Previous owner asking to buy back property!

JuanBallOfWimbledon

Hi everyone, sorry I’ve not updated in a while, I had no idea people had been commenting until I saw the post had made its way to the first page again. I hadn’t been checking as, in all honesty, I knew it would be a long post, and I’m just exhausted with it all

So, sister came back and she appears very lovely and normal. She popped over the day after she returned to say hi. While neither of us mentioned the specifics of what happened, she clearly knew and basically said ‘ignore my sister, she’s a bit loopy (her word)’. She explained that her parents bought this house in the early 50’s, sister was born in the front bedroom and has never lived anywhere else her whole life. She got married and came back to this house with her new husband, raised her kids here, nursed their mum in her final days here etc. She said they’re a bit of an eccentric family, and often get suddenly fixated on an idea, totally obsess over it and then just as quickly they fall out of love with it. She expects this is what happened with the house in the country, it was a very sudden decision and they obsessed over how quickly they could do the conveyancing and move (which I believe as they were constantly pestering us about how quickly we could exchange and complete). She thinks they’re now regretting it massively, however she also thinks they’ll get over this wanting to ‘come home’ phase before long too. I’m hoping she’s right. We didn’t get into talking about it, just nodded and made sympathetic noises, just in case we’re later accused of gossiping. 

Anyway, all was quiet after that for around 2 weeks. We then received contact from their solicitor, via ours. They claim ‘valuable’ belongings are missing from the stuff we sent back. 7 ornaments, an antique footstool and some antique lace tablecloths. When I initially made contact re the belongings they left behind, I wrote a list of what was there and sent photos. None of these things appear in either. They are adamant and are threatening legal action. I know we don’t have this stuff, and I’m fairly sure, if it is indeed missing, they’ll find it at some point amongst their masses of stuff. The house when we viewed was absolutely packed to the rafters with stuff. Ornaments, fabric, furniture, boxes, millions of books, all sorts of boxed gadgets, more fabric… I think that’s why they struggled to sell, it was overwhelming just viewing the place. I don’t know how they could possibly a) notice these things are missing, b) immediately assume we have them, and c) how they’ve managed to unpack and check it all already. As I said, they didn’t even realise they’d left mountains of stuff behind until I told them. We’ve left it with the solicitor, so we’ll see what comes from that. I’m honestly drained from it all and my wife is in a real state over it, she’s especially concerned as we both have jobs that require clean records - I’m trying to stay more rational. 

Oh, and the time capsule was indeed in our flowerbed/border. The sister kindly dug it back up and buried it in her garden. 

alelly

Ugh sorry you have to go through this when you should be enjoying your new home. Definitely good you’ve got the solicitor to deal with them. I mean they haven’t got a leg to stand on since you were under no obligation to store their belongings in the first place (irrespective of the fact you never had these items). 

You might check in with your solicitor whether some kind of warning letter re harassment might be warranted.

hope it works out for you!

Woolsery

alelly said:

You might check in with your solicitor whether some kind of warning letter re harassment might be warranted.

I don't think there's much doubt about that, but the matter is being handled solicitor to solicitor, which is right and all that needs to happen at this point, albeit an extra expense.

If the harassment in person continues, regardless of the sister being just next door, I'd involve the police. Relatives of mine did this with a loopy nearby neighbour who wouldn't take 'No' and a closed door as an answer and a visit from the local PCSO sorted it out immediately.

Flugelhorn

Suspect the stuff is still in some boxes they haven't unpacked, TBH they were cheeky leaving stuff anyway and they can hardly make a fuss about specific items when they left it all "unattended" in your house

Bendy_House

Wow, JBoW.

Pleased that the sis seems to be pleasant and normal, and I have to say, 'well done' for being so discrete with her; it's obviously the nicest way to be anyway, but also I suspect if one hint of a 'conversation' got back to the ex owner (even unintentionally), it could well trigger an even more self-pitying/ entitled response from them. These folk are entirely self-obsessed, and cannot see matters beyond their own bizarre needs.

(But do, sadly, continue to treat the sis with caution - have a good neighbourly relationship, of course, but never confide.)

Please, please do not worry about the latest development regarding these belongings - there isn't a snowball's chance of this coming to anything. I also don't think a stronger response - eg 'harassment' - is required (at the moment...) either; it's best if this just peters out with you being simply as unresponsive and matter-of-fact as you can be, for the moment at least. Do not waver from a bemused "Of course we aren't moving!". "Of course there's nothing of yours left behind!" If they get any sense of you being under pressure over any of this, it'll likely encourage them, and there's always a possibility that this could happen - possibly quite accidentally - via the sis or another neighbour.

(On that note, there is also no reason for you to try and deny something weird has been going on should another neighbour ask, having perhaps heard a rumour, but I wouldn't give details, and I'd keep it light-hearted; "Yes, some strange things have happened with the sale, but nothing to worry about! chuckle..." Or whatever you feel is the right approach for you.)

I would, tho', note down EVERYTHING that is said and done regarding the ex owner, so you CAN take action if it carries on. But let's hope sis is right, and they'll soon settle down.

In the very unlikely event that a daft solicitor does send a letter, then pass it to your Legal Protection on your insurance to deal with. I would also be prepared to contact your LP for 'advice/guidance' (ie, you are not asking them to take action, but just guide you on the best way to respond) should you wish on how to respond to any message the ex might send directly to you about this (or anything else a bit crazy), although I don't see any harm in giving the ex a frank "We gave you a full list of everything you left behind, and your brother(?) collected all this on the Xth of Y. There was nothing of yours left behind after this date."

LegProt will also judge whether - and, if so, when - a 'firmer' response is justified if things continue as they are.

These folk are not normal. It could possibly be a deliberate campaign of harassment designed to force you to leave and sell the house back to them*, but I don't think it's as nasty and rational as that, as I think there is a genuine level of emotional dysfunction going on; that time capsule was a woozy. That doesn't make it easier for you, of course - it's still horrible. And the worst aspect of dealing with someone with a PD is that you are unlikely to ever win the actual 'argument'; they will always believe that they are in the right, and have been wrong-done by; you are unreasonable for not handing back the house/allowing a time capsule in your garden/dodgy folk who steal other people's possessions... you bad person, you :-) They see themselves as the victims. Completely bonkers. It is scant consolation knowing that they are also completely miserable folk, who will never ever be truly happy because of this condition.

You are doing the world a favour; such selfish and entitled folk need to 'lose', or they become even worse.

*(in the extremely unlikely event that you do decide to move, make damned sure THEY don't get it!),

Norman_Castle

JuanBallOfWimbledon said:

 I’m honestly drained from it all and my wife is in a real state over it, she’s especially concerned as we both have jobs that require clean records - I’m trying to stay more rational. 

There's a massive gap between claiming something has been stolen and getting a conviction. In your case with the likelihood they have the items but haven't found them or the possibility they were lost while moving no one would consider prosecuting you. If they persist it sounds like the sister would speak up.

DE_612183

I wonder if the items they are talking about are in the time capsule?

martindow

DE_612183 said:

I wonder if the items they are talking about are in the time capsule?

It's a big capsule if it contains a foot-stool!

Skiddaw1

DE_612183 said:

I wonder if the items they are talking about are in the time capsule?

@JuanBallOfWimbledon I honestly think you and your wife have nothing to worry about. I'd guess that Mr & Mrs Barmy have probably shot their bolt now and (as the Lovely Sister says) will lose interest and start obsessing about something else.

May you & your wife have many, many happy, contented and stress-free years in your lovely new home.

london21

I will ignore the ex-sellers. Keep contacts minimal with the sister neighbour, don’t get too close. Enjoy your new home!