Advice on removing fixtures and fittings

Tilrong

I have exchanged on the sale of my flat and we complete on friday, but before exchange they told me they wanted the carpets to be removed as they didn't want them (and they are holding £500-00 back because of this).

I have removed the carpets but under the carpets there are floor tiles(vinyl kind i think) and around the edge of the rooms they are cracked because of when the carpet is laid. Do you think this will be a problem or would it be expected not to be brilliant because they asked for the carpets to be removed?

Also should the tiles be removed as well although to be honest they look 10 times nicer than the black bare floor that appears to be under them?

lincroft1710

Many years ago I had a similar problem with thermoplastic tiles which had "Gripperods" attached, removing these damaged tiles. I would mention this to your solicitor and see what he says. You could say that when you lifted carpet you found tiles were damaged, rather than when you lifted carpet you damaged tiles - but this would not be strictly true. If it were me I'd have said "you insisted carpet was removed, this is the result", but I wouldn't recommend this course of action in such a buyer's market. At worst you may lose £500, if they try to pull out they've lost their deposit.

Tilrong

So you think in the worst case, i'd lose the £500-00 which although unhappy about would be alot better than the buyer pulling out as i'm completing on a house the following friday which would mean i couldn't complete on that one.

westv

I'm surprised they don't want the carpet unless it was really bad.

Tilrong

We carpets were quite old, they've nearly been in 10 years.

lincroft1710

That would be the absolute worst. As you've exchanged if they pull out they'll lose their deposit. To replace a few vinyl tiles wouldn't cost much, so you could consider that, but your solicitor may well say it's their own fault, so wait to see what he/she says. It has just occurred to me that to withold £500 until carpet is removed is rather unusual.

Tilrong

Thats good to hear, after everything thats happened on my sale and my purchase I think i'm seeing disaster at every corner.

poppysarah

I'd have let them have the 500 for sorting the carpet themselves. That way the damage would have been their prob entirely.
Now it's possible they'll try it on for some compo for the damaged floor.
Mention to solic but they might also keep some money for sorting out any future problems.

wendybird

That is just cheeky if you ask me! Surely as you've done exactly what they asked and there was no guarantee about what was under the carpet (presumably they never saw this) they can't hold back money! It would be unreasonable to assume that under old carpet the floors will in in perfect condition.

Good luck with it all!

Tilrong

I'm glad that no-one thinks it is a valid reason not to complete the purchase but i did offer to reduce the price instead of doing the carpets myself but they didn't want to .

clutton_2

what a cheek - when you buy a house you buy a house and also usually carpets/flooring. if you have gone to the expense of removing/disposing of carpets for their convenience, then you have done exactly what they wanted - stuff em