Advice on rubbish at property before completion

angharad81

Hyia all

Hope you can offer me some advice on these points.

The property is vacant. The owners moved out without telling anyone last week before we exchanged. We exchanged last thursday. Due to complete tomorrow.

Went today to check property.

1) Rubbish left outside house - children's slides, wicker baskets, household rubbish, 2 gas canisters.

2)Light left on in 1 room

3) Gas left on


Vendors wont release keys to estate agent before completion.

Where do we stand with regards to holding some funds back to get a skip to clear the rubbish? Will we actually complete with the house in this state?

What will we find inside

Any advice welcome!

bs0u0128

not sure u have much to stand on, as if they refuse would u pull out of exchange then lose that and risk legal action?

barnaby-bear

angharad81 wrote:

Hyia all

Hope you can offer me some advice on these points.

The property is vacant. The owners moved out without telling anyone last week before we exchanged. We exchanged last thursday. Due to complete tomorrow.

Went today to check property.

1) Rubbish left outside house - children's slides, wicker baskets, household rubbish, 2 gas canisters.

2)Light left on in 1 room

3) Gas left on


Vendors wont release keys to estate agent before completion.

Where do we stand with regards to holding some funds back to get a skip to clear the rubbish? Will we actually complete with the house in this state?

What will we find inside

Any advice welcome!

I thought you agree to complete on the house in it's state upon the day of exchange, having said that do you have a clause regarding vacant possession?

barnaby-bear

angharad81 wrote:

Hyia all

Hope you can offer me some advice on these points.

The property is vacant. The owners moved out without telling anyone last week before we exchanged. We exchanged last thursday. Due to complete tomorrow.

Went today to check property.
2)Light left on in 1 room

3) Gas left on

You won't pay bills until complete so if heating and lights on they are paying - who cares...

rjm2k1

barnaby-bear wrote:

I thought you agree to complete on the house in it's state upon the day of exchange, having said that do you have a clause regarding vacant possession?

It is vacant, they have gone, it's just that they have left some of their !!!!!! behind. Make sure you take readings for services as soon as you move in, maybe even take a photo of the meters or get the companies to come out and do readings themselves, you aren't responsible for the bills until the place is yours. To move out before exchange sounds very odd.

lynzpower

how do you know theyve left the gas on?

As far AS I understand it, if youve agreed to vacant posession and theres carp left behind that wasnt on the F&Fs list then you can pay to have the items removed ( skip?) and bill the vendor. Get 3 quotes on headed paper and take the cheapest.

in saying that maybe you are being slightly previous, they may have someone coming to collect or have paid the council etc to remove. Maybe theyve left the light on to deter burglars etc?

Bossyboots

You need to get onto your solicitor and get a retention of completion monies agreed to cover the cost of removing the rubbish. Your solicitor is really the only one who can sort this out for you now.

furndire

It sounds like they have done a bunk for some reason - definitely make sure you get meter readings, gas, electric, and water is you have a water meter.

silvercar

freecycle the stuff you don't want, we got rid of empty gas canisters etc through freecycle.

getting quotes and pursuing someone only works if (a) you know where they have gone to and (b) they have money. If they have disappeared the chances are their solicitor will say he's closed his book on them. Speaking from experience!

rjm2k1

Are you sure it was their house to sell?!

cuffie

angharad81 wrote:

1) Rubbish left outside house - children's slides, wicker baskets, household rubbish, 2 gas canisters.

2)Light left on in 1 room

3) Gas left on

1. Maybe they thought the rubbish man would clear it?
2. They may do this just to make people outside think that there is someone still living there
3. How do you know?

Like the others say, take meter readings (and photos), and wait till tomorrow. There is nothing you can do till you complete..... Hope its not as bad inside as what you are thinking....xx
PS presumably the vendor will be giving the EA the keys at some point tomorrow, so maybe contact the EA to ask them what the vendor intends to do with rubbish etc as clearly rubbish men haven't taken it....might not do much good, but the EA is the one that will see them last by the sound of things!