Completion - flat filthy!

ReadingTim

I suspect the answer will be "not much" or "none", but I wondered what redress a buyer has in terms of the state of a property when they get the keys?

I ask as my girlfriend got the keys to her first place last week, and found the place in an absolute state, while the physical state of the place was as described in the survey, it was cosmetically far less pleasant - the whole place was filthy and numerous decorative flaws exposed by the removal of furniture. I know some of this is to be espected, but with radiators hanging off the walls, holes left in walls where floating shelves have been removed and a broken and leaking waste disposal unit under the sink complete with the remains of yesterday's dinner in it, it's not the welcome you'd like for your new home. She was obviously distraught, and the moving in process was delayed by about 3 days due to the need to clean and partially redecorate / make good before she'd consider living there.

I appreciate this is why a viewing immediately prior to exchange of contracts is suggested, but the place is structurally as described. I also realise that places are generally 'sold as seen', so if any work was needed, or wanted by the purcahser, that should be reflected in the offer price. I do know that when you take the furniture out of a place, it tends to reveal numberous imperfections which would usually be hidden, and besides, she wasn't moving into a new build / showhome. I am also aware that people have different standards of hygene/cleaniless...

However, under a standard contract (ie no express clauses re. state of property), what is generally expected / reasonable with regard to the state the place should be left/found in? And what redress might she have if it doesn't meet that? She's taken pictures, and is checking with her solicitors, but I'd be interested to hear whether she might have a case, and how she could pursue it? I imagine she doesn't have much to go on, and whe'd have to go via the small claims court as the solicitors will have passed her deposit and mortgage funds to the vendors by now (completion was last Tuesday), but the experiences of any MSE-ers (good or bad) would be interesting.

In terms of redress, the remedial scrubbing/decorating was done by her, her mother and I as she had no money for professional cleaners/decorators, although she's kept reciepts for paint etc. Unsurprisingly, the previous owners didn't leave a forwarding address, but I've already suggested she shouldn't be in any hurry to return to sender any post which arrives for the last owners...

Thanks!

Dan-Dan

She has kept receipts for paint? whyever for?

ging84

Talk to your solicitor ask if there was anything in the contract about making good after removal of any fixtures and fittings

19lottie82

I remember when I bought my first flat and got the keys, my heart sank as it was dirty and with a few of the defects you have described. I thought I had made a mistake. But a few days of cleaning, decorating and minor DIY and the place was sparkling!

I know this must be unpleasant, but the flaws you have described sound easily fixed without much expense.

I doubt your GF will get the resolution she wants, and efforts will be timely, and perhaps costly, if you involve solicitors.

She needs to understand that this is a lived in property, not a new build show home. I doubt the vendors have damaged the property on purpose, after completion.

She should move on, spend a weekend sorting out these minor flaws and her new home.

richardw

Dirty is highly subjective, if you get a District Judge at a small claims hearing who thinks a bit of dirt is ok, you've got no chance of a judgement against them.

Dan-Dan

To be honest OP , really, it`s best for peace of mind to just crack on and make the place lovely , for her , forget the vendors as a bad memory
A weekend of hard graft = all done , and you get all the browny points

pops5588

Holes just need a bit of filler, you can buy new parts for under the sink from B&Q for a few quid, food can be chucked out etc.

Just tell her not to panic believe me I get it, but it sounds like she has a lot of support. My OH and his father were taking apart the big wooden entertainment centre in our new living last weekend and suddenly a big bunch of LIVE WIRES came out, nearly electrocuting them both!! Sockets exploded, bulbs burst, the works!!! And we just about survived you guys will be fine.

sirmosh

Our house was a joke when we moved in. It was filthy, they'd done a lot of damage moving furniture out, the bath was caked in dirt. It's hard to believe it got so dirty between exchange and completion. I asked our solicitor and she said while you could technically go after them there's a good chance you'd get nothing and it wouldn't really be worth the bother for such small compensation.

Angelicdevil

Same! My previous owners had left the place in an absolute state. It was filthy - food over the walls, grubby hand prints on doors/light switches/walls, thick black dust everywhere.

Really grim and not what I expected to be greeted with at 5pm when I finally got the keys, given they'd been "cleaning the place all day" :rotfl:

I scrubbed that night, every floor, every wall and every surface and then began redecorating throughout, making perfect all the holes that appeared when they took their stuff out.

It's horrible but there's probably nothing that your GF can do.

Slinky

Somebody I used to work with did a house sale 'swap' with somebody, with some money also changing hands. My colleague left her place spotless, then was faced with clearing up the grot the other side had left behind. She was livid knowing they'd walked into her clean home and left her with another load of cleaning to do.

bjaich

I am now living in my 3rd owned house (I don’t move that much and prefer to save money to buy a bigger house rather than taking out a mortgage), the first and second house where both quite dirty and smelling when we go the keys, the last one was relatively clean. Even with the last house, we cleaned it from top to bottom, then again from bottom to top, pained all the walls and only then did it feel like ‘OUR’ place. So what I am trying to say in a roundabout way, for me it did not really matter what state the house was when we go the keys, the amount of cleaning and work was more or less the same.