Should I pay for heating oil?

Madmel

We are due to complete on Friday 1st September. I was asked to go round today to collect some post then Mr Vendor said that he had dipped the oil tank and it was just over half full. He turned up his book and looked up the last price he said he had paid, then said he would accept half that, which was £172.10. Mrs did say we could forget the 10p, but she is a nice lady and he's a pr&t. He wittered on about how unfair it was that we would only be paying the March price for the oil, as to replace it now would be so much more as prices have gone up :eek: .

My question is: do I have to pay him for this? He is getting a serious amount of money for the house (well over £500k), we have bent over backwards to fit in with him terminating his B&B and holiday cottage business and been generous all the way along. We also offered the asking price as we didn't want to lose the house. The devil in me wants to wait until the day before and tell him he can drain his oil tank, because he has had more than enough money from us. Am I being petty?

I think a lot of this stems because he wanted us to buy the furniture in the cottages for £5k each. I sat down with the Argos catalogue and worked out I could kit each one out with brand new functional stuff for just over £2k. His stuff is neither nice nor new. We declined very politely and our reason was that we already had lots of stuff from MiL, my sister who has emigrated and so on. He has been huffy ever since, and is now moaning that it'll have to go in a skip (£5k my !!!!!!!!!!)

Sorry this is long, but I just want to deck him :mad:

Rosie75

I'd be interested to see what other people think as we have put in an offer on a house with an LPG tank.
Your vendor sounds like a nightmare. If his furniture's so valuable, he should be able to sell it on ebay or at auction, shouldn't he? Failing that, he can donate it to a charity like Oxfam or Age Concern so I don't know why he's going on about putting it in a skip, least of all expecting you to buy it. I think your inclination is spot on - I'd tell him to take his oil with him. I'd like to see how he's going to organise that.

F_T_Buyer

What does it say in your contract? If nothing...

Tell him to take it with him. Offer to sell him some nice tupperware boxes! I'm sure he'll soon let it go...

Doozergirl

Do you think he'll drain the tank before or after he loads up the skips?

I think, considering the price you are paying, that the oil should be included.

Check the seller's fixtures and fittings form that they filled out to make sure they haven't already included it with the sale. If they haven't, I'd try to avoid the subject altogether and not mention it at all and assume that he won't be draining the tanks (what would he do with it?!), rather than kick up a stink about it.

If you did put your foot down, I think you'd be rght to and they'd probably conceed if they felt it would jeopardise the sale.

You're right, it was pretty generous of you not complaining about them running the full busy season and leaving you with the winter to contend with. :mad: I'd be embarrassed if I were him.

Rosie75

Tell him that when he takes the furniture to the tip he should nab some of the plastic bottles in the recycling bank to transport his oil in...

Debt_Free_Chick

If the oil is not mentioned in the list of things included in the sale, then you can either buy it from him, or tell him you don't want it. It's then up to him to dispose of it .... or simply leave it there.

He's trying it on. I would politely say "no thank you" - and you'll find that you have half a tank of oil when you move in.

To be honest, anyone with an oil tank would not give a thought to asking the buyer to pay for what's left. It's like asking you to pay for the light bulbs! What an idiot!

clutton_2

don't pay him - he's a cheapskate.

Ian_W

But do be aware he might "haccidentally" drain it in situ as he's leaving, once your monies with his solicitor!

I'd just avoid mentioning it and take the risk he's not as devious as moi.

OverlandLandy

Welcome to the Rural life!
Oil - It will become to focus of many searches and endless phone calls to save 1p/ litre (it makes a difference when you buy 1200ltrs at a time!!)


Hope that he just leaves it alone. If he attempts to drain it dry you will end up with (possibly) blocked fuel pipe/filters at the least and potentially a damaged system (not sure what it runs - but would guess heat/cooking/hotwater). If its a Rayburn (Made by Aga but does the heating/hotwater as well as cooking).....its BAD news if you drain your tank. It will cost you £100's to get it all fixed......

Get your solicitor to put somthing in the contract if it makes you feel better.

pawpurrs

Sorry to be devils advocate here, he sounds like a nightmare, And a tight old git! But it is standard practise to pay for oil, after all if it was gas central heating you wouldnt expect him to pay your gas bill for 6 mths would you?

However If it comes to it just make sure the EA or yourselves check the amount left in the tank.

If i was selling for 500k and got FAP, dont think I would be too bothered about the £170 odd but hey!

Also its just not worth getting upset over the odd bit, we all get so so stresses, moving is a nightmare, sometimes its easier to go along with things.......

As for the furniture, silly man!

Cockayh_2

In September, We will be moving out of a cottage that we currently rent, which also has oil central heating. I will not be able to sell any oil that I leave in the tank to the next occupiers, and nor would I expect to.
I have to admit that I am using the oil to heat my water at the moment instead of the electricity like I normally would, but there will still be a couple of months supply left in the tank for the new tenants. Moving days are stressful enough, without having to spend time phoning around oil suppliers to find the right price, and hoping to find one that can deliver quickly.

It is up to your vendor to use as much oil as he can if he begrudges giving it away. It was also up to him to include the cost in the asking price of the house, if he wanted to be compensated for leaving any behind.

If I sell my car, and it has half a tank of petrol left, would I ask the buyer to pay for the fuel on top of the asking price of the vehicle? The answer is No!!! So how is this any different?

As others have said, try to ignore his request for money, as he will find it very difficult, and smelly, to drain/transport 500ltrs of heating oil.