Should I pay for heating oil?

klaatu

My last house, this one, and the one we move into next week, all have oil CH, and in all three cases, the standard offer has always said that it includes the oil in the tank.

In the case of my last house, the owners had only had the tank filled a couple of weeks before we agreed to buy it (it had been a sudden decision for them to sell), and they did point this out, but were fine about it, and there was never any suggestion that we should pay extra for it.

We are leaving about a quarter of a tank here. I have no idea how much there will be at the next house!

Madmel

Thanks everyone for the great replies;)

The oil is just for the boiler as there's no Rayburn or Aga. We don't need any heating just now (so have time to get more oil if necessary) and the washing machine can run off a cold or hot fill. Also there is at least 1 electric shower, so we won't be too smelly

I'll contact the solicitor now for clarification. For info, we put in the offer in February, and he had 1000 litres put in the tank in March. Why didn't he just put enough in for a month or two? He could always have had it topped up again if necessary!

itsmylife_2

I agree with the others, just ignore his request for money. When we bought our house the couple left about half a tank of oil, and never asked for anything for it...

As you say, he knew he was selling the house so he shouldn't have filled the tank right up again, he could have easily got 500L...

susieb

We are selling our tank, and its 3/4 full, we arent charging for it

mi-key

Cant believe that on a sale for 500K hes quibbling over a couple of hundred quid ! what a nutter. Is he planning on taking the nails out of the floorboards as well if you dont pay for them as extras ???

other

I'd just be polite, and not give him too many ideas about taking the oil out....some people might just do that and mess up the heater/house doing so...

nutters...our guys have now put the "for sale" sign up to scare us, and also tried to lay their furniture and "expensive" curtains on us for extra as well....(since they are moving into a much smaller house)

marcais

I just sold my house (for nowhere near £500k) and it never even occurred to me to ask for money for the oil.

Just as it din't occur to ask for money for:

- The BT line I paid to have connected and will now be used by the new owner.
- The low-energy light bulbs I bought for every light in the house
- The perennial flowering plants I put in the garden which will continue to provide aesthetic pleasure after I leave
- The vinyl roof I put on the shed as it started leaking after the sale had been agreed
- The carpets, blinds and curtains as they were no use to me so I wouldn't be taking them.

Anyone trying to make excuses for a vendor selling a £500k house and quibbling over oil he shouldn't have bought needs to take a look at themselves.