Vendor has left a load of stuff in my friend's new house!

TheBanker

Hello

Bit of a rant really...

My friend's just bought a new house. He completed and got the keys on Wednesday. He previously lived in a rented property which the landlord sold, so he's been staying with me for the last few weeks.

When he went to his new house on Wednesday, he found the previous owner had left a load of furniture (double bed, single bed, 2xsofas, dining room table and chairs, wardrobe and a couple of chests of drawers). There was a note saying they were sorry they hadn't had time to move it but they'd come back "next week"(!) to pick it up.

Since then there have been back and forth messages and various excuses about broken down vans and poorly children but no sign of movement.

My friend has just sent a text saying if the items are not removed by midday today, they will disposed of at her expense. So far she has not replied.

Obviously the solicitor is closed for Easter.

I guess it's not actually reasonable for us to take all the junk to the tip this afternoon?

My friend's quite upset - he'd planned to use the Easter weekend to decorate the house and move his own stuff in, he'd not planned on having to move the previous owner's stuff out!

AnotherJoe

Did they move a long way? If not rather than take it to the tip I'd just unload it in their front garden.

dunroving

Have you seen the recent threads on ostensibly the exact same subject?

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5817767

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5815818

There was one that was exactly the same as yours but can't locate it. From memory:

You can't just take their stuff to the tip.
You can arrange to remove it to storage
You are legally liable for any damage caused in transit

You then get reimbursement of costs from them.

Or you could do nothing and hope they are true to their word and come collect it. Hopefully with a case of wine for your inconvenience.

TheBanker

AnotherJoe wrote: »

Did they move a long way? If not rather than take it to the tip I'd just unload it in their front garden.

I'll suggest that. What a shame that that there's heavy rain today

dunroving wrote: »

Have you seen the recent threads on the exact same subject?

No I haven't. I will have a look.

So, my friend's just had a phone call from someone claiming to be the seller's father. He says she's gone away for the weekend and will sort things out when she's back. My friend stood firm and said the stuff would be going to the tip this afternoon. The father said he'd try to sort something out and call us back later.

Norman_Castle

My friend's quite upset - he'd planned to use the Easter weekend to decorate the house and move his own stuff in, he'd not planned on having to move the previous owner's stuff out!

Is there a garden? Put it there with plastic over it. It can still be collected or disposed of and he can decorate.

TheBanker

Norman_Castle wrote: »

Is there a garden? Put it there with plastic over it. It can still be collected or disposed of and he can decorate.

We've put some of it in the garage for now. Unfortunately it appears that the wardrobe has sustained some accidental damage on its way down the stairs...

dunroving

Meant to add that although not the exact same situation, I have a funny feeling I may end up with "fitted" wardrobes that I don't want in my new house. They are not really fitted, but they "fit" in the alcove (freestanding; not attached to the walls or ceiling).

If that happens, I will likely just dismantle them and take them to the tip - making sure first of all that the vendor does not intend to come and get them.

Although your (sorry, your friend's) situation is much worse, there are many horror stories of moving days that go wrong. In the fullness of time, this incident will be nothing more than a brief dinner party conversation. Try to take a sanguine, long-term approach - you have (sorry, he has) the house he wanted and there is a momentary hiccup in his achievement of the housing dream.

WibblyGirly

dunroving wrote: »

You can't just take their stuff to the tip.
You can arrange to remove it to storage
You are legally liable for any damage caused in transit

Surely they can't be held liable for damage? If the owner does not want their furniture damaged then they should have moved it themselves when they were supposed to.

I also would not want the hassle of trying to find storage (and paying upfront for that!!) due to their laziness.

I'd dump it either at the tip or in their yard and tell them to go swivel.

dunroving

TheBanker wrote: »

We've put some of it in the garage for now. Unfortunately it appears that the wardrobe has sustained some accidental damage on its way down the stairs...

Which your friend now is legally liable for. Be careful not to be too cavalier about the vendor's property.

dunroving

WibblyGirly wrote: »

Surely they can't be held liable for damage? If the owner does not want their furniture damaged then they should have moved it themselves when they were supposed to.

I also would not want the hassle of trying to find storage (and paying upfront for that!!) due to their laziness.

I'd dump it either at the tip or in their yard and tell them to go swivel.

Sometimes the law is an !!! (hoofed mammal of the horse family). But it's still the law.

shortcrust

Going away for the weekend?! Somewhere nice? That would really wind me up. As would a phone call from Dad.