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New House - seller left rubbish everywhere. Any Recourse?

Hi,

Just picked up the keys for my 1st house yesterday and was horrified to find the amount of rubbish that's been left by the seller. There's a 6x4ft pile on one side of the front garden a 4x2ft pile on the other side. Inside the house one room is full of stuff and they'd been burning stuff in the back garden, when I arrived it was still smouldering! I expected some rubbish, but nowhere near this amount.

Also, the front window has been partially smashed, the outside pane of the double glazing has been smashed and repaired with some pva glue and some sticky back plastic!! This wasn't there during the viewing of the house, but I don't know where I stand to get it fixed.

Is there anything I can realistically do about this, my girlfriend was in tears at the state of it, and it's going to cost hundreds to get it all sorted!

Any pointers would be appreciated, as I'm not sure if the estate agent or solicitor will be any use :beer:
Pete

Comments

  • foxxymynx
    foxxymynx Posts: 1,270 Forumite
    Go to the solicitor. There's a part in the clause of selling, saying that they're not to leave rubbish. You bought a house without a smashed window also, - at the least, you should have been informed about it.
    If my typing is pants or I seem partcuarly blunt, please excuse me, it physically hurts to type. :wall: If I seem a bit random and don't make a lot of sense, it may have something to do with the voice recognition software that I'm using!
  • The seller may well have a legal liability to you but the problem is enforcing it. The cost of doing so and problems of finding the seller and enforcing any judgement you may get from a court mean that it is unfortunately often not while pursuing issues such as this.

    Your solicitor may well be prepared to write a letter to the seller's solicitors pointing out the cost to you in dealing with the mess. Some people do do the decent thing and pay up so it is worth a try.

    I assume you took out buildings insurance from exchange of contracts - that should pay for the window.

    The moral is to check the property as far as you can just before completion.
    RICHARD WEBSTER

    As a retired conveyancing solicitor I believe the information given in the post to be useful assuming any properties concerned are in England/Wales but I accept no liability for it.
  • Thanks for the input! I'll go to the solicitor and see what they think is best
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