Issue with retention money

Deano82

We have just part exchanged our house with Persimmon and during completion they slapped £500 retention on us for what they called 'clean and tidy' which I was told we would get back providing we left our property in a tidy state.

We cleared out everything including any rubbish and also hoovered etc to clean it up a bit so the house was left 'clean and tidy'.

Had a phone call today saying we need to go back to the house to put skirting board in one of the bedrooms (there was some missing from one of the walls when we bought the property and never bothered doing it as it was hidden behind wardrobes) and also to clean the oven!! If we don't we won't get our £500 back

To me this seems pathetic as the skirting board was never there when we part exed so its not our fault they didn't notice it...also the oven was in no way left in a filthy state

What should we do? Is it worth contesting this? Or just go back and do what has been asked?

Doozergirl

Isn't it less effort to do as they ask?

I mean, skirting board is something you'd expect to find. If it was hidden from their view I'm not sure that makes it fine.
Perhaps you could check the oven while you are there. Cleaning it with ammonia etc. is a bit of a pain but the only way I've found to get it genuinely clean, other than paying a company to do it.

theartfullodger

Not necessarily: Depends on the contract:

Normally I would expect a purchasers to take the place as it was: Deano - you need to read the paperwork carefully & see if you agreed to sell the house with things like skirting boards or not.

They don;t appear to have the very best reputation.

Were it me I'd pay "under protest" (put that on all emails, letters, cheques etc..)
http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/nireland/consumer_ni/consumer_common_problems_with_service_providers_e/consumer_problems_with_cost_sub_e/how_to_dispute_the_cost_of_a_service.htm
- and then later take the little scr*ats to the small-claims

Georgesmum79

We had a "clean and tidy" retention, which we got returned soon after. This is because we left the house clean and tidy! Hoovered, mopped, cleaned the oven and fridge, defrosted freezer and cleaned, cleaned all bathrooms and toilets. Basically left the house how I would like to have a house left for me if I was the buyer. Our part-x contract said that they expect the sale to include flooring and skirting boards: you should have noted in the contents questionnaire that there is a piece of skirting missing, that way they could not charge you for it. However, not cleaning the over is pretty disgraceful: sorry, but how would you feel if you moved into a house and the previous owner had not cleaned the over? Pretty annoyed? Venting about it here?
They can only keep back whatever it costs them to make the house clean and tidy, not the whole retention. I would not advise you to go to small claims over it as you will have signed a contract saying the house will be left clean and tidy, yet you didn't clean the oven. Not only will you be likely to lose, but Persimmon can then claim their costs out of you.


I expect any house I buy to be left clean and tidy, not "as seen": I feel that people who leave a property in any state other than clean and tidy deserve everything that's coming. Would you like it if this was done to you?