Storing seller's possessions post sale

Comms69

"Yes sure thing"; complete; "You have 10 days to remove your belongings"; - bin them

Titus_Wadd

Just a tangential thought: would a tenant's deposit be fully repaid automatically on completion or might it be used as leverage by a landlord in similar circumstances?

saajan_12

Its really a case of negotiation and who is more keen on the transaction. 
** Would you prefer to walk away to avoid the hassle of storage (but gain the hassle and costs of looking for another property, new survey, new searches, moving costs, overlap in rent & mortgage)?

** Would the LL prefer to walk away to avoid the hassle of storage off site (but gain the hassle and costs of readvertising, new solicitor costs, rent void before the sale completes)?

Can you point out the seller's hassles and encourage her to sort out storage offsite? 

dimbo61 said:

Be nice and nod your head until you own the property then once it's yours everything in it belongs to you.
So if your feeling kind give her 7/14 days to remove everything from YOUR loft or they go in the bin or off to the tip.
Sell on eBay/Gumtree/ local paper etc

No. The goods are still HERS, and you would have to store them (on or off site) for 30 days to give her an opportunity to collect. After that, you could sell the items but the proceeds (less cost of storage / selling) go to HER, you don't get to profit off it. Your exchange of messages would likely be proof that you acknowledge the goods did exist. 

Rambosmum

Titus_Wadd said:

Just a tangential thought: would a tenant's deposit be fully repaid automatically on completion or might it be used as leverage by a landlord in similar circumstances?

If correctly protected, the ex tenant applies to the scheme as the tenancy has now ended. The landlord couldn't use it as leverage.  

Comms69

saajan_12 said:

Its really a case of negotiation and who is more keen on the transaction. 
** Would you prefer to walk away to avoid the hassle of storage (but gain the hassle and costs of looking for another property, new survey, new searches, moving costs, overlap in rent & mortgage)?

** Would the LL prefer to walk away to avoid the hassle of storage off site (but gain the hassle and costs of readvertising, new solicitor costs, rent void before the sale completes)?

Can you point out the seller's hassles and encourage her to sort out storage offsite? 

dimbo61 said:

Be nice and nod your head until you own the property then once it's yours everything in it belongs to you.
So if your feeling kind give her 7/14 days to remove everything from YOUR loft or they go in the bin or off to the tip.
Sell on eBay/Gumtree/ local paper etc

No. The goods are still HERS, and you would have to store them (on or off site) for 30 days to give her an opportunity to collect. After that, you could sell the items but the proceeds (less cost of storage / selling) go to HER, you don't get to profit off it. Your exchange of messages would likely be proof that you acknowledge the goods did exist. 

For a reasonable eriod of time. 30 days isnt mentioned. 

caprikid1

Whilst it is ridiculous, how long have you been renting the place and how much stuff is there ? 

steampowered

I would be tempted to just get on and complete the house purchase.

She will only be entitled to keep the goods in the loft if there is a formal written agreement to that effect. Personally I wouldn't be bringing the issue to solicitors as that may just add additional delay.

Once you have completed - I would serve the proper notice telling her that the stuff will be thrown out unless she moves it into storage within a reasonable period of time (14 days perhaps).

TBagpuss

If she is serious she would need to go via her solicitor, have the arrangements written into the contract, in which case you would need to speak to your solicitor to to ensure that the agreement also clearly set an end date, and that there were clear arrangements for access (e.g. mutually convenient time, minimum of 7 days notice etc. and (assuming this was for more than a week or so)  payment for the agreeing.

If she doesn't go through her solicitor then say noting and. The standard contract provides for a seller to give vacant possession and usually for the property to be empty, once you have completed, let her know that there is still stuff belonging to her in the loft and that she can collect it on [ specific date and time] after which you will arrange for it to be disposed of at her expense. 

If she wants to go through er solicitor and you are not interested at all, then walk away. 

Keh

Thanks for all your brilliant, wise (and funny!) advice. Sorry I'm so late in replying - it was a very stressful time. However, as most of you suggested, I walked away as I think she actually didn't want to sell the house at all and as it emerged after I left, turned out she was a bit unhinged!

Many thanks, Keh

canaldumidi

Was she planning to put everything in Tescos Bags For Life by any chance?