House Sold - Buyers want to make a claim

suze012

I have been advised our buyers wishesto make a claim for us to pay for the removal of old radiator pipes that werein the living room. When we moved in theprevious owners had removed a single radiator in the living room to make morespace to put furniture in for the sofa etc so they had left 2 small bolts/old radiatorfittings in the living room. We livedwith it and also put our own sofa over them. They are very small, small enough to easily fit under any sofa. We choose to not have them removed in case someonein the future wanted to replace the radiator.


So we have now had a claim to state that because they were unaware they werethere, they want us to pay for them to be removed as they wish to fit a carpetover the wooden flooring we had. Theystate they can’t fit a carpet because of it. Which they could easily do and do as we did and place their furniture accordingly. It was not a large living room, so the placesfor sofa’s etc are very limited, that’s why the radiator was removed. The old radiator fittings are sealed off andare in no way hazardous.



I have already responded to state I am not willing to payfor the removal and do not wish to pay for their choice to improve theproperty. The heating is working as itis supposed to be. Just wondering ifanyone had any opinions?

Cissi

If they come back to you, just ignore them. In England and Wales houses are bought as seen and it's buyers beware. It's their problem if their survey didn't reveal this.

beefturnmail

I'm no expert, but I thought caveat emptor (buyer beware) applies when buying houses. I.e. it is the responsibility of the buyer to make themselves aware of any issue with the property (hence the reasons for surveys, conveyance checks etc.). Assuming they did not ask about them and you then lied, I cannot see how they have a leg to stand on

theartfullodger

I would decline to respond further to them at all, apart from if a "Letter before Action" or court papers arrive.

That your buyers were stupid enough not to have a very good look round the place themselves nor get an informal 2nd opinion nor engage a surveyor & pay him enough to point out such things & then be daft enough to threaten you is ...
a) Very common.. typical even..
b) there problem not yours..
c) Not the sort of thing most people would want to do for fear of become a laughing stock.

However there's no law against being stupid or acting stupid.. Ah, good old British freedoms eh??

Wonder of the buyers are viewing this thread?? Have they anything to say??

Cheers!

sinizterguy

The buyers responsibility to check all these things before exchange (not even completion).

You could check with your solicitor, who will confirm, that you can politely or otherwise, tell them to stop bothering you.

Dan-Dan

tell then to go forth and muliply , cheeky beggars

Building_Surveyor

Don't waste your time responding to any more correspondence from them. It's not your problem it's theirs.

DRP

Suze012 wrote: »

I have been advised our buyers wishesto make a claim for us to pay for the removal of old radiator pipes that werein the living room. When we moved in theprevious owners had removed a single radiator in the living room to make morespace to put furniture in for the sofa etc so they had left 2 small bolts/old radiatorfittings in the living room. We livedwith it and also put our own sofa over them. They are very small, small enough to easily fit under any sofa. We choose to not have them removed in case someonein the future wanted to replace the radiator.


So we have now had a claim to state that because they were unaware they werethere, they want us to pay for them to be removed as they wish to fit a carpetover the wooden flooring we had. Theystate they can’t fit a carpet because of it. Which they could easily do and do as we did and place their furniture accordingly. It was not a large living room, so the placesfor sofa’s etc are very limited, that’s why the radiator was removed. The old radiator fittings are sealed off andare in no way hazardous.



I have already responded to state I am not willing to payfor the removal and do not wish to pay for their choice to improve theproperty. The heating is working as itis supposed to be. Just wondering ifanyone had any opinions?

Presuming you have exchanged and completed then they have absolutely no claim.

Who passed on this information ? Your selling agent? Your solicitor?

It sounds like such a minor problem that would cost a few quid to sort out...

maninthestreet

Did this claim come direct from the buyers, or via a solicitor?

googler

It's their problem, full stop.

The pipes were essentially in full view when they viewed, IF they'd taken the trouble to look at the property properly, not just a cursory glance.

Gordon_Hose

googler wrote: »

It's their problem, full stop.

The pipes were essentially in full view when they viewed, IF they'd taken the trouble to look at the property properly, not just a cursory glance.

Wasn't the sofa hiding them?