Need to make good shelf holes on home sale?

AndrewAfresh2

I'm completing on my first home sale soon and told the removal firm rep that I will take my shelves, which are fixed to the walls. She told me I will need to fill & paint the ensuing holes, otherwise I am breaching the sale contract. Is she right? Thank you for any helpful replies

hazyjo

They ain't exactly going to sue you for it, but it may be disappointing. Are they aware you're taking them? Would leave nails in walls from pictures, but if I ever felt the need to take fitted shelves, I would probably try to make good the holes. Sometimes it can look worse though if you can't match the paint or wallpaper!

Carrot007

Depends, without telling us they were removing them my current place was removed of pretty much all shelving.


And some massive lumps of plaster knocked out too! Not just little holes.


Given my estimate of their competance though it's best they left it as they did.


Quite why anyone would want to keep old sheves though is beyond me! I personally think they burnt them given the state of the fireplace when I moved in!


But yes, filling the holes is reaonable. Takes two minutes. Though painting them, seems odd to do unless you still have old tins around. But I guess technically unless you described the state they would get the house in as fixed holes with unpainted plaster then you probably should. Maybe just leave em! Imagine nice new shelving raather than old crap! Though supposing you have met them and you know the price they are paying you should know what they would put up with!

MysteryMe

Have you informed the buyer you are taking them?

Yes, you should make good the holes, You could have a chat with the buyer and find out if they are planning on redecorating in which case they might not be too bothered.

diggingdude

Would you like to find gaping holes in the walls of your new property? If not fill them in

TamsinC

Last house we bought, the vendors took all the shelving out and the wood burner (all of which they said were staying and the wood burner was part of our offer (£XX to include the wood burner)) I was incredibly disappointed and annoyed. I hadn't intended redecorating immediately but the holes they left and the lumps of plaster that had fallen out of the wall meant we had to do so. It peeved me greatly.

So, yes - fill the holes - treat others as you would wish to be treated.

Red-Squirrel_2

Why are you taking shelves? That's the sort of thing you would generally leave. You're not taking carpets, curtains and light fittings too are you?

Carrot007

TamsinC wrote: »

Last house we bought, the vendors took all the shelving out and the wood burner

See not just me then!


TBH I think they were in a sulk becuase I paid 8.5K less than originally agreed. Which was ridiculous but had wanted the place, but the valuation said no. They still got 5K over the valuation I was gifted.


Also one ofthe double glazed doors has one pane broken. I am assuming it was done by them on moving. Though I do remember that door being open (hiding that side) when looking round. Surveyor did not mention it either. Could have tricked him too I guess.


Some people are asses. Does not mean I will be. I cleaned my old place within an inch and left a bottle of champagne for the new owners. I got a place I had to clean for over a week to become anywhere near what I would call reasonable. I also left empty bins. I got full bins (with everything stuffed in wrong bins as general waste).


All I am saying is if your shelves are priceless or at least to you and you do want to take them (I cannot imigine it) then do your best. If you painted a tester pot is around a quid these days. And filler is cheap (buy unmixed and add water yourself and it's nearly free!).


(I could also mention the chosen colours, Bright Red for instance. Still a couple of coats of white and some magnolia on top and it looked fine!)

tlc678910

I have always heard people describe fixtures and fitting that you are supposed to leave (unless you have made other arrangements with the buyers) as "if you turned the property upside down things that would not fall off the walls are fixtures and fittings that should remain" e.g. Fitted wardrobes in bedrooms, fitted units in living rooms, fireplaces, fitted appliances in kitchens. I would not include screwed to the wall pictures, mirrors or tv brackets in this though.

I would leave your shelves as removing them would leave a mess and to replace them is probably not expensive. You would probably choose a different style/size for a different property and might not even end up using them.

Tlc

Davesnave

AndrewAfresh2 wrote: »

She told me I will need to fill & paint the ensuing holes, otherwise I am breaching the sale contract. Is she right? Thank you for any helpful replies

Here's a possibly unhelpful reply.


Why did you feel the need to have the law explained here? The way we treat others isn't all based on adherence to laws.

00ec25

yes, under the terms of the contract you are expected to make good. However, as others have recounted above, I rather wish my vendor had just left things alone and "made good". When they took their shelves their idea of making good was to partly fill the holes with white mastic and not bother to paint. Getting the mastic out and filling the holes properly before being able to paint was just a waste of my time and theirs in the first place.

So yes, by all means apply the law, but as Davesnave says above, treat others as you would like to be treated yourself, not because the law means you have to, since legally they did make good in my case, but practically I'd wished they hadn't.