Auctioneers' For Sale signs and the damage they cause!

We have just bought a house through a large, nationwide firm of auctioneers.

The outside of the front wall of the house is smooth cement render.

For reasons best known to the morons who erected the sign, they chose to nail the upright to the outside of the wall instead of the inside. If the wall wall was pebble-dash or exposed block/brick, I could understand. But, driving a couple of nails into smooth render is a bit like driving a nail into the side of your car.

I have just telephoned the branch concerned and asked them to remove the sign. We closed five weeks ago, so it's about time. I told the person who answered that I wanted the wall 'made good'. From her reaction, I could tell that she had never been asked to do this before. She said she would have to 'make enquiries'.

This perfectly executed render had been in place for 55 years. Am I being a crusty old fart asking that it be made good?

This firm made, at a guess, somewhere between €8k and €12k on the sale of this house. If they have to spend a couple of hundred having the damage repaired, at the very least it will mean they don't do it to someone else.

Anyone else had a similar experience?

Thanks.

D.

I think you are spot on, they should repair it at no cost to you, failing that repair it yourself (or get someone competent to do so) and send them a bill, €200 sounds about right. Write to them outlining your grievance, giving them an acceptable timeframe to complete the repair (say 2 weeks) and warning them that if they do not repair it or to your satisfaction you will employ someone to do so and will be sending them a bill.

I think you're right to complain also, and make enquiries about why the sign was placed where it was, seems crazy as the same person probably puts up and removes signs all the time. I had a chap put a sign on a house one time, he placed the sign so it could not be seen by anyone passing by (cul-de-sac), when I arrived home I promptly moved it to an adjacent wall myself where it might get a viewing.

On a technicality, they may say that your surveyor should've highlighted them to you, as they were probably there (with sign) when you viewed it.

On another technicality...........the sign is probably yours now!

The sign is still there.

The holes (and cracks, if there are any) won't be visible until the nails are removed.

D

"Dear Auctioneer,

Please render our wall, and we will then give you the sign which we purchased (as a fixture)."

???

the damage done by the sign was proir to your buying the house and the auctioneer could argue that you bought the house as is , i dont like auctioneers tactics and hope they dont get away with it .

To get really pedantic about this:

The sign won't cause any damage until its removed ok? So leave it up and write to your Local Authority and complain that said auctioneer has fixed an aunauthorised sign to the front of your dwelling , this sign does not have planning permission! They issue an enforcement notice, auctioneer has to take down the sign (they'll need your permission won't they?) causes the damage and BAM...you have them....in theory