Dirty at Settlement

[murtagh]

Hi,

A quick one hopefully - we're about to settle on our PPOR, so we dropped in last weekend to check the condition, to get another look at the rooms and all that stuff that people do. I couldn't be there, but I'm informed by my other half that it was dirty and that "if I was renting it, I wouldn't leave it like that and expect to get my bond back".

So we called the agent Monday, of course we get voicemail .. with no call back. Trying again a few times a day all week, leaving messages each time, we now get hold of him. So he puts on the property manager who claims the place is fine and that we have unreasonably high standards.

What on earth do I do?
Just book a cleaner for after settlement?
Insist that the seller do it prior to settlement?

What's the actual requirement for cleanliness on selling a property? I'm not expecting it to look brand new, but running a damp cloth over the stove would be a good start.

Thanks!

 

[alexlee]

If it were me, as long as it's just dirty and not damaged, I'd just book a cleaner. Not worth wringing your hands over.

IS your other half just being picky because you're going to be living in it?
Alex

 

[steveadl]

I'd second that. If it's bad I'd just get a cleaner in after settlement. Certainly not worth the effort and stress of chasing the vendors to pay for it.

 

[stumunro]

just good practise for the Mrs ?

on a more serious note! i also second alex, its not worth the hassle of trying to get them to clean it before settlement, better to just book a cleaner.

 

[skater]

Most of the houses I have bought need a clean. Don't sweat it.

 

[pi2012]

I agree. Book a cleaner. Thats exactly what we did when we bought our PPOR a month ago. We actually booked the cleaner to clean the place on the day of settlement as we moved in the next day and was really happy with the outcome. Not worth taking stress as Moving houses itself gets stressful.
Good Luck!!

 

[Dazz]

What's the actual requirement for cleanliness on selling a property? I'm not expecting it to look brand new, but running a damp cloth over the stove would be a good start.

Oooohhh, we used to dream about damp cloths.

One we bought 3 years ago has 82 tonnes worth of rubbish on it....purposefully and thoughtfully built up by the Vendors over a period of 8 years. They used to wallow in it...thrive in it. Beautiful. If we only had to deal with vacuum cleaners and sugar soap - what a dream.

Of course, messy people who make a mess cannot actually see a mess, that's just how they are. No point banging your head against a brick wall over that one.

A property truism that I've always subscribed to is : "Messy people never clean up mess."

Trying to force them is a wasted effort, and even if you are able to legally get them to do it, they'll do a really bad job just to spite you....

Very much part and parcel of the proud Aussie tradition of not appreciating being told what to do. It's one of the underlying reasons why alot of investors invest, so they can get their GFF big enough to approach their boss.

 

[skater]

A property truism that I've always subscribed to is : "Messy people never clean up mess."

One house we bought was covered in grease from the cooking. It was on the floors, walls even the light fittings. That was minor in the scope of the cleanliness of this particular property. The cockroach poop covering EVERY wall was a nice touch. Then when you opened the stove.......eeewwwwhhhh. The droppings were hanging off of the racks like a stalegtight. And then there were the bodies behind the glear glass on the controls. Need I say more.

Mind you, you can sometimes get a nice profit from picking them up in this condition.

 

[Sunfish]

We have just been given the keys of our latest purchase will look at it this afternoon. The vendor stayed a few weeks after settlement and paid some rent for the period.

We didn't do an "inspection" because we did not see how we could enforce any standard. The property will be as clean today as it would have been on settlement. Don't sweat the small stuff.

 

[WinstonWolfe]

Clean is just one thing you can get diddled on.
Be prepared to replace
- tele antenna
- broken phone jacks at wall
- electric door bells that don't work
- dysfunctional remote garage doors or lost remotes
- stove tops with broken hot plates
- range hoods with broken fans and lights
- doors with broken hinges.
- faulty toilet cisterns

And then there are leaky roofs, broken louvres, etc

Let's face it. Most used properties will have some of the above.
Unless you stipulate in your contract that you want it replaced or in good working order, then you need to remember to reduce your offer on the property by 3k to fix this stuff.

 

[wylie]

Brings back memories of the fossilised black lamb chop we found in a griller tray once

Wylie

 

[lizzie]

or you could think of it as a good opportunity to give it a paint and put down new carpet ... we did that with our current ppor - painted our butts off for 3 days before moving in, and trying to work around the carpet layers.

can you arrange early access with the vendor so that you can clean while the house is vacant?

 

[murtagh]

thanks all

Got in there again today, appears our complaints have got someone into gear. Never hurts to say what you want, I guess.

Thanks all - was nice to be talked off the ledge

 

[addbe]

make sure the land is still there. then take a break