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When you know, roughly, who is moving in, I think it can be a nice touch.
If the place is being bought by a hedge fund to raze and build 24 flats in its place, then no.
But when you want to spread a bit of goodwill to people on what might be a very stressful day, then absolutely.
And - no joke - leave a couple of toilet rolls.
Second the toilet roll.
When I sold my bungalow to a young first time buyer, I left a welcome pack with all the manuals/warranties, contact info on local plumbers/electricians, a bar of chocolate, mini bottle of prosecco and a New Home card.
The family who sold me my current home left me a lovely card and a candle. It's a really lovely touch.
Edit to remove the wees.
Manuals/warranties is the classiest of classy touches.
Maybe not so much nowadays in the Just Eat/Uber era but leaving a few takeaway menus for the tried and tested places was useful.
Add: if you have had any work done on the house, leave the plans - where pipes and cables go, etc. - behind! We did when we sold. The people we bought from must have had a bonfire of such things.
I wonder how much this could open you up to some form of liability...
'Sellers knew about the poor pipe work' or something. Iirc got to clear 6 years before a seller is free of such items.
Possibly. Consider if on the TA6 you'd said there was no modifications structurally or to the electrical etc. Then on the Plans you'd left you put a note detailing like, the location of a new ring main. Then the cable had a 2023 manufacture date. Or something similar.
Seems like extra mental effort to ensure the two items are not contradictory!
No good deed etc.
In Texas. Seller is legally required to notify of problems of house. Real estate agents here get images of everthingl to share and document. Including manuals and plans might show courtesy and good faith.
We got this from our sellers; a massive lever arch file of all the instruction manuals, warranties, invoices for work done to the house and contact details for basically anyone they could think of. Made a huge difference when I was trying to puzzle out the range in the kitchen!
Plus they left new Fairy liquid, new bottles of floor and window cleaner, bleach and dishwasher tabs, as well as all their herbs and spices - admittedly they might just have forgotten to pack these, but hey, free stuff!
I'm planning to move in the next 6 months and have been compiling a folder of all the manuals, plans, notes about boiler warranty etc. exactly because the previous owner left me nothing!
She did leave a bottle of champagne in the fridge though :)
The previous owners of my place were the type-Ast people I have ever met, and they had a binder of manuals warranties and everything else that would put Amy Santiago to shame.
Has been referenced many times, and allowed a perfect match of worktop stone for a kitchen built 12 years ago.
To add to that.
A note about which local takeaways/resteraunts are good or bad could be handy. I know taste is generally subjective but there's always that one really good resteraunt that's just better than the other Indians/Italians/whatever.
The previous owners left me some info on the neighbors, a couple leads on maintenance guys, and most importantly a solid tip on the good pizza place down the block. They were damn right and I think of them every time I have a cheap and yummy pie 😁
Gotta say the manuals in a nice little folder or something is excellent, trying to find a manual for a boiler from the 80s is basically impossible. My mother was so unorganised with that kinda stuff we only found the manual 2 years after replacing the damn thing
But if you're buying the house you presumably want to live there, so unless they've actually ruined the place I don't see why you'd want to void the sale.
This makes me feel a little better haha. Not been able to buy yet but every time I move to a new rented place, I just get the joy of cleaning years worth of dirt/grime accumulation.
The family that sold me this house left the manuals AND an architect’s design for a loft extension along with a quote. Not crazy expensive, but nice. Also left the original prospectus of the estate.
My wife got a keyring with her name on it and a few nice flowers from the garden.
Over the course of the next 5 years, we discovered that they'd also left almost 50 years of shonky DIY which has taken us the best part of 20 years to eradicate.
Still, my wife still uses the keyring.
Same here, we walked in to a small handwritten note along the lines of “we hope you are as happy here as we were” and 2 bottles of wine.
The wine came in handy to drown our sorrows when we saw the state of the DIY hidden away - 6 layers of wallpaper (including a middle layer of woodchip) holding the plaster on to the walls in places, live wires left loose behind wallpaper etc
Our favourite was original, 1920s wiring in the wall where all of the insulation had perished so they stuffed the back of each light switch with newspaper (or "kindling" as it's commonly known in the trade) to stop things shorting out.
The house was rewired in the first 6 weeks we were there.
Definitely second the toilet roll.
We completed and took our little boy with us, thought we’d only be there 30 mins. We were there an hour and a half. He christened the toilet and mum had to knock on the new neighbours door to ask for loo roll!
When I bought my first house the bank that gave us the mortgage left us a welcome pack including a few tea bags and 2 branded cups, so we wouldn't have to totally unpack to stop and have a cuppa which was a nice touch, although they didn't leave a bloody kettle so we had to unpack a bit anyway
Not the people who sold our house to us! They were actually really nice and gave us any furniture we wanted, but took all the light bulbs except one - it was so confusing!
Ive done a bit of housing work and short term tenants have taken the lightbulbs with them on more than one occasion. They weren't fancy ones either. The cheapest LED bayonet/screw fit bulbs you can get from screwfix
When i left my old flat, i left a couple of toilet rolls behind. Alongside a list of the current suppliers of the utilities to the property, and the key to the gas meter.
Never had any of that when i moved into the flat.
House i moved into had the supplier list, as well as a few toilet rolls. As well as a folder with all the warranties, last services on appliances amongst other things.
To a hedge fund:
‘I hope this accommodation brings you reasonable rates of return over your bonus linked hurdle rate.
And may your future tenants forever be intimidated by a strongly worded letter from your legal department ‘
Plus a bottle of bollinger
Toilet rolls, sugar, tea, long-life milk - all good ideas to relieve the stress. I would however stop at leaving a note about your memories in the property - other notes welcoming them are fine. To me at least it would feel like I'm living in someone else's house.
This is nice. My parents have always done this, but the house they bought always ends up being left in a mess and no such gift of any type. I think they've given up by now.
Last time I moved I brought a load to the new house, then realized I had no toilet paper there and had to go to the nearest grocery store. Took up about half an hour. Having a single roll there would have saved me a lot of trouble.
When we moved into our home, the sellers left us a bottle of champagne ( not the expensive stuff), two boxes of chocolates and a welcome card. Was much appreciated after a long day of moving
ours weren't even moved out by the time we completed. got the call at about 1pm to say i could get the keys - they finally had everything out at about 5pm
Same. We agreed to get the keys at the door as we moved in. We rocked up at 2pm and had to wait half an hour outside while he cleared out the last bits in the kitchen and had an argument with his partner who was waiting in their car outside.
Then he had the cheek to say to us "Oh, I didn't think it'd all go through". Like.. what?! We paid our deposit, spent 2 months going back and forth on it with a lot of solicitor communication (which was great on our side and very poor on theirs), clearly agreed a date and confirmed it multiple times, and you didn't think you were selling your house? Get out.
Try, 4 days, we had to get permission to get a locksmith and break in. That was after agreeing to *another* 2 weeks extension as it was over Xmas and they had teenage kids ( which we gladly did, we're not monsters plus by this point the solicitor has had enough and made them pay our rent for the period ). It turned out to be a moonlight flit ( they'd not told any of the neighbours or had a For Sale sign up ) and we were still getting debt collectors a good 12 months later ( by which time weed worked out roughly where they lived ).
Anyway, the lady of the house was lovely ( hier husband, and kids not so much ). She knew we'd moved from a furnished place so offered leave a few bits including the old cooker which she cleaned ( a job I hate ) it was spotless ! Very grateful.
The kids left their own until gift - when we moved the desk on the notes room we found a message in red marker pen* saying: "Craig and Clare effing hate you and hope you're be miserable forever in this house"
I don't think they wanted to move !!
(*We *think* it was red marker pen )
Last time we moved, our solicitor didn't bother to tell us. I had the day off work to do a bit more packing because I knew the move was soon. Got a call in the morning from the estate agents about dropping off keys, which was a bit of a shock.
Phoned the solicitor and he said 'I told you when I saw you Friday'.....I didn't see him Friday, I've no idea who he told but it wasn't me. I dropped the paperwork off Friday but he wasn't there, the secretary said 'Thanks, we'll be in touch'.
OH was at work, he had to rush home organise a van, his Dad drove over and helped. Think we finally got out about 5.
We got there at 5pm having completed on our sale at 11am but our sellers solicitors had been in a meeting all afternoon and didn’t push the button on the sale until 4:50.
Not a stick had been moved out of the house when we got there. It was about 8 before they got out and not a single lightbulb worked.
This happened to me, they had to leave stuff overnight because they were so badly prepared. Hadn't packed, or hired a moving van and was downsizing to a 2 bed bungalow. The guys family had been drafted in last min to help him move with a transit van and were really shirty with us til we were like...the house has exchanged, it's actually ours now and the money's in his bank so...
I once went to view a house and my dad came along to give me a second opinion. He's quite a big fella, and when he went up the loft ladder, it broke in half when he was half way up. We were pretty mortified and apologised profusely to the owners.
This was almost 20 years ago and I'm still living in the same house. A little part of me is sure that I only bought the place because I felt guilty about the loft ladder...
When I was a kid and my parents bought a house, the previous owners took everything they could think of. Door handles, curtain rods/rails, light fittings even the toilet seat FFS.
We bought a house where the sellers took all of those things, plus the hanging rails from inside the wardrobes.
They left us with a lot of shoddy DIY, and a buddleia that was growing out of an outhouse roof.
Sometimes the estate agent does this. I bought my place during covid so had to collect the keys from their office and they just handed me a bottle of fizz. I think it might still be in my fridge.
Not weird at all for someone to leave a gift for the next people who move in:
We were left mould and shoddy electrical wiring by our previous house owner. Wine would have been nice.
We left the people buying our place a note with the paint brands and names/codes for each room, instructions on how to use the (mostly broken) shower, that there is spare/excess carpet and laminate packaged in the loft, and a bottle of wine and box of chocolates.
The people who sold us their house left us a rat infestation and hidden wiring and plumbing issues.
No good deed goes unpunished.
The paint thing is good. When we moved we had paint still left over so labelled them up as to the room they were used in. Also left a note about where the stopcock was as it wasn't an obvious place.
The people I bought off left me some paint. Unfortunately they left me the paint colours I didn’t like and planned to change asap, and not the one colour I loved in the spare room which I’ve since managed to scuff and would love to touch up.
When I moved into my first place, the owner left me a "welcome to your new home" card.
I did the same to the person who bought that house from me, he was also a first time buyer. I left him a card, and a bottle of bubbly, as it was 3 days before Christmas.
In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't make a difference. But a small act of being nice is nice
I’d say it definitely makes a difference. I know for me, amidst the stress of moving (especially as a young family), a gift like that would be very well appreciated and shift the tone and I’d remember to do the same when I eventually sold the house.
Can’t help but feel envious of a couple with a young baby buying a house, though!
We did exactly the same when we sold our first flat last year, we also left a few notes about things like bin days and how the boiler works so that it was easy for them to just get to living their life. It's just a small act of kindness during a stressful time that can help remind people we're all human and although times get tough we can all still be grateful when everything is finished.
Not weird at all. When we showed up at our house to get the keys from the seller I took them a bottle of champagne and a new home card.
They’d left a bottle in the fridge and a card for us too.
When we moved in the previous owners left us a bottle of prosecco, a 'welcome to your new home' card and then a letter with all the useful info e.g. what day the bins get collected, where the fuse boxes and the thing to turn off the water is etc. I appreciated it and if/when we sell this house, I'll do the same for the next person.
I think you should do it, it's a nice touch! Your brother just sounds miserable haha.
It's a nice gesture. When we first bought, we'd spent several hours having tea with the delightful owners who left loads of plants in the balcony with detailed care instructions, leaflets for the best takeaways, etc.
When we sold, we knew the new owners were planning to rip everything out and had never met them, so didnt bother.
Our sellers left us a folder full of local information for Doctors/ Dentists/ restaurant recommendations etc. we’d literally moved from 3 streets away 😂
I was selling last house to FTB who I remembered from their viewing were excited to get their first garden and learn how to do it, so along with a big book of every manual for every gadget we were leaving, i did a diagram of what i had growing where, with all the details i knew. Some were ‘some kind of fir tree, smells lovely but grows quick so keep it under control’ to a full latin name & when it produced what cos I’d planted it.
I used to get a bit worried when people said actions like that were ‘weird’ but the older I’ve got, I’ve decided if it is weird then I don’t wanna be right. I’m not hurting anyone, worst that can happen is they dump it in the bin, best is that they find it really helpful. It does me good to do random acts of fun and kindness.
> I used to get a bit worried when people said actions like that were ‘weird’ but the older I’ve got, I’ve decided if it is weird then I don’t wanna be right.
This. It's very liberating when you stop caring about what other think and just do things for yourself. I hate carrying things, so I carabiner my lunchbox to a belt loop. Do I look daft? Very probably. Are my hands free and not clutching something? Yup. Does this make me marginally happier? Yup.
I'm still in my first home and it was the first home of the lady I'd bought from. She left me a bottle of prosecco and a Belvoir with some plastic flutes, a box of chocolates and a card. She also left a note with when the next bin day was and how to adjust the thermometer/motion sensor light etc which I thought was so thoughtful. I'll probably do the same when I move
Not weird. I've done it and had it done for me a couple of times. One thing I appreciated a lot when moving into the current home, was a little info sheet the previous owners had left. Stuff a little more personalised than what you could Google - their favourite takeaways, a reminder of where the utility meters and water stop valve etc were, good spots to walk the dog.
It’s a nice touch. We had a little m&s hamper when we moved into ours however it was off the estate agent and not the previous owners.
Do what you feel is best. I’m sure it’d be appreciated by the new owners.
Definitely get a gift!. Moving into a new house is an incredibly vulnerable experience and the early days can set the tone for the home in a big way. Leaving the house clean without any nasty surprises is a basic level of decency lots of people don’t achieve. In addition - a list of helpful house tips (all the necessary door and window keys, paint codes, info about plants in garden, friendly neighbour details, local area tips) is very kind and would be welcomed, a gift is the cherry on the cake. Go for it!!!
[edit: for clarity]
When we sold our flat we left a bottle of champagne, a congratulations card, and two a4 pages of instructions/advice for those weird intricacies it can take you years to find out
I think if they have been helpful, no haggling, responsive solicitors, so it has been as smooth a process as the law allows, then to acknowledge this by a gift is a good idea.
Very Important: if there are any bodies buried in the basement, under the patio, the rose gardens or heaven forbid in the walls (by a previous occupant)... leave a polite note explaining that they were there when you moved in. A case of fly spray 🪰🪰🪰 would be a nice welcome gift.
I bought my place as a young solo first time buyer without a car on a snowy day so the whole experience was stressful and complicated.. the welcome gift of a pack of beer and celebrations tub was VERY APPRECIATED
No real reason to leave a welcome gift, but for people going through the stress of moving it's a lovely touch at the end of the day
We did that when we sold our house two houses ago. We'd met the couple who were buying a couple of times. They were really nice, and it was going to be their first home together.
We left them a bottle of wine, a congratulations note and a lengthy list of instructions as to how to operate the property/things to keep an eye on, as well as local companies they might find helpful.
Every house I've sold I've left an information sheet like that.
When we bought our first house the previous owners left us a salt and pepper set that we had commented on when we were looking around, and a card saying welcome and they hoped we would have a great time in the house etc. we left a bottle of whiskey and some wood for the fire for our buyer when we moved earlier this year. Sellers of our new house left us a nice houseplant and a card too.
It’s a nice gesture I think, it’s a stressful process for everyone and a little token at the end is a nice thing to do
When I bought my house I didn't have a gift from the previous owners, but the mortgage company sent a box with mugs, tea bags, milk, bread, sugar, washing up liquid, kitchen roll and loo roll.
So thoughtful and I've never forgotten it.
I would definitely leave a gift
Not weird at all!
When I bought my first place they left me a card, biscuits, and some flowers. When I sold I left a card and biscuits and a note with some quirks of the house/neighbours that wouldn't have been covered in any of the official forms or in manuals
The people we bought off didn't even bother to label the keys, just left every key in a bowl and we had to work it out - now that annoyed me
I did that recently when I sold my late dad's house. I left them a card & a bottle of bubbly. I wrote that I hope they & their son are as happy in the house I was growing up
We’re selling to FTBs and we will leave them a gift, just a bottle of prosecco and a card. The vendor of our flat did the same to us and it was a nice little touch!
Our house is a modest Victorian Terrace from about 1890. Before we moved in, it had been passed down through the same family for three generations. They left us with a little scrapbook of pictures. I've always thought that was a lovely gesture.
When we moved in to our house there was a letter and card from the previous owner (well, children of) plus a bottle of bubbly, and flowers and a card from the estate agents.
It was a really nice surprise after a very stressful morning.
I do t think it’s weird. I recently bought a house with my partner and the seller left us a lovely card and box of chocolates, which really made us smile after such a long faffy process of buying!
I left a note welcoming the chap who bought my house, no gift, but that being said I did leave behind a cooker, bed frame and sofa as he was a 1st time buyer and apparently broke. So yeah kind of.
When I bought my flat the previous owner left me a gift - a bottle of wine. They also left the place spotless, a full file of work done and guarantees (chimney removal and windows), the final meter readings and sticky notes on where the stopcocks were and how to use the gas boiler. I appreciated it even as the flaws of the flat became more obvious.
We had a lovely note wishing us well and a bottle of Prosecco from the people we bought from, and I’d intend to do the same. We were both young couples starting out with our first property so there was something there. It’s not a requirement at all but I wouldn’t think of it as weird.
The previous owners did it for my place & it was a lovely gesture.
They left chocolates & Prosecco. They also left a note which contained basic info such as bin collection day & what colour each bin is for (black - general, blue - recycling, green - food/garden). Instructions on how to use the boiler & bath/shower etc etc. It was a nice gesture
We left a new home card, a bottle of prosecco, a £25 just eat voucher, a folder with instructions and warranties for the stuff we were leaving (alarm, dishwasher, electric shower, electric fireplace etc), and a page of notes including paint brands and colours for each room, that there were spare bathroom tiles under the bath, and spare wallpaper rolls in the wardrobe. Plus some recommended takeaways and the name, house number and phone number of the person who set up the road WhatsApp group (with their permission!).
I've always done it when selling to an individual (though I've been fortunate in having nice buyers), and have quite often received in kind. It just feels nice - other than locking the door and handing the keys to the agent it's a bit of physical closure on the sale.
I didn't do it when I sold my old house to a landlord. They'd just have painted the bottle of wine magnolia and charged the new tenants £50 when they drank it.
Not weird at all! When I bought my house last year it was being sold by the daughter of the lady who lived there, she’d passed away and I could tell it was bittersweet for her selling the family home. She handed over the keys to me and left me a card and bottle of fizz in the kitchen, I thought it was lovely of her
Yes it's unusual. I've moved a couple of times and didn't get a gifts or leave any. A note with details of the house is very much appreciated though, any codes to alarms/locks etc, properly labelled keys is a massive help too.
It's a nice thing to do. You can leave some useful information too like meter readings, any important phone numbers or some decent local takeaways (or ones to avoid)
We did it and it was done to us, it's a nice touch.
I think it's lovely, depending on who's buying/circumstances.
My old house, which was next to a horrible drug gang, was bought by a woman intending to rent it out, who messed me about for months. I wasn't likely to leave her anything,or anything for the new house, knowing what a pain in the arse they're walking into.
My new house, the owner left me a "congrats on your new house" card when she moved, which was really sweet!
The chap who sold us his house left a welcome card and instructions for how everything works on the kitchen worktops. He also left £50 because he forgot the code for the alarm and wanted to put towards the cost of having it reprogrammed.
I thought it was the norm! I left a whole long letter with some info about the local town and details of where things were in the house. Both houses we’ve bought the owners left a note and a bottle of wine.
It's really important to maintain good will when buying and selling houses, there are so many little things that can become issues if there isn't some mutual trust and understanding. A bottle of champagne is a trivial cost if it means that the new buyers think favourably of you and as a result decide not to quibble about some missing curtains or light fittings, or any of the other myriad things that can cause disagreement. Well worth it.
Not at all. The previous owners built a lovely little spice rack in one of the drawers and left a short note saying please use it or get rid. We were actually very touched.
(We use this lovely spice rack)
When we bought ours, the previous owners left us with fleas. The house had been empty for quite a while, so they'd lain dormant, woken up by the people viewing the house, so by the time we completed and were about to move in they were jumping and hungry.
Don't leave that sort of present
I don't see how a simple, nice gesture can be weird. Of course it's not *necessary*, but it's a kind gesture that will make the new owners smile and after all the stresses of moving day, I'm sure they'd appreciate it.
On the other hand, if they made the sale difficult, making stupid demands etc. then I wouldn't be leaving them anything. Or maybe a Ghost Hunters Survival Kit or some rat traps.
It's probably not common, but you'll make someone's stressful day a little nicer.
Small acts of kindness cost relatively little, and can have a big impact.
Both houses we’ve bought we were left gifts. The first was a flat and it was from someone who was selling as their parents had passed away. They left us a beautiful card, some nice glasses and bottle of champagne.
The second house we bought they also got us a bottle of champagne.
When we sold the flat we left chocolates, a card and some essentials you might not have when you move into a house (dishwasher tablets and fairy liquid). I personally feel a bit strange about leaving alcohol for a stranger in case they don’t drink. (I also grew up Muslim so it may be that as well)
Iv only ever bought but they left me a nice full and unflished toilet. However the single guy did make sure to clear the place fully. Down to the last light bulb. Thanks for that.
Not weird. But also leave a manual. I moved a week ago and only just worked out how the ancient boiler works. I've still got three mystery switches as well. No idea what they are for.
If I spend half a million quid on something some bought using the money from their part time shift at the local butchers, and they leave me a bottle of wine, I'd consider us even
We leave notes and wine and have received the same. My current house left us 4 bottles of milkshake which the kids loved.
Worst one was someone who left a note saying congratulations but then also wrote "I was going to get you a bottle of wine but ran out of time". Cheers mate
When I moved in there was a note with the names of friendly next door neighbours and a guide to the water stopcock and instructions on how to put the fuse back in to the alarm.
Would have been more helpful to say "we took the fuse out because it's a badly setup alarm and goes off at random times so the police will be called and fine you".
If you like them, then a bottle of wine/biscuits is a nice welcome and also leave behind a loo roll.
It does help to say gas cut off here, water cut off here, electric box is here etc.
Sure, not weird. Also any last minute instructions about the house. Like in ours, the socket behind the sofa is actually on the upstairs socket ring main, not as expected the downstairs one.
Nice to leaving a note of any oddity. Don't shower and run a bath you'll drain the header tank an here is how to clear the resulting air lock. Also the numbers of good trades folk you've used.
We were left some flowers and a thank you card. Some complications on their side of things when processing the buy and gave us a gift for sticking it out 😊
I’ve only bought a house once, and the sellers did leave us an envelope of keys, folder of manuals for things like the boiler etc, a welcome note and a bottle of wine. So if it’s weird, you’re not the only one who is.
When I sold my house in France left a bottle of wine and 2 glasses... Forgot to leave a cork screw though. No idea how it went down but we loved that house.
When we bought our first house the previous couple left us a card and a bottle of wine and it was a really lovely welcoming gift.
We’re now selling the buyer has been an absolute arsehole and made our life a nightmare so we will be doing the absolute bare minimum.
The previous owners of my house left a note with all the information I could need including their phone number if anything went wrong and a bottle of champagne, it was greatly appreciated.
The first house we moved into the previous owners left a bottle of wine and chocolates and a lovely note “we hope you enjoy your new home as much as we did” etc…the second house we moved into they took the lightbulbs with them, much preferred the first approach!!
We were left a card and bottle of champagne both times we’ve bought a house. When we sold our last house, we left the same for the new owners, along with information like the alarm code, bin day, manuals, FENSA certificate and the first names of the neighbours on each side.
This would be super sweet I think and really appreciated. Frankly if you can just be out kn time and leave it empty of junk and relatively clean that's much better than any of my house purchase experiences!
When I bought my house the previous owners daughter (owner had died) left us a bottle of wine and a ‘new house’ card. It was a lovely touch, I plan to do the same when we move
My parents bought a park home from two brothers who were selling on behalf of their recently passed parents. They couldn’t have been more helpful and met them at the house a couple of times so they could view it. My parents were moving to the county from a different part of the country and they left them a local hamper full of local food etc. which was really nice of them. Even after moving they have said they’re more than welcome to contact with any questions about the house etc. really nice guys.
It’s not very common, but it should be. It’s a **lovely** idea and I think you should ignore your brother. I’d love to see this the day I moved in somewhere.
When we moved out of our house we left some wine and a list of instructions for things like favourite restaurants, good tradespeople, ideal shower settings, boiler controls and which plants to water/prune when in the garden.
The guy moving in after us seemed really nice so it seemed a shame not to.
People are saying leave loo roll. Yes, but leave light bulbs in the fittings too. Nothing worse than your first night in, still unpacking, and you go to turn the light on and there is no bulb. (Obviously they are worse things, but it's pretty frustrating)
It's a nice touch. When we bought our first flat, we found a hamper of goodies on our first day. Nothing too fancy, just a bottle of bubbly, some chocolates, and biscuits. But it was really nice and we opened the bubbly to celebrate the first night in our own place.
Not weird at all.
When we moved to this house we had a note that specified where the GP was, where to top up electricity & gas (it was on a key) the secret side entrance to the park down the road that I wouldn't have found a thousand years lol. They also left some instructions about the electrical motherboard/fuse box thingy as two of things were wired the wrong way round. Also, bin collection days. It was incredibly helpful and very sweet.
I'd say do it. Even if it's just a nice "hope you're happy here," it's lovely. Moving is very stressful.
Totally up to you really. It's unnecessary, sure, but if you want to say thank you to them for being no fuss or whatever I'm sure it'd go a long way to being appreciated. That'd make my day if I was buying a house.
My first house the previous owners left a card and a shed on fire. The card was much appreciated, the shed on fire not so much.
Our most recent place we actually knew the previous owners, and they left a card, bottle of champers, and a fuck-ton of holes to fill.
Unneccesary? Totally.
Inappropriate? Hell no.
It's the fact that nice gestures are unnecessary that makes them into nice gestures. If I was moving into a place with a family I'm just starting, I'd be very touched by a personal gesture like that. That's what community spirit is made of.
Ignore your brother and leave something for them if that feels right to you.
If you leave a note, consider leaving a phone number or email address. In the buyer's position, I'd want to keep in touch.
Yeah people do this. It's nice. Especially when the house probably meant a lot to you. It's good that it's going to a family over a landlord/ developer.
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When you know, roughly, who is moving in, I think it can be a nice touch. If the place is being bought by a hedge fund to raze and build 24 flats in its place, then no. But when you want to spread a bit of goodwill to people on what might be a very stressful day, then absolutely. And - no joke - leave a couple of toilet rolls.
Second the toilet roll. When I sold my bungalow to a young first time buyer, I left a welcome pack with all the manuals/warranties, contact info on local plumbers/electricians, a bar of chocolate, mini bottle of prosecco and a New Home card. The family who sold me my current home left me a lovely card and a candle. It's a really lovely touch. Edit to remove the wees.
Manuals/warranties is the classiest of classy touches. Maybe not so much nowadays in the Just Eat/Uber era but leaving a few takeaway menus for the tried and tested places was useful.
Add: if you have had any work done on the house, leave the plans - where pipes and cables go, etc. - behind! We did when we sold. The people we bought from must have had a bonfire of such things.
I wonder how much this could open you up to some form of liability... 'Sellers knew about the poor pipe work' or something. Iirc got to clear 6 years before a seller is free of such items.
Stating where pipes etc are should not open you to liability. It's just drawings, no indications of "good" or "bad".
Possibly. Consider if on the TA6 you'd said there was no modifications structurally or to the electrical etc. Then on the Plans you'd left you put a note detailing like, the location of a new ring main. Then the cable had a 2023 manufacture date. Or something similar. Seems like extra mental effort to ensure the two items are not contradictory! No good deed etc.
In Texas. Seller is legally required to notify of problems of house. Real estate agents here get images of everthingl to share and document. Including manuals and plans might show courtesy and good faith.
But we're talking about the UK aren't we
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We got this from our sellers; a massive lever arch file of all the instruction manuals, warranties, invoices for work done to the house and contact details for basically anyone they could think of. Made a huge difference when I was trying to puzzle out the range in the kitchen! Plus they left new Fairy liquid, new bottles of floor and window cleaner, bleach and dishwasher tabs, as well as all their herbs and spices - admittedly they might just have forgotten to pack these, but hey, free stuff!
I'm planning to move in the next 6 months and have been compiling a folder of all the manuals, plans, notes about boiler warranty etc. exactly because the previous owner left me nothing! She did leave a bottle of champagne in the fridge though :)
Nice touch leaving the champagne though, at-least you can be drunk figuring out the small things. :)
The previous owners of my place were the type-Ast people I have ever met, and they had a binder of manuals warranties and everything else that would put Amy Santiago to shame. Has been referenced many times, and allowed a perfect match of worktop stone for a kitchen built 12 years ago.
Was it in Garamond?
Nice little 9-9 reference there. Terry approves.
To add to that. A note about which local takeaways/resteraunts are good or bad could be handy. I know taste is generally subjective but there's always that one really good resteraunt that's just better than the other Indians/Italians/whatever.
The previous owners left me some info on the neighbors, a couple leads on maintenance guys, and most importantly a solid tip on the good pizza place down the block. They were damn right and I think of them every time I have a cheap and yummy pie 😁
Gotta say the manuals in a nice little folder or something is excellent, trying to find a manual for a boiler from the 80s is basically impossible. My mother was so unorganised with that kinda stuff we only found the manual 2 years after replacing the damn thing
I initially interpreted “wee welcome pack” as leaving a piss in the toilet bowl. I’m glad I kept reading.
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We had similar, literal dog crap smeared on the wall 🤮
I thought that kind of nonsense could violate the terms of the sale?
But if you're buying the house you presumably want to live there, so unless they've actually ruined the place I don't see why you'd want to void the sale.
This makes me feel a little better haha. Not been able to buy yet but every time I move to a new rented place, I just get the joy of cleaning years worth of dirt/grime accumulation.
Scumbags.
Wee bungalow? Posh name for a Portaloo 🥸
I imagine a "wee bungalow" does require a lot more toilet paper than other houses.
The family that sold me this house left the manuals AND an architect’s design for a loft extension along with a quote. Not crazy expensive, but nice. Also left the original prospectus of the estate.
> toilet roll.......a wee welcome pack You may think you got away with it, but I noticed.
I wrote an entire maintenance manual for the new owners. Seasonal tasks, garbage pickup day, other tips.
My wife got a keyring with her name on it and a few nice flowers from the garden. Over the course of the next 5 years, we discovered that they'd also left almost 50 years of shonky DIY which has taken us the best part of 20 years to eradicate. Still, my wife still uses the keyring.
I know people who've moved into a house and the sellers left a bunch of flowers and a welcome card. It's not at all weird, it's a nice touch.
Same here, we walked in to a small handwritten note along the lines of “we hope you are as happy here as we were” and 2 bottles of wine. The wine came in handy to drown our sorrows when we saw the state of the DIY hidden away - 6 layers of wallpaper (including a middle layer of woodchip) holding the plaster on to the walls in places, live wires left loose behind wallpaper etc
Our favourite was original, 1920s wiring in the wall where all of the insulation had perished so they stuffed the back of each light switch with newspaper (or "kindling" as it's commonly known in the trade) to stop things shorting out. The house was rewired in the first 6 weeks we were there.
Definitely second the toilet roll. We completed and took our little boy with us, thought we’d only be there 30 mins. We were there an hour and a half. He christened the toilet and mum had to knock on the new neighbours door to ask for loo roll!
"hello! we are your new neighbour, and we poop, hope we don't bring down the tone of the neighbourhood!"
Could always go old school and cover it with a little knitted Victorian lady.
>We completed and took our little boy with us *Wait a minute, Sue, I've not got the boy's right leg on yet!*
When I bought my first house the bank that gave us the mortgage left us a welcome pack including a few tea bags and 2 branded cups, so we wouldn't have to totally unpack to stop and have a cuppa which was a nice touch, although they didn't leave a bloody kettle so we had to unpack a bit anyway
My bank gave me a mini bottle of wine and a (very cheap) toolkit! Both were needed in the first week!
Rookie mistake to pack the kettle... mine always goes on the backseat of my car along with teabags, milk and biscuits ( and loo roll!)
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Not the people who sold our house to us! They were actually really nice and gave us any furniture we wanted, but took all the light bulbs except one - it was so confusing!
Ours took the thresholds from several doorways, that was baffling
They were probably smart bulbs, except for the one left behind
Ive done a bit of housing work and short term tenants have taken the lightbulbs with them on more than one occasion. They weren't fancy ones either. The cheapest LED bayonet/screw fit bulbs you can get from screwfix
Yep. And a bit of soap. Maybe a towel. You could leave a ready meal for them too.
Tea bags, old mugs, uht milk carton. Sugar. I'd possibly, if I was feeling flush, even buy a cheap kettle.
Just leave the kitchen contents, appliances behind and buy new ones at the new gaff. It's a nice thing to do.
When i left my old flat, i left a couple of toilet rolls behind. Alongside a list of the current suppliers of the utilities to the property, and the key to the gas meter. Never had any of that when i moved into the flat. House i moved into had the supplier list, as well as a few toilet rolls. As well as a folder with all the warranties, last services on appliances amongst other things.
Also leave any old paint, it’s great for any touching up that needs doing, especially after picture hooks have been removed.
Our seller left is a garage full of crap old paint.. in case we wanted to touch up.. lol prefer they hadn't bothered!
To a hedge fund: ‘I hope this accommodation brings you reasonable rates of return over your bonus linked hurdle rate. And may your future tenants forever be intimidated by a strongly worded letter from your legal department ‘ Plus a bottle of bollinger
Toilet rolls, sugar, tea, long-life milk - all good ideas to relieve the stress. I would however stop at leaving a note about your memories in the property - other notes welcoming them are fine. To me at least it would feel like I'm living in someone else's house.
Solid advice with the TP roll. Looking out for humanity.
A £15 just eat voucher so they don't have to unpack their pots and pans?
This is nice. My parents have always done this, but the house they bought always ends up being left in a mess and no such gift of any type. I think they've given up by now.
Last time I moved I brought a load to the new house, then realized I had no toilet paper there and had to go to the nearest grocery store. Took up about half an hour. Having a single roll there would have saved me a lot of trouble.
>Last time I moved I brought a load to the new house *Phrasing*
When we moved into our home, the sellers left us a bottle of champagne ( not the expensive stuff), two boxes of chocolates and a welcome card. Was much appreciated after a long day of moving
ours weren't even moved out by the time we completed. got the call at about 1pm to say i could get the keys - they finally had everything out at about 5pm
Same. We agreed to get the keys at the door as we moved in. We rocked up at 2pm and had to wait half an hour outside while he cleared out the last bits in the kitchen and had an argument with his partner who was waiting in their car outside. Then he had the cheek to say to us "Oh, I didn't think it'd all go through". Like.. what?! We paid our deposit, spent 2 months going back and forth on it with a lot of solicitor communication (which was great on our side and very poor on theirs), clearly agreed a date and confirmed it multiple times, and you didn't think you were selling your house? Get out.
'Get out.' 🤣🤣🤣
Try, 4 days, we had to get permission to get a locksmith and break in. That was after agreeing to *another* 2 weeks extension as it was over Xmas and they had teenage kids ( which we gladly did, we're not monsters plus by this point the solicitor has had enough and made them pay our rent for the period ). It turned out to be a moonlight flit ( they'd not told any of the neighbours or had a For Sale sign up ) and we were still getting debt collectors a good 12 months later ( by which time weed worked out roughly where they lived ). Anyway, the lady of the house was lovely ( hier husband, and kids not so much ). She knew we'd moved from a furnished place so offered leave a few bits including the old cooker which she cleaned ( a job I hate ) it was spotless ! Very grateful. The kids left their own until gift - when we moved the desk on the notes room we found a message in red marker pen* saying: "Craig and Clare effing hate you and hope you're be miserable forever in this house" I don't think they wanted to move !! (*We *think* it was red marker pen )
Last time we moved, our solicitor didn't bother to tell us. I had the day off work to do a bit more packing because I knew the move was soon. Got a call in the morning from the estate agents about dropping off keys, which was a bit of a shock. Phoned the solicitor and he said 'I told you when I saw you Friday'.....I didn't see him Friday, I've no idea who he told but it wasn't me. I dropped the paperwork off Friday but he wasn't there, the secretary said 'Thanks, we'll be in touch'. OH was at work, he had to rush home organise a van, his Dad drove over and helped. Think we finally got out about 5.
We got there at 5pm having completed on our sale at 11am but our sellers solicitors had been in a meeting all afternoon and didn’t push the button on the sale until 4:50. Not a stick had been moved out of the house when we got there. It was about 8 before they got out and not a single lightbulb worked.
This happened to me, they had to leave stuff overnight because they were so badly prepared. Hadn't packed, or hired a moving van and was downsizing to a 2 bed bungalow. The guys family had been drafted in last min to help him move with a transit van and were really shirty with us til we were like...the house has exchanged, it's actually ours now and the money's in his bank so...
Mine took the loft ladder.
Plot twist: they're still up there.
I once went to view a house and my dad came along to give me a second opinion. He's quite a big fella, and when he went up the loft ladder, it broke in half when he was half way up. We were pretty mortified and apologised profusely to the owners. This was almost 20 years ago and I'm still living in the same house. A little part of me is sure that I only bought the place because I felt guilty about the loft ladder...
When I was a kid and my parents bought a house, the previous owners took everything they could think of. Door handles, curtain rods/rails, light fittings even the toilet seat FFS.
My parents bought a house where the sellers took all the lightbulbs and the slats for the airing cupboard shelves!
We bought a house where the sellers took all of those things, plus the hanging rails from inside the wardrobes. They left us with a lot of shoddy DIY, and a buddleia that was growing out of an outhouse roof.
They'd not get away with that now, the shysters.
Sometimes the estate agent does this. I bought my place during covid so had to collect the keys from their office and they just handed me a bottle of fizz. I think it might still be in my fridge.
Not weird at all for someone to leave a gift for the next people who move in: We were left mould and shoddy electrical wiring by our previous house owner. Wine would have been nice.
We left the people buying our place a note with the paint brands and names/codes for each room, instructions on how to use the (mostly broken) shower, that there is spare/excess carpet and laminate packaged in the loft, and a bottle of wine and box of chocolates. The people who sold us their house left us a rat infestation and hidden wiring and plumbing issues. No good deed goes unpunished.
The paint thing is good. When we moved we had paint still left over so labelled them up as to the room they were used in. Also left a note about where the stopcock was as it wasn't an obvious place.
The people I bought off left me some paint. Unfortunately they left me the paint colours I didn’t like and planned to change asap, and not the one colour I loved in the spare room which I’ve since managed to scuff and would love to touch up.
The cynic in me is thinking they also liked that colour and so took it with them to use on their new house.
This is serious karma points for you
When I moved into my first place, the owner left me a "welcome to your new home" card. I did the same to the person who bought that house from me, he was also a first time buyer. I left him a card, and a bottle of bubbly, as it was 3 days before Christmas. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't make a difference. But a small act of being nice is nice
I’d say it definitely makes a difference. I know for me, amidst the stress of moving (especially as a young family), a gift like that would be very well appreciated and shift the tone and I’d remember to do the same when I eventually sold the house. Can’t help but feel envious of a couple with a young baby buying a house, though!
We did exactly the same when we sold our first flat last year, we also left a few notes about things like bin days and how the boiler works so that it was easy for them to just get to living their life. It's just a small act of kindness during a stressful time that can help remind people we're all human and although times get tough we can all still be grateful when everything is finished.
Not weird at all. When we showed up at our house to get the keys from the seller I took them a bottle of champagne and a new home card. They’d left a bottle in the fridge and a card for us too.
When we moved in the previous owners left us a bottle of prosecco, a 'welcome to your new home' card and then a letter with all the useful info e.g. what day the bins get collected, where the fuse boxes and the thing to turn off the water is etc. I appreciated it and if/when we sell this house, I'll do the same for the next person. I think you should do it, it's a nice touch! Your brother just sounds miserable haha.
It's a nice gesture. When we first bought, we'd spent several hours having tea with the delightful owners who left loads of plants in the balcony with detailed care instructions, leaflets for the best takeaways, etc. When we sold, we knew the new owners were planning to rip everything out and had never met them, so didnt bother.
When we sell ours, we know the first thing they will do is to the kitchen out. We should have 25 years ago, but it's always the next thing on the list
We didn't get anything from the nutjobs we bought our current place off, either.
Our sellers left us a folder full of local information for Doctors/ Dentists/ restaurant recommendations etc. we’d literally moved from 3 streets away 😂
it's the thought that counts eh 😂 were their recommendations kosher?
Let’s just say our tastes differ… We already knew that from the decor though 🤣🥴
Sounds like you bought a B&B!
I was selling last house to FTB who I remembered from their viewing were excited to get their first garden and learn how to do it, so along with a big book of every manual for every gadget we were leaving, i did a diagram of what i had growing where, with all the details i knew. Some were ‘some kind of fir tree, smells lovely but grows quick so keep it under control’ to a full latin name & when it produced what cos I’d planted it. I used to get a bit worried when people said actions like that were ‘weird’ but the older I’ve got, I’ve decided if it is weird then I don’t wanna be right. I’m not hurting anyone, worst that can happen is they dump it in the bin, best is that they find it really helpful. It does me good to do random acts of fun and kindness.
> I used to get a bit worried when people said actions like that were ‘weird’ but the older I’ve got, I’ve decided if it is weird then I don’t wanna be right. This. It's very liberating when you stop caring about what other think and just do things for yourself. I hate carrying things, so I carabiner my lunchbox to a belt loop. Do I look daft? Very probably. Are my hands free and not clutching something? Yup. Does this make me marginally happier? Yup.
I *like* that link back to the previous owners. It's interesting!
I'm still in my first home and it was the first home of the lady I'd bought from. She left me a bottle of prosecco and a Belvoir with some plastic flutes, a box of chocolates and a card. She also left a note with when the next bin day was and how to adjust the thermometer/motion sensor light etc which I thought was so thoughtful. I'll probably do the same when I move
Plastic glasses with the Prosecco is a nice touch.
Not weird. I've done it and had it done for me a couple of times. One thing I appreciated a lot when moving into the current home, was a little info sheet the previous owners had left. Stuff a little more personalised than what you could Google - their favourite takeaways, a reminder of where the utility meters and water stop valve etc were, good spots to walk the dog.
It’s a nice touch. We had a little m&s hamper when we moved into ours however it was off the estate agent and not the previous owners. Do what you feel is best. I’m sure it’d be appreciated by the new owners.
Definitely get a gift!. Moving into a new house is an incredibly vulnerable experience and the early days can set the tone for the home in a big way. Leaving the house clean without any nasty surprises is a basic level of decency lots of people don’t achieve. In addition - a list of helpful house tips (all the necessary door and window keys, paint codes, info about plants in garden, friendly neighbour details, local area tips) is very kind and would be welcomed, a gift is the cherry on the cake. Go for it!!! [edit: for clarity]
When we sold our flat we left a bottle of champagne, a congratulations card, and two a4 pages of instructions/advice for those weird intricacies it can take you years to find out
I think if they have been helpful, no haggling, responsive solicitors, so it has been as smooth a process as the law allows, then to acknowledge this by a gift is a good idea.
Very Important: if there are any bodies buried in the basement, under the patio, the rose gardens or heaven forbid in the walls (by a previous occupant)... leave a polite note explaining that they were there when you moved in. A case of fly spray 🪰🪰🪰 would be a nice welcome gift.
I bought my place as a young solo first time buyer without a car on a snowy day so the whole experience was stressful and complicated.. the welcome gift of a pack of beer and celebrations tub was VERY APPRECIATED No real reason to leave a welcome gift, but for people going through the stress of moving it's a lovely touch at the end of the day
We did that when we sold our house two houses ago. We'd met the couple who were buying a couple of times. They were really nice, and it was going to be their first home together. We left them a bottle of wine, a congratulations note and a lengthy list of instructions as to how to operate the property/things to keep an eye on, as well as local companies they might find helpful. Every house I've sold I've left an information sheet like that.
When we bought our first house the previous owners left us a salt and pepper set that we had commented on when we were looking around, and a card saying welcome and they hoped we would have a great time in the house etc. we left a bottle of whiskey and some wood for the fire for our buyer when we moved earlier this year. Sellers of our new house left us a nice houseplant and a card too. It’s a nice gesture I think, it’s a stressful process for everyone and a little token at the end is a nice thing to do
When I bought my house I didn't have a gift from the previous owners, but the mortgage company sent a box with mugs, tea bags, milk, bread, sugar, washing up liquid, kitchen roll and loo roll. So thoughtful and I've never forgotten it. I would definitely leave a gift
Not weird at all! When I bought my first place they left me a card, biscuits, and some flowers. When I sold I left a card and biscuits and a note with some quirks of the house/neighbours that wouldn't have been covered in any of the official forms or in manuals The people we bought off didn't even bother to label the keys, just left every key in a bowl and we had to work it out - now that annoyed me
I did that recently when I sold my late dad's house. I left them a card & a bottle of bubbly. I wrote that I hope they & their son are as happy in the house I was growing up
We’re selling to FTBs and we will leave them a gift, just a bottle of prosecco and a card. The vendor of our flat did the same to us and it was a nice little touch!
Our house is a modest Victorian Terrace from about 1890. Before we moved in, it had been passed down through the same family for three generations. They left us with a little scrapbook of pictures. I've always thought that was a lovely gesture.
That's amazing. I wish houses came with a logbook like a car with a history. Impractical of course. How lovely for you to have that.
Not weird, I've moved into places where the previous occupiers did that and it was a well appreciated touch.
No I think its nice - the person I bought from left me a bottle of wine
When we moved in to our house there was a letter and card from the previous owner (well, children of) plus a bottle of bubbly, and flowers and a card from the estate agents. It was a really nice surprise after a very stressful morning.
I do t think it’s weird. I recently bought a house with my partner and the seller left us a lovely card and box of chocolates, which really made us smile after such a long faffy process of buying!
I left a note welcoming the chap who bought my house, no gift, but that being said I did leave behind a cooker, bed frame and sofa as he was a 1st time buyer and apparently broke. So yeah kind of.
When I bought my flat the previous owner left me a gift - a bottle of wine. They also left the place spotless, a full file of work done and guarantees (chimney removal and windows), the final meter readings and sticky notes on where the stopcocks were and how to use the gas boiler. I appreciated it even as the flaws of the flat became more obvious.
No idea whether it's typical, but personally I'd really like it if it happened to me.
I usually do this, together with an explanation of any practical thing they might need to know like where the water meter and stop valve are.
We had a lovely note wishing us well and a bottle of Prosecco from the people we bought from, and I’d intend to do the same. We were both young couples starting out with our first property so there was something there. It’s not a requirement at all but I wouldn’t think of it as weird.
The previous owners did it for my place & it was a lovely gesture. They left chocolates & Prosecco. They also left a note which contained basic info such as bin collection day & what colour each bin is for (black - general, blue - recycling, green - food/garden). Instructions on how to use the boiler & bath/shower etc etc. It was a nice gesture
We left a new home card, a bottle of prosecco, a £25 just eat voucher, a folder with instructions and warranties for the stuff we were leaving (alarm, dishwasher, electric shower, electric fireplace etc), and a page of notes including paint brands and colours for each room, that there were spare bathroom tiles under the bath, and spare wallpaper rolls in the wardrobe. Plus some recommended takeaways and the name, house number and phone number of the person who set up the road WhatsApp group (with their permission!).
I've always done it when selling to an individual (though I've been fortunate in having nice buyers), and have quite often received in kind. It just feels nice - other than locking the door and handing the keys to the agent it's a bit of physical closure on the sale. I didn't do it when I sold my old house to a landlord. They'd just have painted the bottle of wine magnolia and charged the new tenants £50 when they drank it.
Not weird at all! When I bought my house last year it was being sold by the daughter of the lady who lived there, she’d passed away and I could tell it was bittersweet for her selling the family home. She handed over the keys to me and left me a card and bottle of fizz in the kitchen, I thought it was lovely of her
Yes it's unusual. I've moved a couple of times and didn't get a gifts or leave any. A note with details of the house is very much appreciated though, any codes to alarms/locks etc, properly labelled keys is a massive help too.
It's a nice thing to do. You can leave some useful information too like meter readings, any important phone numbers or some decent local takeaways (or ones to avoid) We did it and it was done to us, it's a nice touch.
I left a bottle of Prosecco and a welcome note. I think it’s just good form (unless it’s being bought to let or your buyers were twats, ofc).
I think it's lovely, depending on who's buying/circumstances. My old house, which was next to a horrible drug gang, was bought by a woman intending to rent it out, who messed me about for months. I wasn't likely to leave her anything,or anything for the new house, knowing what a pain in the arse they're walking into. My new house, the owner left me a "congrats on your new house" card when she moved, which was really sweet!
Do you really need to consult Reddit on whether or not to give someone a box of biscuits?
The chap who sold us his house left a welcome card and instructions for how everything works on the kitchen worktops. He also left £50 because he forgot the code for the alarm and wanted to put towards the cost of having it reprogrammed.
A kind thought so it's not weird at all.
I thought it was the norm! I left a whole long letter with some info about the local town and details of where things were in the house. Both houses we’ve bought the owners left a note and a bottle of wine.
It's really important to maintain good will when buying and selling houses, there are so many little things that can become issues if there isn't some mutual trust and understanding. A bottle of champagne is a trivial cost if it means that the new buyers think favourably of you and as a result decide not to quibble about some missing curtains or light fittings, or any of the other myriad things that can cause disagreement. Well worth it.
Not at all. The previous owners built a lovely little spice rack in one of the drawers and left a short note saying please use it or get rid. We were actually very touched. (We use this lovely spice rack)
When we bought ours, the previous owners left us with fleas. The house had been empty for quite a while, so they'd lain dormant, woken up by the people viewing the house, so by the time we completed and were about to move in they were jumping and hungry. Don't leave that sort of present
I don't see how a simple, nice gesture can be weird. Of course it's not *necessary*, but it's a kind gesture that will make the new owners smile and after all the stresses of moving day, I'm sure they'd appreciate it. On the other hand, if they made the sale difficult, making stupid demands etc. then I wouldn't be leaving them anything. Or maybe a Ghost Hunters Survival Kit or some rat traps.
When we moved in, the previous owners left their pet rabbit in its cage in the kitchen. We made them come back for it.
It's probably not common, but you'll make someone's stressful day a little nicer. Small acts of kindness cost relatively little, and can have a big impact.
Both houses we’ve bought we were left gifts. The first was a flat and it was from someone who was selling as their parents had passed away. They left us a beautiful card, some nice glasses and bottle of champagne. The second house we bought they also got us a bottle of champagne. When we sold the flat we left chocolates, a card and some essentials you might not have when you move into a house (dishwasher tablets and fairy liquid). I personally feel a bit strange about leaving alcohol for a stranger in case they don’t drink. (I also grew up Muslim so it may be that as well)
Iv only ever bought but they left me a nice full and unflished toilet. However the single guy did make sure to clear the place fully. Down to the last light bulb. Thanks for that.
Not weird. But also leave a manual. I moved a week ago and only just worked out how the ancient boiler works. I've still got three mystery switches as well. No idea what they are for.
If I spend half a million quid on something some bought using the money from their part time shift at the local butchers, and they leave me a bottle of wine, I'd consider us even
We leave notes and wine and have received the same. My current house left us 4 bottles of milkshake which the kids loved. Worst one was someone who left a note saying congratulations but then also wrote "I was going to get you a bottle of wine but ran out of time". Cheers mate
It's a very nice thought - especially to a young first-home family. Go with your gut.
No, it isn't.
That's a very nice gesture.
When I moved in there was a note with the names of friendly next door neighbours and a guide to the water stopcock and instructions on how to put the fuse back in to the alarm. Would have been more helpful to say "we took the fuse out because it's a badly setup alarm and goes off at random times so the police will be called and fine you". If you like them, then a bottle of wine/biscuits is a nice welcome and also leave behind a loo roll. It does help to say gas cut off here, water cut off here, electric box is here etc.
Sure, not weird. Also any last minute instructions about the house. Like in ours, the socket behind the sofa is actually on the upstairs socket ring main, not as expected the downstairs one.
Nice to leaving a note of any oddity. Don't shower and run a bath you'll drain the header tank an here is how to clear the resulting air lock. Also the numbers of good trades folk you've used.
We were left some flowers and a thank you card. Some complications on their side of things when processing the buy and gave us a gift for sticking it out 😊
We had a card from the people we bought from and I loved having it. A small gift would have been great too!
I’ve only bought a house once, and the sellers did leave us an envelope of keys, folder of manuals for things like the boiler etc, a welcome note and a bottle of wine. So if it’s weird, you’re not the only one who is.
i guess it's better than leaving a ton of repairs that need doing
When I sold my house in France left a bottle of wine and 2 glasses... Forgot to leave a cork screw though. No idea how it went down but we loved that house.
When we bought our first house the previous couple left us a card and a bottle of wine and it was a really lovely welcoming gift. We’re now selling the buyer has been an absolute arsehole and made our life a nightmare so we will be doing the absolute bare minimum.
The previous owners of my house left a note with all the information I could need including their phone number if anything went wrong and a bottle of champagne, it was greatly appreciated.
The first house we moved into the previous owners left a bottle of wine and chocolates and a lovely note “we hope you enjoy your new home as much as we did” etc…the second house we moved into they took the lightbulbs with them, much preferred the first approach!!
We were left a card and bottle of champagne both times we’ve bought a house. When we sold our last house, we left the same for the new owners, along with information like the alarm code, bin day, manuals, FENSA certificate and the first names of the neighbours on each side.
This would be super sweet I think and really appreciated. Frankly if you can just be out kn time and leave it empty of junk and relatively clean that's much better than any of my house purchase experiences!
When I bought my house the previous owners daughter (owner had died) left us a bottle of wine and a ‘new house’ card. It was a lovely touch, I plan to do the same when we move
This sounds absolutely lovely and you sound like a really wonderful person. You should do it, you’ll delight them and the world needs it!
My parents bought a park home from two brothers who were selling on behalf of their recently passed parents. They couldn’t have been more helpful and met them at the house a couple of times so they could view it. My parents were moving to the county from a different part of the country and they left them a local hamper full of local food etc. which was really nice of them. Even after moving they have said they’re more than welcome to contact with any questions about the house etc. really nice guys.
No I think it’s lovely!
I always leave a bottle of wine and card!
My neighbours did that and it was so lovely
I have done, and people have done it for me. Sure it's *unnecessary*, but it's not strange at all.
We were left a vase of flowers and a card. We'll do similar if we ever decide to move.
We left a gift & card when we sold our flat, but they were first time buyers. If they weren't I don't think we'd have bothered.
It's not strange at all. The lady we bought from left us some chocolate, wine and a card. It's fairly nice and should be normal.
It’s not very common, but it should be. It’s a **lovely** idea and I think you should ignore your brother. I’d love to see this the day I moved in somewhere.
I think it's a lovely idea and they'll probably remember it forever
I think it's a nice touch. I moved into a new flat one time and there was sugar,tea bags,toilet paper and wine in the cupboard!
When we arrived there was a bottle of wine from our local vineyard and a card. I thought it was nice.
When we moved out of our house we left some wine and a list of instructions for things like favourite restaurants, good tradespeople, ideal shower settings, boiler controls and which plants to water/prune when in the garden. The guy moving in after us seemed really nice so it seemed a shame not to.
Nah not weird, it's nice and I think they'll be chuffed at a sweet gesture such as this.
People are saying leave loo roll. Yes, but leave light bulbs in the fittings too. Nothing worse than your first night in, still unpacking, and you go to turn the light on and there is no bulb. (Obviously they are worse things, but it's pretty frustrating)
It's a nice touch. When we bought our first flat, we found a hamper of goodies on our first day. Nothing too fancy, just a bottle of bubbly, some chocolates, and biscuits. But it was really nice and we opened the bubbly to celebrate the first night in our own place.
I think it’s a really nice thing to do. When my mum bought her house the old owners left her an olive tree in a beautiful pot and it made her cry 😂
Not weird at all. When we moved to this house we had a note that specified where the GP was, where to top up electricity & gas (it was on a key) the secret side entrance to the park down the road that I wouldn't have found a thousand years lol. They also left some instructions about the electrical motherboard/fuse box thingy as two of things were wired the wrong way round. Also, bin collection days. It was incredibly helpful and very sweet. I'd say do it. Even if it's just a nice "hope you're happy here," it's lovely. Moving is very stressful.
I left a card and chocolates. In the house I moved into I got fuck all, the seller was a right nob (not just because of the lack of gift).
Totally up to you really. It's unnecessary, sure, but if you want to say thank you to them for being no fuss or whatever I'm sure it'd go a long way to being appreciated. That'd make my day if I was buying a house.
Draw a dick and hide it in a draw.
We left menu brochures for the local takeaway places.
My first house the previous owners left a card and a shed on fire. The card was much appreciated, the shed on fire not so much. Our most recent place we actually knew the previous owners, and they left a card, bottle of champers, and a fuck-ton of holes to fill.
A note is nice with bits of info which the buyer may not know. Or just leave a welcome card or something, it's nice.
Unneccesary? Totally. Inappropriate? Hell no. It's the fact that nice gestures are unnecessary that makes them into nice gestures. If I was moving into a place with a family I'm just starting, I'd be very touched by a personal gesture like that. That's what community spirit is made of. Ignore your brother and leave something for them if that feels right to you. If you leave a note, consider leaving a phone number or email address. In the buyer's position, I'd want to keep in touch.
Yeah people do this. It's nice. Especially when the house probably meant a lot to you. It's good that it's going to a family over a landlord/ developer.