Help! Offer included all fixtures and fittings but curtains aren't included?

moneyistooshorttomention

It's a very common saying to say it's dependant on whether something would "fall if the house was turned upside down". I think we all know what that means.

Curtains are only left if the vendor wishes to leave them. So, for instance, I only left one pair of curtains (that were cheap and a size only suitable for that house) when I moved to current house.

If I moved again, then I'd only leave the curtains I've got up in one room (bought by Internet and a mistake waiting to be rectified with replacement). NO chance of leaving a pair of curtains I've just paid over £200 for.

But curtains can be bought cheaply enough if there aren't any there. There's no need to pay the sort of price I now pay for them - cheapos will do.

Help28

Fantastic - thank you!

mangog

If everything else you were expecting to be included is listed as included on the fixtures and fittings list, I wouldn't risk annoying the sellers/EA by trying to negotiate over curtains, unless the windows are such an unusual shape or size that you'd need to spend hundreds on getting them made to measure. How nice were these curtains?!

G_M

It's really irrelevant how you define F&Fs.

The seller has excluded the curtains. Your options now are to:

1) purchase without the curtains
2) ask the seller to include the curtains
3) find a different property
4) tell the seller you are reducing your offer by whatever amount you think the curtains are worth and see how the seller responds.

Smodlet

If you can sew, OP, curtains do not have to be made to measure. Just buy 'em too big and take 'em up, already. You don't even need a sewing machine, just a bit of determination and patience, a tape measure and someone/something like a heavy book to hold the end in place. Even a plumber will do, as I had to use once when OH was out.

There is no such thing as a curtain which is too wide on Planet Smodlet. The fuller, the better they look, imo.

eddddy

In your position - I wouldn't start getting officious by trying to quote 'legal' definitions of fixtures and fittings.

I'd start by saying something to the EA/seller like "my offer was intended to include curtains, sorry if that was misunderstood. Can the curtains be left, please?"

And take things from there.

PasturesNew

Something at the windows is nice to have the day you move in ... as you probably won't have any curtains to fit, or have the right fittings, etc etc etc.... but most people do take the curtains, that is the norm unless they can't use them themselves....

davidmcn

Also clarify anything else you might have misunderstood at the same time, before you get surprised about carpets, appliances etc.

lookstraightahead

Curtains are not fixed any more than children or pets

saajan_12

It doesn't really matter whether the legal definition of Fixtures & Fittings includes curtains, as nothing is legally binding yet. The bottom line is
* You based offer assuming curtains included
* Seller accepted your offer assuming they take curtains

(Atleast) one of you has to give in or you look elsewhere. Options are:
* Reduce offer to how much you value the flat without curtains - (if you've already applied for mortgage etc this may add some work)
* Vendor increases asking price to how much they value flat including curtains (may have to notify / reapply for mortgage)
* Keep same price and insist vendor includes curtains
* Keep same price and give in (buy your own curtains)
* Walk away..