Moving house, those things you missed...
Discussion
So after the fun and games our buyers decided to pull on us on completion day (read 11th hour money off) we finally moved into to our new house. We managed to basically pack and move everything within 8 hours.
Apparently it was very kind of our buyer, after gazundering us and bearing in mind nothing was set in stone until friday PM, to let us have until 4 pm on saturday to move out!
Many beer tokens were dispensed
But since moving in we have discovered...
The gas fire in the fire place. Not working.
The lights on the landing. Not working. No idea why, everything else works up there.
The Oven, can't be switched on because it trips the RCD.
The dishwasher cold water feed sprung a leek. This morning. 5 minutes before leaving for work.
Pretty much all the door handles have fallen off or were missing. Not such a problem because they are fugly.
The front door only latches in one location. You can practically open the door when its locked.
There were no smoke alarms or CO alarms (previous owner had kids! and an open gas fire!)
Shower thermo mixer ranges from hot to surface of the sun!
And today, Not so much an issue missed but, I got the washer and fridge delivered and the delivery men have damaged the fridge on the visible side. Hadn't even been out the box 5 minutes.
To be fair most of this stuff is just to be expected. There are always rough patches that you didn't notice when looking round before buying. But the fridge thing is stirring up my OCD.
Its purely cosmetic. I am sure a touch up pen would have it 90% sorted. But its just a little annoying to have spent good money on a fridge, to have it damaged within minutes by the lug nut delivering it. He claims it wasn't him, but they were the only people to touch it and its right where that metal buckle on his lifting harness would have been when they first commenced the lift over the door step.
He must have thought I was daft. So on the blower to curry's now to either get it replaced or get some £££ back.
Anyone else got tales of malady when moving into a new house?
Apparently it was very kind of our buyer, after gazundering us and bearing in mind nothing was set in stone until friday PM, to let us have until 4 pm on saturday to move out!
Many beer tokens were dispensed
But since moving in we have discovered...
The gas fire in the fire place. Not working.
The lights on the landing. Not working. No idea why, everything else works up there.
The Oven, can't be switched on because it trips the RCD.
The dishwasher cold water feed sprung a leek. This morning. 5 minutes before leaving for work.
Pretty much all the door handles have fallen off or were missing. Not such a problem because they are fugly.
The front door only latches in one location. You can practically open the door when its locked.
There were no smoke alarms or CO alarms (previous owner had kids! and an open gas fire!)
Shower thermo mixer ranges from hot to surface of the sun!
And today, Not so much an issue missed but, I got the washer and fridge delivered and the delivery men have damaged the fridge on the visible side. Hadn't even been out the box 5 minutes.
To be fair most of this stuff is just to be expected. There are always rough patches that you didn't notice when looking round before buying. But the fridge thing is stirring up my OCD.
Its purely cosmetic. I am sure a touch up pen would have it 90% sorted. But its just a little annoying to have spent good money on a fridge, to have it damaged within minutes by the lug nut delivering it. He claims it wasn't him, but they were the only people to touch it and its right where that metal buckle on his lifting harness would have been when they first commenced the lift over the door step.
He must have thought I was daft. So on the blower to curry's now to either get it replaced or get some £££ back.
Anyone else got tales of malady when moving into a new house?
Edited by Otispunkmeyer on Tuesday 30th September 16:48
Otispunkmeyer said:
Anyone else got tales of malady when moving into a new house?
Finally moved in at 5pm a week before Christmas (think very dark outside) only to be greeted by bare wires hanging from all ceilings downstairs - all light fittings removed and no ceiling roses/bulbs left in situ. 
Movers had to move us in in the pitch black with torches and lamps here and there. Called a spark out the next day to rectify, said charge how much you like, and successfully charged it all to the vendor. Tosser.
A few houses and about 14 year ago, a downsize forced by a pay-cut, so not a happy move in any case.
Moving day, sale completed, all worldly goods in a 7.5 ton box van (and in and on my Volvo estate)on the way to the new house my phone went, it was the solicitor, with a problem redeeming the mortgage on old house and completing on the new one. My response was "do whatever you have to".
This meant waiting outside the new house until late afternoon before they would release the keys, then on getting them finding that the house had not been cleared of its furnishings (It had been a rental and the owner had paid to have it emptied but it hadn't been done). Managed to shift furniture around to get enough space to unload the van (Had to extend the hire as it couldn't be returned that evening). Then found the gas was off and the boiler wouldn't fire, to find the gas meter was a card one and no card. The electric was the same (had not spotted the pre-pay meters before) Managed to get emergency credit on electric but not gas.
Found the electric shower was blown so had a nice cold bath at the end of the day.
It all worked out in the end, but was not a good day.
Moving day, sale completed, all worldly goods in a 7.5 ton box van (and in and on my Volvo estate)on the way to the new house my phone went, it was the solicitor, with a problem redeeming the mortgage on old house and completing on the new one. My response was "do whatever you have to".
This meant waiting outside the new house until late afternoon before they would release the keys, then on getting them finding that the house had not been cleared of its furnishings (It had been a rental and the owner had paid to have it emptied but it hadn't been done). Managed to shift furniture around to get enough space to unload the van (Had to extend the hire as it couldn't be returned that evening). Then found the gas was off and the boiler wouldn't fire, to find the gas meter was a card one and no card. The electric was the same (had not spotted the pre-pay meters before) Managed to get emergency credit on electric but not gas.
Found the electric shower was blown so had a nice cold bath at the end of the day.
It all worked out in the end, but was not a good day.
Our first house, we were young first time buyers, it was a cheap unique fixer up opportunity.
Moved in, opened the window and the whole window and frame fell out the outer frame lol!
Bare wires in the kitchen cubboards where socket had been removed.
plastic bags stuffed in the walls where the bricks had once been.
Oh it was fun putting that place right.
Moved in, opened the window and the whole window and frame fell out the outer frame lol!
Bare wires in the kitchen cubboards where socket had been removed.
plastic bags stuffed in the walls where the bricks had once been.
Oh it was fun putting that place right.
Moved in to our house 4 weeks ago. The survey had already established some issues, but we've since noticed:
- No extractor fans in bathrooms, so lots of condensation - I had fans installed last week which has sorted it
- Very odd wiring for a couple of inside and outside lights, basically a second live feed from some timer switches that had become stuck on. I started to worry when I couldn't turn lights off - I thought we may have a short in the loft, so worried about fire!
- While investigating the wiring, some switches didn't actually have the wires properly screwed in
- Madly expensive and rare bulbs in light fittings (square MR16 and GY6.35 axial reflectors)
- Phone sockets EVERYWHERE! Lots of the damn things
- Broken support on one of the showers
- Missing trim on a couple of handles
Moved out of our home 12 weeks back into a rented i owned, renovations to the new place for 8 weeks then moved in.
The rental was a three bed, we came form a 5 bed with 2 lounges. Stuff everywhere
Money spent at an obscene rate trying to renovate new house (old property)
Had to move out of rental on x date as it was sold when I moved in
All in all a complete mare and my stress levels have not returned to normal.
Never again.......
The rental was a three bed, we came form a 5 bed with 2 lounges. Stuff everywhere
Money spent at an obscene rate trying to renovate new house (old property)
Had to move out of rental on x date as it was sold when I moved in
All in all a complete mare and my stress levels have not returned to normal.
Never again.......
hornetrider said:
Otispunkmeyer said:
Anyone else got tales of malady when moving into a new house?
Finally moved in at 5pm a week before Christmas (think very dark outside) only to be greeted by bare wires hanging from all ceilings downstairs - all light fittings removed and no ceiling roses/bulbs left in situ. Movers had to move us in in the pitch black with torches and lamps here and there. Called a spark out the next day to rectify, said charge how much you like, and successfully charged it all to the vendor. Tosser.
Otispunkmeyer said:
So after the fun and games our buyers decided to pull on us on completion day (read 11th hour money off) we finally moved into to our new house. We managed to basically pack and move everything within 8 hours.
Excuse my naiivety but on exchange doesn't any shenanigans afterwards lead to forfeit of the 10% deposit held by each solicitor? I mean I am planning 6 weeks between exchange and completion so I am geniunely interested to know. I thought Gazundering would have just left walking away an keeping the cash...? I'm lucky as I am currently renting ( on 8 weeks notice hence the gap ) but I'd love to know what they can get away with in the interim?
Was just reading the same page. Well part of my offer ( quite close to the asking and above a stamp duty level increase ) was to have 6 weeks between if possible.
It looks like a little chain is forming ahead of me though and so I'm gonna have to push pretty hard for an early exchange on a fixed move date. If they have to move into rented its not my problem!
Looking at what they bought it for in 1997
means they made enough profit to deal with the hassle on their end and not mine I reckon.
It looks like a little chain is forming ahead of me though and so I'm gonna have to push pretty hard for an early exchange on a fixed move date. If they have to move into rented its not my problem!
Looking at what they bought it for in 1997
means they made enough profit to deal with the hassle on their end and not mine I reckon.Otispunkmeyer said:
Apparently it was very kind of our buyer, after gazundering us and bearing in mind nothing was set in stone until friday PM, to let us have until 4 pm on saturday to move out!
So did you do anything in the end to make the gazunderer's first day in the house less than ideal?BluePurpleRed said:
TA14 said:
How many 10% deposits do you think that there are?
Not sure what you mean? I assume that on exchange each side must lodge 10% with their solicitor until completion? So to answer. 2. :P
If the buyers pull out it's not just the 10% that they lose but failure to perform leaves them open to be sued, possibly for a lot more. I understand that it's pretty rare.
6 weeks from exchange to completion should be fine. Good luck.
When we moved in, we discovered that the window lock key(s) were missing.
And many of the windows were locked. Open.
Yes, you read that correctly: the windows were open, with the latches locked, and they could not be closed.
This was the end of October.
Fortunately the locksmith who came had a hunt around in his van and found a key that fitted. Doesn't give huge confidence in the security of the locks, but at least he only charged a modest call-out fee. Decent chap - he could've stung us for new locks all round!
And many of the windows were locked. Open.
Yes, you read that correctly: the windows were open, with the latches locked, and they could not be closed.
This was the end of October.
Fortunately the locksmith who came had a hunt around in his van and found a key that fitted. Doesn't give huge confidence in the security of the locks, but at least he only charged a modest call-out fee. Decent chap - he could've stung us for new locks all round!
Edited by Dr Mike Oxgreen on Wednesday 1st October 10:50
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