Buy a house - contract says I have to "keep all the furniture and fittings"

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Pinoy adventure

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Hi all
I'm looking into buying a house but there is a clause in the contract which states you are obliged too keep all fittings,furniture & items for the previous owner.
However it doesn't state for how long.
I've never heard of this befour so it
This a common clause ?
We viewed the house and the only stuff I saw was nets & curtains,1 picture hanging on a wall and a old oven in the kitchen.there is a small pile of rubble in the garage.

Would this put you off proceeding with the sale ?

Thanks
 
Have you discussed with your solicitor what exactly it means? Seems very to odd me to to expect a new owner to be obliged to store items for a previous owner for any period of time (if this is what you mean by "keep"). Are you sure it doesn't mean you get to keep them, in that they come with the house as part of the sale? Again your solicitor should be clarifying this before you make a decision based on same.
 
Boyd said:
Are you sure it doesn't mean you get to keep them, in that they come with the house as part of the sale?
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I would imagine that is exactly what it means. In other words, the seller is not going to dispose of them, so you will have to either keep them or dispose of them.

Brendan
 
I've talked with my solicitor and he said it's a very odd clause as it doesn't state how long I'd be obliged too keep all fittings,furniture & items for the owner.
would it be fair too advise the seller solicitor too advise there client they have a certain time on a certain day too pick up there items (whatever they may be)and too be done with this.
I cannot see any items of any value except the old oven in the house,but as the cause says all fitting,would this be radiators etc
 
It might be simpler and cheaper to just order a skip after you have bought the house rather than go back and forwards with rewriting the contract. If they do amend the contract and they don't clear the house, what are you going to do? Seek a High Court injunction?

Brendan
 
I think what the OP is suggesting is that they write to vendor to say please remove anything you wish to keep before the sale closing date otherwise it will be dumped.
 
Pinoy adventure said:
We viewed the house and the only stuff I saw was nets & curtains,1 picture hanging on a wall and a old oven in the kitchen.there is a small pile of rubble in the garage.

Would this put you off proceeding with the sale ?
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So stuff nobody wants. Clearly the house has been emptied. No it would not put me off buying. Just hire a skip when you get there.
 
Pinoy adventure said:
I've talked with my solicitor and he said it's a very odd clause as it doesn't state how long I'd be obliged too keep all fittings,furniture & items for the owner.
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What is your solicitor going to do about the clause, as he's not explaining it to you very well. All he has to do is pick up the telephone or send an email to the vendor's solicitor to find out exactly what the clause means.
 
Does it specifically say 'keep them for the owner'? That suggests storing them until such time as the owner comes and collects them?

Or does it just say keep all contents? Purchasers' solicitors will often add a clause specifying that the vendor must remove all personal contents including from attics and any outhouses prior to closing.

Vendors will often leave behind junk they don't want, but I've never heard of one asking a purchaser to store contents post sale.
 
Leo said:
Does it specifically say 'keep them for the owner'? That suggests storing them until such time as the owner comes and collects them?

Or does it just say keep all contents? Purchasers' solicitors will often add a clause specifying that the vendor must remove all personal contents including from attics and any outhouses prior to closing.

Vendors will often leave behind junk they don't want, but I've never heard of one asking a purchaser to store contents post sale.
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Leo its states you are obliged too All fittings,furniture &items for the owner.however it's does not say for how long.
 
Have you asked your solicitor to contact the vendors solicitor about removing the clause ??
 
Cervelo said:
Have you asked your solicitor to contact the vendors solicitor about removing the clause ??
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Yes,we have got a response which is stating the owner has some sort of list of items they want too get from the house.
The only item of value I seen was a oven in the kitchen,nets/curtains & 1 picture hanging on a wall.
 
Personally I’d hold out until they cleared their wanted items or at least arrange storage of said items.
 
Pinoy adventure said:
Yes,we have got a response which is stating the owner has some sort of list of items they want too get from the house.
The only item of value I seen was a oven in the kitchen,nets/curtains & 1 picture hanging on a wall.
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So, if I'm reading this right, the current owner wants to sell you their house, receive your money, and have you store an, as yet, unspecified number of items for them for an indefinite amount of time, which they will collect at their convenience?

p.s. the picture isn't a long lost Constable or Renoir by any chance? :)
 
Who would be responsible if something happened - or was alleged to have happened - to these items after the sale? Whose insurance is meant to cover these items?

No way I would agree to this. Unless it is just that the items are being left to the new owner to take care of as they wish, ie, a skip.
 
Be careful, I've heard of a case where the seller turned up to take out two fireplaces as they were seen as 'fittings'. I believe the same has been argued for a fitted kitchen!
 
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