Making good after fitted wardrobes removed

CJScat

Hi we have had numerous delays over the past 5 months since my offer was accepted on the house we hope to buy.
The time delay has been all down to waiting for her to get her ducks in a row.
Also after 4 months I finally got the fixture/ fitting doc telling that she now wanted a large sum of extra money if I wished to retain the fitted furniture in two bedrooms,these built in wardrobes had been an aspect of the house we had considered a plus point, as did the estate agents who has pointed out what a benifit they were and showed us at viewing how well they were fitted.
Anyway the price she wanted took the property value well over the original asking price!
I asked, through my solicitor and estate agents for her to honor the wording in the house advert and to leave the units, also pointing out that I was already at the top of my budget.
She declined my request and the solicitors insisted on my behalf that all floors,walls and ceilings affected needed to be made good if she removed the items.
This week I heard that she has now taken all of the wardrobes out now, she says the floors are fine and that the only thing missing is the skirting were the units had been fitted flush.
My question is am I within my rights to insist that the skirting be replaced?
I am aware that some people can fit these things easily themselves but my diy skillls go no further than a spot of painting.
It is annoying that I put an offer in on a house last October with two bedrooms that were in a very good condition. But will now have to pay someone to replace the skirting to make good four walls due to the removal that she has insisted on, despite my requests for her to leave them.
Beyond buying the house, my money has already been ear marked because apart from a TV, table and chairs, I will have to buy furniture for the living room and bedrooms plus all white goods too. Something i had planned for. I hadn’t planned for repair work that hadn’t previously been required.

AlexMac

I'm not sure what you are asking (other than for sympathy, which you deserve, but which doesn't help) but if you haven't yet exchanged, you can simply drop the price you 're prepared to pay (Google gazundering).

Of course, your vendor may simply then stop the sale and re- market or rip out more fixtures or hide kippers under the floorboards..or just cave in..

But as a few metres of skirting will cost from £50- 200 to replace depending on local labour prices, you might just suck it up and move on.

Worse things happen; all six of the properties I've bought in the past 20 odd years has needed a new boiler, some within months of moving in, at a cost of £1.3-3k...

So you can always expect some costs. Don't let the bedsteds grind you down. Enjoy your new home

AnotherJoe

Are you going to put new fitted wardrobes in? If so, no point fixing. Even if you don't do it straight away and initially put freestanding wardrobes in, it doesn't seem worth the bother.
From what you've posted so far this buyer isn't going to budge anyway so either you suck it up or pull out, and since you had the opportunity to pull out for a much more significant issue and haven't done I can't see why you would over a little bit of skirting, unless it's the final straw for you.

AdrianC

The vendor has taken the fitted wardrobes...? They're in for a surprise when they try to fit 'em to their new place...

But, yes, "making good" should mean "can't see they were there". If you need to do work to get to that stage, then you can hand the bill to them via a small claim. Whether it's worth the hassle is another question.



Frankly, if they're that ludicrously petty, I'd be wondering what else they're going to be penny-pinching on.

CJScat

Thanks for the advise everyone.
II think it’s just me being gradually worn out and irritated after all her delays and unreasonable actions....think I’m beginning to become petty like her, and I need to get a grip.

AnotherJoe

AdrianC wrote: »

The vendor has taken the fitted wardrobes...? They're in for a surprise when they try to fit 'em to their new place...

But, yes, "making good" should mean "can't see they were there". If you need to do work to get to that stage, then you can hand the bill to them via a small claim. Whether it's worth the hassle is another question.

Frankly, if they're that ludicrously petty, I'd be wondering what else they're going to be penny-pinching on.

As I recall they are indeed incredibly petty because they are emigrating so it's not even as if they could reuse. .

AdrianC

It's possible a friend or family member has said to them "Oooh, I really like those", and they've been given (or sold) them.

Mutton_Geoff

What about the carpet or flooring where the wardrobes have been removed?

I’d suggest toughening your stance a little and also inspecting the house again before signing the contract.

pinkshoes

I would want to thoroughly inspect the house before exchanging.

I would also be dropping the price by £3k to reflect the missing wardrobes it the bedrooms which you will now need to pay to have fitted.

How badly do you want this house?

AnotherJoe

Mutton_Geoff wrote: »

What about the carpet or flooring where the wardrobes have been removed?

I’d suggest toughening your stance a little and also inspecting the house again before signing the contract.

The OP missed their chance to stand firm, which was to insist that wardrobes stayed or they pulled out. Since they didn't do that, even if they pull out now they dont get what they wanted and I cant see this vendor lowering the price either.

They could always try a gazunder last minute for the value of reinstalling them but from their previous posts I cant see them doing that and given the vendor is emigrating the ability to sue for any damage should they do any more damage before leaving is lost as well, unless they get a retention which I cant see this vendor accepting.
They either cave in or walk away. And i cant see them walking away.

Silvertabby

Mutton_Geoff wrote: »

What about the carpet or flooring where the wardrobes have been removed?

I’d suggest toughening your stance a little and also inspecting the house again before signing the contract.

Beat me to it. A family member bought a house which had a HUGE free-standing triple wardrobe in the main bedroom. It was made clear from the start that the wardrobe wasn't staying, so no problem. Until they moved in and found that the nice new carpet had been fitted around the heavy wardrobe.