Fixtures & fittings

cherry76

Received mine, the sellers have ticked £100 for their washing machine which I have agreed. Do I pay that extra £100 to the solicitor or the sellers? I do hope vat will not be added on top as well. Thanks

Doozergirl

It's not VATable.

Whether you pay the money to the solicitor or the vendor doens't really matter. It's usually been a private transaction when we've bought or sold items in the past.

Richard_Webster

Doesn't matter who you pay, but what does matter is that all concerned have agreed what is to happen and they don't change their minds without telling the other!

Typically seller and buyer agree that cheque should be handed over on completion and seller tells his solicitor who says that it would be better if the solicitor had the money with the completion money so it would be cleared funds and there would be no danger of bouncing cheques. Seller thinks that's a good idea but forgets to tell buyer of the change of plan. Completion day comes and seller's solicitors ask for the extra £200 or whatever on top of the balance of the purchase moneys. Buyer's solicitor says his client was going to give the seller a cheque so he hasn't got the money. Clients all in the middle of moving and not easily contacted. Lots of hassle and time wasted on the point on the day.

So I am afraid I tend to suggest to buyers that it is easier for the solcicitors to handle the money because I am sure that the seller's solicitor generally prefers it. However the real point is that there has to be clarity so in theexample I gave above the seller should either have said to his solicitor that he had agreed to take a cheque and he would stick to that, or he should contact the buyer to say plans had changed and buyer should give his solicitor the money.