people’s hidden fuck ups. It’s one thing buying a house and knowing upfront what is going to need fixing. It’s another if they’ve let it go to rack and ruin after agreeing an offer as it will no longer be their problem. It hardly needed picking up on. 🙄

And everyone you know and related to have done exactly the same when they have moved in @Apprentice26

When you buy a house you are virtually always buying other people’s fuck ups, though, whether that’s generations of bodged DIY, extensions without PP, or builders’ mess ups:design failures/an inch of topsoil over builder’s rubble in a new build.

I’m aware of that. I’m on about things sellers neglect to do once they have a buyer. We’re having the same sort of issues with the house we’re wanting to buy and are seriously considering pulling out of it as there is a lot more wrong with it than we could already see. If we go ahead with the purchase taking into account the surveyor’s findings and asking friends in construction for their opinion and a rough quote to fix what we do know about and then find even more to put right that we don’t know about, or has gone wrong since and they haven’t corrected it, we will be screwed financially for a good while. They either renegotiate the price or we pull out. As much as we love it, we’re not willing to scrimp and save to correct bodge jobs when we have children and things are as expensive as they currently are. We did that with our first house and it was a nightmare then without kids.

I’m not leaving our current house as a hovel for our buyers as I’m not a twat. There are the odd things we probably would do if we were staying but they have bought as seen. There is a stain on the carpet that I can’t get rid of. I haven’t hidden it when we had viewings and we haven’t replaced it as our younger child is always spilling things and we were making do for a few years until she grew more sensible. The toilet flush broke and the boiler needed a service and replacement parts. Those we did see to.

Im struggling to read this properly with the glare on my screen and sunglasses on, so god knows if it makes sense. I’m off to the pub soon so probs won’t be replying as I shall not be arsed. 🍻

Correct
Flooring is always replaced
As standard

Amongst all your friends, colleagues and family…. They all buy, rip up the carpets irrespective of age and quality and replace? Are you in the UK?

Yes every single one of them
I carry out an inspection as soon as im informed theyve completed by their solicitors and visit in person to check before the removal company is permitted to commence unloading
strict penalties are imposed if this step is missed and I confiscate their keys until it’s rectified
👍

We scrubbed our house to within an inch of its life when we moved out. I was following the removal people around with a mop. And that was with a 2 year old and a newborn. That said I think you expect to clean a house when you move in and generally to redecorate as even after a year there will be scrapes and scruffs. Get a cleaner lined up for the day of the move and think about booking a hotel to stay in that first night so you are not up against the clock

Hopefully this thread then has been quite the education for you

In fact - if you were so inclined you could start a thread saying you think it is standard
common practise to rip up replace carpets every time you buy and irrespective of condition and age - and I think your brain might explode with the revelation!

I definitely remove the carpets

I would remove laminate type wood flooring aswell

Existing original hard flooring I’d leave

I don’t think three viewings is unreasonable. DD moved in February, she viewed once, loved it and made an immediate second viewing to show me, as I’m old, have moved several times, and have done many renovations over the years. The house was generally fine for its 150 years, very dated, needs money spending, but large, good area, pretty and Victorian.

I told her to view a third time just before completion as it had been empty four months over winter. It was fine, clean, just as dated and the roof that needed replacing anyway, hadn’t fallen in.

Even a new build wouldn’t have the kitchen and bathrooms that I wanted in a house, so at 60, it wouldn’t bother me that it needs a refurb, I would however insist NOW with the agent, that the house is fully emptied, including crap and rubbish, and is professionally cleaned as it is dirty. Be prepared to replace kitchen and bathrooms and full redecorate. I think for many people that’s the norm over the next few years for a forever house.

Oh laminate is up by the end of the first week!

I’m first in with the carpets, day one
Then laminated wood stuff second

But yes. The frenzy is done by the first week.

I also put the keys in the door on that first day with a new toilet seat under my arm 😁

I think it’s been more of an education for you that you need to up your standards.

Imagine walking on other people’s carpet 🤮

every property I have bought (2) have been a mix of gorgeous hardwood and stunning carpets given what I’m spending I would expect this. If a carpet was in poor condition I wouldn’t hesitate to lift and remove.

I imagine if I was moving in a little terrace that was in a poor condition - then sure, no biggie to repaint throughout and new carpet. Although spending £30k on such a small property for a repaint and new carpet - would indicate you’ve either gone very premium or you e been ripped off