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Plug Sockets when moving house

mikefearn83
mikefearn83 Posts: 12
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edited 9 May 2018 at 7:44PM in House buying, renting & selling
Hello,
I need a little advice please. I am soon to move house with the sale coming to its final stages ready for exchange. About 2 years ago we fitted a very large number of chrome plug sockets and light switches all around the house. Ideally we would love to take these and we have all the original white sockets in the garage still. We would not be leaving anything that didnt work etc.
The buyers have probably seen the metal switches but have never spoken about them and when completing the fixtures and fittings form, we just ticked included on the sockets section.
Would it be ok to replace the switches for the original white ones and leave everything fully safe and working, or would I have to declare the removal of the metal ones. Obviously it would have no affect on the workings of the plugs, lights etc, and given we spent around £500 on these we would like the chance to take them.
I know for light fittings it just said that no bare wires can be left and a standard rose fitting is perfectly acceptable if taking the existing lights.

Thank you.

Mike.
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Comments

  • redux
    redux Posts: 22,976
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    I suspect that the labour charges for swapping them all over would cost more than buying yourself new ones for the new house.

    On top of that, the buyers have seen the house with these in. I'm not an expert on the small details of house buying or selling, so I could be wrong, but a wild guess is I would expect that unless you've specified these are excluded from the goodwill, fixtures and fittings, or whatever it's called, they should be staying there.
  • Carrot007
    Carrot007 Posts: 4,534
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    redux wrote: »
    I suspect that the labour charges for swapping them all over would cost more than buying yourself new ones for the new house.

    DIY, a few mins a socket. No cost.

    But OP, it depends on what you have put on the form saying what you will leave. You should have removed them before viewing. Though 99% of people will not moan. Have you got the 1%?
  • walwyn1978
    walwyn1978 Posts: 837
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    Why not contact the new owners to be, explain that you want to take the chrome switchgear but they will all be replaced with standard white ones, and see if they are okay with this? They may be fine, they may jib and thus some financial negotiation may have to take place. But if they're happy with white (they may secretly have hated your taste in switchgear and wanted to switch it out at first opportunity) you've saved a lot of worry.
  • mikefearn83
    mikefearn83 Posts: 12
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    I changed all the sockets 2 years anyway, im in no way an electrician but I know how to ensure a socket is safe for use. Saying that I do understand the regs these days with electrics. To be fair we do have the 1% given the hard work they have been, but alot of the sockets were not on show anyway so wouldn't have seen these when viewing. Also not seen on the property listing
  • seven-day-weekend
    seven-day-weekend Posts: 36,755
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    I personally would just buy new ones for the new house. However I don't think it is wrong to take them, as long as all is made safe.
    (AKA HRH_MUngo)
    Member #10 of £2 savers club
    Imagine someone holding forth on biology whose only knowledge of the subject is the Book of British Birds, and you have a rough idea of what it feels like to read Richard Dawkins on theology: Terry Eagleton
  • ACG
    ACG Posts: 23,677
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    99% would not complain? Rubbish!
    99% WOULD complain. I would and I am pretty laid back.
    I would make it clear on the form you fill out for your solicitors that plug sockets etc will be swapped for white ones. If not, you are asking for an argument with solicitors - you could well win, but is it worth the hassle?
    I am a Mortgage Adviser
    You should note that this site doesn't check my status as a mortgage adviser, so you need to take my word for it. This signature is here as I follow MSE's Mortgage Adviser Code of Conduct. Any posts on here are for information and discussion purposes only and shouldn't be seen as financial advice.
  • pink_pirlie
    pink_pirlie Posts: 238
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    As a buyer I didn’t take any notice of the switches when we did the viewing but that’s not to say your buyers didn’t. I would check with them if they are difficult.

    Our seller was the awful 1% and took everything, even things they said they were leaving and left us with a dirty, dusty cobweb filled house they didn’t bother to clean.
    We have just lumped it as it isn’t worth the cost of chasing it.
    The worst dog us was the “gas fire” that we were later told didn’t work - I queried why through the solicitors - told it was because a part needed replacing. When we finally got in the “part” that needed replacing was the actual fire bit. There was 5.5 months between offer and completion and we have idea when they took it out or what they did with it. But definitely twisting the truth.
  • mikefearn83
    mikefearn83 Posts: 12
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    thank you for all the help. we will have a think about whats best. I think I know the answer, unfortunately!.

    Mike
  • cooltt
    cooltt Posts: 852
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    ACG wrote: »
    99% would not complain? Rubbish!
    99% WOULD complain. I would and I am pretty laid back.
    I would make it clear on the form you fill out for your solicitors that plug sockets etc will be swapped for white ones. If not, you are asking for an argument with solicitors - you could well win, but is it worth the hassle?

    This^^^^^^most people would most definately notice!
  • ValiantSon
    ValiantSon Posts: 2,586 Forumite
    You've answered your own question:
    The buyers have probably seen the metal switches but have never spoken about them and when completing the fixtures and fittings form, we just ticked included on the sockets section.

    No, you can't take them. The TA10 Fittings and Contents Form comprises part of the contract. Failure to hand over all items agreed in that form would comprise a breach of contract on your behalf. You would be liable for any costs resulting from this.

    Buy new faceplates for your new house.
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