Condition of property between offer accepted and completion

turbo27

We had an offer accepted end of April on a vacant property. It is owned by a company (several hundred miles away) -according to the EA it is one of the companies where the previous owner had sold it to release equity but then remained living in it for about 10 years. The property was on the market for almost a year by the time our offer was accepted.

We looked at the property twice before offering, and twice quite soon after our offer was accepted. While on the market the property was being reasonably cared for - grass cut, and minimal dusting /cleaning done inside. I presume the vendors were paying someone local to do the work. On our last visit to the house we saw that the lawnmower that had been in the garage had now gone. We drove by the house at the weekend and noticed that they have obviously stopped any upkeep. The grass on the front lawn is at least 3 ft high with other weeds and thistles growing as well.

We are still a few weeks away from exchange (waiting on final few queries from our solicitor). Is it reasonable for us to expect the vendors to keep the garden and house tidy - or just expect them to clean and tidy it prior to completion? I will ask my solicitor (if I can ever get hold of her) but wondered what other people's experience or expectations would be.

Thanks

Nobbie1967

As an empty property, I wouldn't expect the garden to be maintained or the house cleaned. About all I'd expect is for it not to be vandalised between exchange and completion, but then that is why you insure it at exchange. Expect nothing to be done and you won't be disappointed.

marksoton

Well you either accept the condition of the property at exchange or you don't.

A bit of long grass is hardly the end of the world.

AlistairM

Nothing you can do really, they can leave rubbish and bits behind too and you'll have to deal with it.

Legally you might be able to do something about the latter but the cost of doing so is more than the cost of putting the problems right.

Unless real damage is being done to the property then there's not a lot you can practically do I'm afraid. You could threaten to pull out before exchange I suppose, but I doubt they'd take it seriously

turbo27

Ok thanks. Having not bought a vacant property before, I wasn't sure what was reasonable. I won't have any high hopes!!

Mojisola

turbo27 wrote: »

We had an offer accepted end of April on a vacant property. It is owned by a company

We looked at the property twice before offering, and twice quite soon after our offer was accepted. While on the market the property was being reasonably cared for - grass cut, and minimal dusting /cleaning done inside.

We are still a few weeks away from exchange (waiting on final few queries from our solicitor). Is it reasonable for us to expect the vendors to keep the garden and house tidy - or just expect them to clean and tidy it prior to completion? s

I think it's reasonable to expect that the house is kept up to the same standard that it was in when you offered on it. When I sold Dad's house, I kept the house and garden neat and tidy, including a good clean through the day before the new owners moved in but a company is probably only interested in saving money.

If you had seen the house as it is now, would you still have offered on it?

dc197

It's reasonable to expect the property to be in the same condition at completion as it was at exchange. Make sure you view again the day of (just before) exchange.

A lack of dusting and lawn mowing doesn't sound very serious, I would not worry too much. After exchange you could always ask if you could mow it yourself, or perhaps engage the same local handyman?