Help calm me. House buying and selling stress

Would not have occured to me either to take curtains down when I moved out, or to charge for them. Anymore than I would have taken or charged for fitted carpets. Curtains are made for individual windows these days and are, to me, part of fixtures and fittings.

I do remember in the long distant past that this was not the case, but all my curtains were left in place, as were those in the flat . I have now changed out the ones in the Living room and my bedroom here.

Again, left behind in the house was the dishwasher, washing machine and tumble dryer. Did bring my few months old fridge and upright freezer with (this was too big for the flat and I did sell this down here). Obviously fitted in ovens were left there (having had them cleaned by professional a few weeks before I moved out).

These days there is the long, many paged Fixtures and Fittings List we have to complete., so we can know, well in advance what is being left. In the flat they had put against the dishwasher, and washing machine - 'open to negotiations'. I knew I would be wishing to replace these elderly machines pretty quickly, but thought it might be useful to have them in situ for first few weeks, so offered just a hundred pounds for them,. Do not think this was noticed by much solicitor and passed on, as there was no comment on this. In the end I was glad they had not been left as I would only, then, have had to pay for them to taken out when I got my new ones.

It is like light fittings, in past years people would take these down, sometimes just leaving bare wires - not allowed now. I did take with me the nearly new shades I had in my bedroom and in hall and landing. These have been re-used in the flat -but actual proper fittings obviously got left.

Do hope all of you on here will be making your moves very soon and successfully.

Hello Spice101, I'm a nightbird, think I'm the only one up! Nice to talk to you.

I did leave all my white goods, as well as my curtains, a very expensive huge chinese rug, and the furniture I couldn't sell. I did ask for money for the oil I had at the house, I'd had to order more as he asked for an eight week completion, rather than the auction four weeks I'd signed up for. There was around £700 worth of oil in the tank. Buyer refused to pay the price I'd paid, and demanded the 'Covid' price - I got £500. I'd also asked for money for my life size bronze lions - he wouldn't buy them and wanted them 'removed before completion'. I'm sure he didn't think I'd be able to remove them, but I did - had to give them away, but it was a very difficult removal involving scaffolding and lots of strong men. They are now happily living in my friend's garden at the end of the road, overlooking the river. I bought them when my Mum died out of the small inheritance she left me, I was sad not to be able to take them. I'd also bought the Aga, but definitely wouldn't want anyone to have to lift that again!

Enjoy your heatwave, we are -3 here tonight.

How lovely you can already imagine the children having a great time in your pool!

It is interesting reading about people moving and taking the oven, curtains etc. and in some cases I have heard of, the kitchen cupboards. Here those things are automatically included in the sale because they are considered permanent fittings. Also dishwashers which are usually plumbed in. If it was a freestanding dishwasher that might go. If a refrigerator was plumbed in which has become common here as so many now have water dispensers that would also normally stay. Curtains or any window coverings and carpets (not rugs) are also left unless specified in the sale contract. Often TV's which are wall mounted will also be included. In our new place there is a theatre room - not on our lists of wants I might add - there is a projector, screen and other associated equipment which will all stay as it is built in.

Gearing up for a a bit of a heat wave over the next couple of days 38 today and 42 tomorrow before a cool change comes through and the rest of the week will be a more bearable mid to high 20's.

Pittcity fingers crossed that you can complete as suggested.

Had a visit from our 2 Gs' s yesterday. Their mum told us that when they knew they were coming to see us they wanted to know if we had moved yet and would they be able to go for a swim in our pool. I think we may have lots of visits when we do move - at least in the summer.

I hate oven cleaning. So much so I get the oven cleaner man to do it just before we move out and then don't use it.
Last time we moved, the man I hired smashed the oven light and it was touch and go whether a new one would arrive before we left. He didn't even take any money off the job for the damage he caused!

My son sent me an amazing gadget for cleaning the oven glass, it’s a very sharp blade in a handle, it’s amazing! Available on Amazon, try Googling oven blade.

Mine is leaving the oven, fridge, and dishwasher - but like yours, is taking most of the curtains. I wish I could have found the strength to take mine down, but they were so huge, and I was too nervous to be up the ladder for so long with them all plus the pelmet made it harder. I walked past with my dog this morning, station is still empty, it's been weeks now. The windows were wet with condensation as they always were in this weather. Men out shooting in the field behind, I cut our walk short.

The good news for me is that the vendor has offered to sell me the lounge curtains for £50, three sets. I don't like being in a room with the light on during darkness, too many horror films have given me a fear of someone watching me, I know it's silly!

I found a little metal scrubber with a tiny handle on top for my oven, made it a lot easier. Reminds me of an embarrassing time - our guests were retired RAF, and came to tell me the oven wasn't working. I went through into the flat and the man 'flew' the oven, showing me that the controls didn't work! It had actually overheated and melted the side of the built in cupboard - I wish he'd 'ejected' earlier!!!

I think the cooker is all that they are leaving. They are even taking the curtains!
We are planning to replace everything eventually but would like to be able to go away while there are workmen in the house, so we'll have to live with what's there until Boris lets us out.
I'm giving my oven a once over today, but as our purchaser is a builder I expect a new kitchen will be on the agenda.

How nice Pittcity. I also left my oven for the buyer, and had to scrub it before completion, I couldn't clean the glass to my satisfaction but the inside was fat free. Aga was off so I was also able to clean that.

I queried the make/model and age of the washing machine my vendor was offering to sell me at £175 - we spoke on the telephone and as it is TEN years old she is allowing me to have it for free. As she was asking £175 I assumed it was only a few years old, glad I asked!

Our vendor has kindly asked if we will be using the oven or getting a new one as she will get it cleaned if it's the former.
I was going to give everything here a bit of a clean but hadn't even thought of the oven.

The vendor's agent seems to think we will be able to complete in early February.

Evening all, just popping in to say hello.

I hope everyone's sale/purchase is going well.

I hope no news is good news, I haven't had confirmation from my solicitor yet, I did phone and it's the answering machine. I spoke to the vendor two weeks ago on Sunday, honestly, I could spit nails.

I'm feeling a bit scared about the new variant being 'more dangerous' and had to take my car in for its MOT today, and after a forty minute wait got the bus home. I'm glad I have a Dettol spray, I remembered to do the handbrake too this time. It failed on the brakes and handbrake so I'm now carless until Monday which I hate, walking the dog on this narrow country road or in the thistle filled muddy fields is horrible. I'll count my blessings as I've got food and somewhere warm to live, I'll just play football with him in the garden.

If anyone is bored of TV I'm enjoying 'Ann with an E' on Netflix, adapted from 'Anne of Green Gables'. I'm also enjoying a lot of biscuits ;)

I am willing Shandy and Spice to reach that final day, nearly there! And good luck to others not far behind. The day itself is very stressful, so save a bit of energy for that!
Once our son is home and dry, hopefully before April, that will be 2 lockdown moves in our family, plus our own move 6 months earlier.

Keep us posted Shandy - some of us have followed your story with great interest and sympathy. Will breathe a big sigh of relief for you once you have moved in to your new home.

Spice that sounds positive! Fingers crossed that your move continues smoothly.

Hi Spice101, you've been busy! Wishing you the best of luck for a smooth transaction. You've not mentioned your knee, have you found something to control your pain?

I'm still waiting for my solicitor to contact me to confirm my dates, I did phone, and it's an answering machine. I hope for his own safety he is working from home, he goes in by train and the city is very busy.

He is very dynamic and I have every confidence in him. My son travelled without his paper railcard a few years ago, the inspector would not accept the 'Iphone ecopy' at the time,it was late 2016. He received a court summons for 'travelling without a valid ticket' and after taking advice from the rail forum, I discovered he would be prosecuted and have a police record for a year. Thankfully my solicitor helped him, I ended up paying the whole £340 return rail fare again - Newcastle to Plymouth - but my son avoided a police record. It was a completely innocent mistake not taking the paper card, he thought the e card was acceptable. He was going down to look at the university and luckily hadn't realised how serious it was during his trip. Awful times, his Dad had only died a few months before.

Raining here and my internet wouldn't come on so I switched off my router for half an hour, so glad it's on again!

Enjoy your afternoon

Shandy, we have that COVID clause in our contract too. I think it may be a standard clause here now as it was also in the contracts of the other houses we were interested in.

We are in a holding pattern at the moment, all is well just waiting for the next stage but meanwhile we have had to fill out a multitude of forms, sort out Verification of Identity which has to be done to either buy or sell property - =S's for the Government. Our conveyancer has strongly suggested that we take out a Caveat on the title which announces to al that we have an interest in the property would prevent the vendor doing anything without us being notified, it also protects us against any claim on the property in the case of a marriage breakup or bankruptcy etc. and also Title Insurance which protects us against any issues that may crop up such as non compliance of structures or incorrect measurements etc = more $'s

The stamp duty will be a huge amount to pay out (nearly $100k) for absolutely no benefit to us just more $'s for the Government. Of course the value of the property is above the limit for a temporary reduction on the Stamp Duty so no gain for us there.

It is just over 4 weeks now until our move.

Good news Pittcity, onwards and upwards. I'd better check my info for lenders fees, ha ha!

We've finally got contracts and transfer docs for sale and purchase to sign and return. We had to convince the solicitor to email them to us as our post is at least 3 weeks behind.
DH received a letter yesterday that was posted before Christmas!
We will get our neighbours to witness on the doorstep and pay for express delivery to return.
The solicitor also sent a draft statement which includes lender fees. (No mortgages involved) They had removed these when quoting but snuck them back in. Good job I'm on the ball.

Oh, Shandy just something else to worry about. Do hope that the conclusion to your journey happens very soon. At ;least you only have the 'Purchase' part to concern you - but that is quite enough. Think we all holding our breath for you.

Evening all, I've not heard from my solicitor yet regarding exchange, but wondered if anyone had a 'Covid Rider' on their purchase last year?

It seems that if you have this clause, neither party can claim compensation from the other if completion is delayed due to a 'covid' reason. I have asked to exchange and complete on the same day to limit my risk.

Packing makes it all so real. Almost at the final hurdle.

Theres an urgency in the property market now. AC sold house straightaway with no viewings involved, just rightmove photos and video.

Good luck packing Franbern, exciting your new floor is so near now! It took me far too long to pack two lamps yesterday, I eventually found a box that would take both of the shades as well.

Good luck to your daughter aggie, I do feel for her having so much to do all at once.

My Daughter is packing , working from home and home schooling ! She is moving in two weeks time , I have been following this thread and passing on tips to her
The buyers of her house don’t want anything left so lots of stuff on freecycle and charity shops till they closed
I am still reading here and wish you all well and hope there is a new thread opened when this one closes , Craftyone did a great job starting the threads xxxx

These last few weeks and, indeed, days are usually the most stressful. Indeed, it was at that stage that Craftyone first started this long thread. Everything seems so near, and yet nothing is absolutely decided. The final seven days of my house selling was definitely the most anxious and difficult by a long way.

However, once you are at this stage, it does usually all happen - so Shandy we are all waiting, along with you, to learn of confirmation of your Completion Date.

I am, at present, very involved in having to pack up (again), so much that I unpacked 15 months ago when I moved. Everything in my Living Room Units and Hallway are having to packed into boxes and stored in my spare bedroom ready for furniture to be able to moved around when I have my new floor laid in four weeks time. Doing a little most days - thought I would also be able to do some more re-cluttering, but decided I will now just pack it all away and (maybe) when I unpack it all again.!!!

Fortunate here, no snow at all, not even frost on windscreens. So glad I live 'down south'!!!!! Although, I am onlyh going our very rarely - once a week to Supermarket, had to go to GP surgery this week to see nurses, and will have to pop out today to pharmacist to collect new prescription. Otherwise I stay comfortably and firmly at home.

Evening all, I've just had another surprise, the estate agent has phoned me for an update. Seems neither solicitor can be contacted at the moment, I do hope my vendor's solicitor does write to mine with the proposed completion date soon.

I hope everyone else's purchase/sale is progressing, it is so stressful.

I am supposed to be wrapping all my pictures in bubble and now have no excuse as the fragile tape has arrived, I must force myself, I am feeling a bit lethargic at the moment.

I hope everyone is OK with this snow and ice. We've had torrential rain today and the ice has melted, causing a lot of surface water on the roads. The golf club where I walk my dog was flooded with the drains visibly bubbling. The water runs down the path and onto the beach,it was such a fast river of water my dog was scared, I had to carry him down.

Great news Pittcity, I hope the contract and TR turns up very soon, exciting! Fingers crossed for your daughter's move, I hope she has a nice day for it.