Previous owner asking to buy back property!

canaldumidi

JuanBallOfWimbledon said:

canaldumidi said:

Ah now it makes sense.

That's my gran and grandad!

Honestly, I’m not sure I can express quite how much I needed that laugh! I hope they leave you those doorknobs in their will. 

I hope not. I know what they use them for!

Flugelhorn

just reading the list of things they did make it very clear that they are very attached to the house and assume you will want to bury the time capsule (why didn't they do it??) / look after the wildlife as they did - but putting up the name on sign is la la .

we had a vendor who was very attached to a house we bought, part time she was  living quite near and part abroad - I know that she used to talk to her / our odd job man about what changes had been made, and the neighbours referred to it as the C's  house  even when we had been there 10 years. Seems anyone but everyone had had a look inside when they lived there. We were never especially attached to the place and it was frustrating that someone else was, even after many years, labelled as the owner

prowla

JuanBallOfWimbledon said:

Thanks for all the replies, I’m glad it’s not just me and this is actually as crazy as it feels. Today I sent emails (with hard copies in the post too), one stating that we spent a very long time searching for a house, and explaining how stressful and costly it was. That we don’t want to sell, but should that ever change, we’ll let them know. One stating that we can’t store their property indefinitely, that if it's not been collected by next Friday evening, we’ll have to dispose of it all.

The truth is, as things stand we fully intend this to be the only home we ever buy, we’re getting on and bought this with a view to it being our ‘forever home’. Obviously things change and I know this may not always be the case, but for right now, we’ve no intention of going through that process ever again. 

We received a reply stating that they understand, but do we have a rough idea of how long we intend to stay? So I clearly should have been more explicit and made it clear that we have no intention of moving in the future. They did however say someone will be round sunday afternoon to collect their things. Apparently this is a family member who lives locally, so I’m a bit annoyed that this wasn’t done sooner, but hey ho, at least it’ll be gone (well, if they actually show).

To those asking about other odd things, it’s all small stuff that mightn’t seem all that odd to anyone else. But when it’s one thing after another, it starts to get a bit surreal. A few examples:

*When we had our first, second, and final pre-exchange viewing, they just had a basic metal house number number on the door. When we arrived after collecting the keys, they’d put up a new sign, drilled into the brick; ‘The Jones House - No7’ (obviously name and number changed here). 

*The keys had a photo keyring of them swimming with dolphins attached. 

*They appear to have removed and taken all doorknobs. My wife commented on our last viewing that she’d not seen a doorknob in years and everyone seems to have handles now, but that it was nice and nostalgic. They were nothing special - just painted wooden ones, but all are gone. We’d have changed to handles anyway as my wife has arthritis in her hands, but still. 

*They left a small biscuit-type tin filled with random things, with a note asking us to bury their time capsule under the horse chestnut tree at the bottom of the garden. 

*They also left directions of exactly how to feed the local wildlife - the likes and dislikes of the squirrels and birds, with the names they’ve been given and descriptions of each. Apparently the local pet shop owner is expecting us and has all we will need put to one side. 

Like I said, it probably sounds like I’m being a bit petty and picking up on silly things, but honestly, we keep finding new notes and requests etc. We even found one in the small, old wood burner in the conservatory yesterday. Just a piece of paper saying ‘I was installed in 2006’. I’m starting to genuinely wonder if they’re on a wind up, but they seem a sweet couple, I’d guess in their mid 60’s. I’m fairly sleep deprived too, maybe I’m losing my marbles. 

See - in saying you'd let them know, you left the door open (albeit with no handles!).

Some of the things seem to be them flip-flopping between being helpful and being manipulative; I'd just bin the notes as you find them.

I'd include the biscuit tin of stuff with the things to be picked up; the message hasn't quite got through that it's not their property and it doesn't need their mark on it (similarly the house number).

A devious side of me might suggest that if you wanted to wind them up, you could let it be known that you're bringing in pest control to get rid of the squirrels...

Sapindus

JuanBallOfWimbledon said:

We received a reply stating that they understand, but do we have a rough idea of how long we intend to stay? 

*When we had our first, second, and final pre-exchange viewing, they just had a basic metal house number number on the door. When we arrived after collecting the keys, they’d put up a new sign, drilled into the brick; ‘The Jones House - No7’ (obviously name and number changed here). 

*They also left directions of exactly how to feed the local wildlife - the likes and dislikes of the squirrels and birds, with the names they’ve been given and descriptions of each. Apparently the local pet shop owner is expecting us and has all we will need put to one side. 

I would be tempted to say "roughly twenty years, but we'll let you know after 15 how that's going."

The house number reminded me of the previous owners of our first house who took the nameplate with them.  We never bothered replacing it, but I always wondered if they were going to call their next house the same thing or just wanted it for sentimental reasons.  Their mother lived at the end of the garden and was always chuntering about the dreadful things I'd done to the garden.

And I was just sniggering happily away to myself being thankful I am relatively sane, then nearly spat my coffee over the last point because I was just thinking yesterday when I move I must leave a bag of suet treats by the window for my tame robin, or the next occupants will be getting hard stares from him! 

george4064

This thread is classic, thank for you sharing!

At times whilst reading this I think this is a wind up (as in you’re making this up) but who would make all this up!? It’s either true or you’ve got a career in comedy @JuanBallOfWimbledon !

Sunsaru

george4064 said:

This thread is classic, thank for you sharing!

At times whilst reading this I think this is a wind up (as in you’re making this up) but who would make all this up!? It’s either true or you’ve got a career in comedy @JuanBallOfWimbledon !

100% sure this is true... Sad but true....

jimbog

Consider changing your car to the same model and colour as the seller's. Follow this by changing your name by deed poll to the seller's and dressing in similar clothes. Become friends with their friends and hang out together.
Netflix would be interested

TheJP

Emmia said:

TheJP said:

Emmia said:

Given the sister lives next door, the previous owners will return to your location, and they may try re-making the offer in person. 

Could you change something about the outward appearance of the house, to show it is no longer their home, but yours e.g. different planting, replacing or repainting the front door / garage door?

It isn't their home! They sold it. OP i would just ignore them, they made their bed etc...

The new owners need to "assert" the home is theirs, and not that of the previous owners - making simple changes like the colour of the door, can emphasise the fact the house is now under new ownership. 

The previous owners presumably chose to sell, and it sold - but they still feel "attached" so they need to be "detached".  Ideally this should be in a non confrontational way that doesn't involve personal interaction.

The OP doesn't NEED to do anything apart from enjoy THEIR new home. The seller can remain attached but there is diddly squat they can do about it.

Section62

JuanBallOfWimbledon said:

Like I said, it probably sounds like I’m being a bit petty and picking up on silly things, but honestly, we keep finding new notes and requests etc. We even found one in the small, old wood burner in the conservatory yesterday. Just a piece of paper saying ‘I was installed in 2006’. I’m starting to genuinely wonder if they’re on a wind up, but they seem a sweet couple, I’d guess in their mid 60’s. I’m fairly sleep deprived too, maybe I’m losing my marbles. 

If you find a Tesco bag for life anywhere I'd strongly advise not opening it.

Woolsery

bouicca21 said:

If I ever write a novel it will feature a character who names the garden wildlife.  Not sure whether this will be a batty old lady or a batty but sinister old man - and that’s just making me worry about being sexist.

Sometimes wild or semi-wild animals have very strong characters. If they do, they tend to get names. Last winter we had a male pheasant here that attacked everything: people, cars, tractors, horses..... he wasn't scared of anything. One day when he was standing in my way, swearing, I picked him up, looked him in the face and told him straight, "You are a very naughty pheasant!"

Somehow people started calling Mr Pheasant 'Dylan.' I have no idea why. The only Dylans that come to mind are Bob and that laid-back rabbit onthe Magic Roundabout. Something like Arnie or VanDamme would have been more appropriate.

Sadly, a life of aggression led Dylan into some kind of accident with a vehicle, but he was found still pecking away cheerfully at the side of the road; just unable to chase anyone. However, the story ends happily; he was taken by one of his human admirers to the Hen Welfare Trust where he eventually recovered. I've no idea where they released him, but if you're having bother with a pheasant with atitude.....