Problem during selling, Who pays for the repair?

bigred23

Advise Please

We are in the middle of moving house and it has hit a problem. The vendor has said in the document about what is staying and going that the conservatory window is broken. My solicitor has asked him to pay for the repair but he has refused. The estate agent said that in the price agreed we didn't say that the window need to be repaired but we didn't see the broken window.

He also was going to take the upstairs carpets (as they are new) and fitted blinds. His estate agent has agreed with him to let us have the carpets free but he want £300 for the blinds.

So what should I do? Should he pay for the window to be fixed or me?

How much will a window cost to be fix in conservatory? ( I think it is one of the main panels up the side)

I just don't want to get in to my new house and pay another big bill for the window.

pawpurrs

There is no obligation for the vendor to fix the window. However if it has been broken between exchange and completion, it should be fixed as the vendor is then obliged to hand over the house in the same condtion as it was at exchange of contracts.
Was the window broken before you offered?
You can pull out of the sale if you havent exchanged, but to my mind its not worth it over a broken window.

bigred23

I don't know if the window was broken before. I didn't see a broken window in the conservatory when I looked round the house on three seperate occasions. I thought he would get it done on the house insurance.

I know it's not worth arguing over a window but I just don't want a massive bill replacing it. Are we talking about a couple of hundred to replace it?

pawpurrs

It sounds to me (if he has mentioned it recently) that perhaps it has been done recently, in which case I would ask him to put it back in to the condtion it was when you viewed, ie get it repaired. But he may not *agree*
No idea how much it will cost to repair as I have no idea on the window, perhaps just the glass needs repairing?

chickmug

bigred23 wrote: »

The estate agent said that in the price agreed we didn't say that the window need to be repaired but we didn't see the broken window.

How pathetic that the seller doesn't just agree to pay but people don't cease to amaze me!!!!

Have you asked the agent when they noticed it was broken and what they really think. If I were the agent I would darned well tell the seller (client or not) just get it done or cough up.

JayZed

I take it that you haven't exchanged contracts yet? In which case it's up to you - and the vendor - whether either of you wants to allow the sale to collapse over a relatively trivial issue. Given the state of the market at the moment, I'd think you'd be in a stronger position, but it depends on the circumstances of the sale.

pinkshoes

Why not go 50/50?

As for the blinds, then they're hardly going to fit this person's new house, so unless they're perfectly to your taste and just what you want, then tell them to take them.

Or, say £300 for the blinds if they fix the window.

bigred23

Thank you all. I like the idea of 50/50 or bartering with him.

I think I will offer him £150 for the blinds and we will pay for the window. At least then we will have £150 to put towards repairing the window. The blinds are nice and same colour as our bedroom funiture.

pawpurrs

Good luck, hope you get the right result, I would arrange a viewing so you can see the damage, if you can.

Doozergirl

If it's just the glass rather than the frame then it shouldn't cost much. By the glass from a small local glazing company and save yourself a small fortune. A modest DG unit is only about 30 quid trade.

bigred23

Just thought i would give a update. I asked for a quote on the window because i didn't want a massive bill when i got into my new home. I said that once he had a quote I would discuss who pays for what.

Rang up the estate agent today for further update and he is getting the windows fixed this week :-0 i was in shock.

He had agreed before to leave the carpets so I then offer £200 for the fitted blinds and he was happy with that. Can't compain as a friend had fitted blinds at £400 a window and there is at least 6 windows . Good result in the end.

Thank you all for your input.