Seller wants to take light fittings and curtain rails?

comedyseeker123

Just received this Law Society Fittings and Contents Form. The owner wants to take the curtain poles and also a light fitting that has been screwed into the ceiling in several places.


Why? Surely its just a headache to remove, pack, fill the holes etc. She won't have identical window sizes in the new house... seems so bizarre,

Any advice.

AdrianC

Yup, people can be bizarre.

If you really want those exact items to be left, then offer money for them.

pinkteapot

You can try negotiating. It's a pain - some people get really tight about these things. To be fair, she might have bought particularly expensive light fittings.

Your solicitor should ask her solicitor to remind her that: (1) where lights are removed, they must be replaced with a standard ceiling rose and pendant light fitting (they can't be left as bare wire) and (2) wall must be repaired and paint patched if curtain poles are removed.

Davesnave

We took a light fitting that cost £360 and we're using it in the new place. Our purchaser got a functioning pendant in its place and a nice paper shade.

We didn't take curtain poles, but we might have done if they'd been expensive. Most of them may be adapted.

The point of the F&F form is to tell the purchaser where they stand regarding these things, so if your seller has filled it in accurately, it's not 'bizarre,' it's just doing what's required.

alex_163163

Yes I took some light fittings with me when I moved house. I bought them and still liked them, and wanted them at my new home.
Why would I pay another £100 each to get new ones when I already owned them?!
As above, I replaced with a ceiling rose.

Didn’t take curtain poles however.

TBagpuss

Windows are oftern fairly standard sizes and a lot of curtain poles are extendable, so it's not that weird.

And light fittigns can be expensive.

If the seller feels that it is worth the hassle then that is her choice.

As pinkteapot says,she is required to replace any lightittigns with at least a basic fitting so you don't have holes in the ceiling or bare wires, and to make good any holes left by removing the curtain poles, but the purpose of the form is to tell you what is goingr staying.

At least your seller has told you they are removing those things so you don't wind up with a nasty surprise when you move in!

comedyseeker123

For refernce its this type https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB10xhkJFXXXXXUXXXXq6xXFXXXH/Novelty-Spider-10-Arm-Edison-Bulb-Pendant-Light-Industrial-Vintage-Loft-Hanging-Lamp-Bedrooms-E27-Art.jpg
s like it would need an electrician to replace?

AdrianC

comedyseeker123 wrote: »

For refernce its this type
s like it would need an electrician to replace?

No, not at all.

One central rose, and a bunch of little hooks into plasterboard fixings or similar. It'd take minutes to change for a standard single pendant, and not much longer to fill and paint the small holes from each hook.

Removing it's a bit pointless, though - the only real expense there is if they've used "squirrel-cage" bulbs. Just swap 'em for normal ones.
https://www.williamandwatson.com/product/multi-outlet-ceiling-rose-10-way-black/
...some hooks, and a few metres of whatever cotton-braided cable.

davidmcn

comedyseeker123 wrote: »

For refernce its this type https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB10xhkJFXXXXXUXXXXq6xXFXXXH/Novelty-Spider-10-Arm-Edison-Bulb-Pendant-Light-Industrial-Vintage-Loft-Hanging-Lamp-Bedrooms-E27-Art.jpg
s like it would need an electrician to replace?

You don't need an electrician, just a screwdriver (and a stepladder...).

eddddy

This kind of thing is best discussed via the EA, not via solicitors. (But once you've reached agreement via the EA, tell your solicitor what you have agreed.)

Depending on how you feel, you could say to the EA that your offer was on the assumption that curtain poles and light fittings were included.

Assuming the EA is paid on completion, they should work hard to get this resolved amicably asap. They won't want a series of 'mini-disputes' piling-up which might delay, or eventually derail, the sale.

DigForVictory

If it will need an electrician to replace, be clear that the seller cannot leave bare wires & that some function light is expected.
As a short person, I'd be more picky that any removed curtain poles are made good before departure so I don't move into a place with holes.

It is not unusual to move into a house that does not resemble the place you saw, as the furniture etc has been removed & I've not yet heard of the seller who has a deep clean done as part of their leaving.

At least you know.