Clearing a house : seller or buyer?

uptomyeyeballs

We're interested in a property that is an old cottage. We've told the owner that we'll meet his asking price, subject to survey (full) if he has the house cleared. He's a hoarder, and it's ram jam full of his rubbish. The staircase has stairs missing etc. You can't see the floor or walls to see what state it's in. He's refused to clean it out, saying he can't afford the skips required.

I'm not prepared to do it myself because it's a health hazard and if we had an accident whilst cleaning it, he'd presumably be liable.

What do you think?

EvaCustard

uptomyeyeballs wrote: »

We're interested in a property that is an old cottage. We've told the owner that we'll meet his asking price, subject to survey (full) if he has the house cleared. He's a hoarder, and it's ram jam full of his rubbish. The staircase has stairs missing etc. You can't see the floor or walls to see what state it's in. He's refused to clean it out, saying he can't afford the skips required.

I'm not prepared to do it myself because it's a health hazard and if we had an accident whilst cleaning it, he'd presumably be liable.

What do you think?

I think if he wants to sell his house, he's going to have to clear it out.

Are you happy to give him an ultimatum and walk away?

marliepanda

If he's refused, then I'm not sure what rise you can do. You want to buy his house, I assume he wants you to buy it, but you either accept how it is or you don't buy it.

Once you buy it and the items and house are yours, I fail to see how he would be liable for you cleaning your items out of your house. (Unless he had something like nuclear waste that wasn't disclosed)

You know the state of it, and the sellers position. You can accept that or dont buy it.

PasturesNew

As I understood it, the contract of buying a house includes a statement of "vacant possession", which includes being vacant of their crap.

You could point out this clause and say "And if I buy it and your crap's still here I can choose to dispose of it AND charge you...."

uptomyeyeballs

Thanks for the replies.

@marliepanda Yes, I was really asking about clearance before buying. I want a full survey, but fail to see how one could be carried out with the house in it's current state. You can't actually see anything! It's waist deep in crap, and has no useable staircase. If he doesn't clear it, how will we know what lurks beneath?

marliepanda

PasturesNew wrote: »

As I understood it, the contract of buying a house includes a statement of "vacant possession", which includes being vacant of their crap.

You could point out this clause and say "And if I buy it and your crap's still here I can choose to dispose of it AND charge you...."

In this situation though, where the vendor had clearly stated his position, could he not put on the fixtures and fittings list 'as is' or whatever?

If he has no money to clear it, he has no money.

ReadingTim

uptomyeyeballs wrote: »

If he doesn't clear it, how will we know what lurks beneath?

You don't, so you price your offer accordingly.

uptomyeyeballs

Just talked to a local surveyor, who has told me they won't be able to do the required survey with the house in the state it's in.

moneyistooshorttomention

Run.

How on earth are you to have any idea what state its in with all that stuff in it.

You've already noted the state of the staircase. What haven't you been able to see under the rubbish?

Personally...I'd be checking out the price of skips and how much a house clearance firm would charge and go back to him with the figures, stating "There you go. What do you mean you cant afford it? Its not that much" and see whether a guilty look crosses his face, because he darn well CAN afford it...but doesn't want a proper survey to be able to done on the place and/or is too lazy to do it.

EDIT: had quick google for my own area and there was a firm there charging £260 for 14 square yards worth of clearing. Suggest you check out a couple of house clearance firms near you then with figures to hand of size of house.

hazyjo

Talk to the agents he's selling through. They may be able to get through to him that he's going to have to clear it to sell it.

Catch-22 really.

I'd be tempted to walk...

Jx

uptomyeyeballs

He's not selling through agents. We heard he wanted to sell through a friend. We approached him privately. The house next door is for sale and we'd based our offer on that, minus what we considered needing spending to make it habitable.