Fixtures & Fittings - what’s normal?

dancingdragons7

We had an offer accepted on a house recently and offered £30k over asking price - about 7.5%. I am now truly dismayed to find that the vendors are expecting us to pay extra for 10 year old fitted stair carpet & fitted bedroom carpet / that has actually been cut to fit around all the fitted bedroom furniture. We have always been very generous when selling properties in the past & have included much more than would normally be expected. Should we challenge this via our solicitor or the estate agent? The vendors have not provided any contact details to us & said they want us to communicate via the agent. 

lesalanos

Tell them you will not pay anything for it

maisie_cat

Very odd behaviour, but sadly not uncommon for sellers to think their stuff is worth more than it is.
Tell them to take the carpet, in 2 of my last 3 houses I've ended up taking it up quite soon after moving in because it was disgusting. I've also found in the past that the a seller wants to take things but on moving days can't be bothered.
As you probably know, depending on pettiness levels, you may find missing light bulbs and removed fittings. 

Slithery

There is no 'normal', it's all a negotiation between you and the sellers. However, I'd say that the chance of them actually pulling up the carpets and taking them with them if you refuse is pretty low, after all they're not going to fit the vendors new property are they.

Silvertabby

Tell them that you don't want either carpet and that the vendors should take them with them.

When a family member moved a while back their vendors made a great fuss about the nearly new main bedroom carpet and that they wanted £X for it.  Because it was good quality, a nice neutral colour - and because family member didn't want to drag things out - they agreed 

When they moved in they found that the carpet had been fitted round the huge free- standing wardrobe.  Which the vendors had taken with them.

sanquar

I'm in the process of selling and I've ticked yes to more or less everything g be included from lightfittings, curtains to integrated fridge freezer and dishwasher. There's no point in me taking them with me and I haven't asked for any money for them. 

steve866

dancingdragons7 said:

We had an offer accepted on a house recently and offered £30k over asking price - about 7.5%. I am now truly dismayed to find that the vendors are expecting us to pay extra for 10 year old fitted stair carpet & fitted bedroom carpet / that has actually been cut to fit around all the fitted bedroom furniture. We have always been very generous when selling properties in the past & have included much more than would normally be expected. Should we challenge this via our solicitor or the estate agent? The vendors have not provided any contact details to us & said they want us to communicate via the agent. 

I would not describe what they are doing as ‘normal’ by any means. I would probably communicate via email to the agent saying how surprised I am that basics such as carpets aren’t being left at zero cost. I would call their bluff and insist it’s left at no cost, unless I wanted to change the carpets.

Caramac

When we moved here the sellers wanted money for all the curtains and carpets. I was reluctant to pay as they were cream, and stained from two toddlers. We had assumed they wouldn’t take them but they did.

AdrianC

Caramac said:

When we moved here the sellers wanted money for all the curtains and carpets. I was reluctant to pay as they were cream, and stained from two toddlers. We had assumed they wouldn’t take them but they did.

...probably straight to the tip, thinking they were spiting you, when they were really doing you a favour...

Mickygg

Call their bluff, the last thing people can be bothered with is pull up and dispose of carpets. I would see it as a positive anyway as I like to replace carpets when I move in. 

Missy79

I think it's really weird to ask extra for anything that's fitted, free-standing absolutely fair game. I would assume that these are included in the sale and would definitely tell them to take them with them before I'd pay extra. I'm slightly miffed that the sellers of the property I'm buying are taking the wall mounted electric fire when it was listed as a "feature" in the estate agent blurb, I'd be absolutely furious in your situation.