Bid on Council house, "Sold as seen", tenants return and destroy house.

My brother is in the process of buying a council house from the council. The house is being sold "Sold as seen". My brother bid on the house on the basis of a viewing and his bid was accepted.

Today he has learned that the previous tenants have returned and thrashed the place. All the windows have been broken.

Do the council have to put this damage right before the sale goes through or is this part and parcel of sold as seen? I.e. it is a huge risk?

He has not paid anything yet so he can walk away. I have advised him to consider doing so. Any advice?

Moved from Askaboutlaw to Mortgages and buying and selling homes.

Please post in the correct sub forum.

Askaboutlaw is for legal issuses not discussed elesewhere on the forum.

Tell him to run away from this...whats to stop these people coming back in 6 months and repeating this anti-social behaviour??there is no shortage of property to buy,exposing yourself to this level of potential problems is not worth it.

Have contracts been signed ?

Nope.

In that case there is no obligation on the council to make good the damage.

Of course he should make it a conditional before he signs a contract to purchase.


If it was me I would run away , they could be back next week , next month. Or he could end up with squatter already moved in when he gets the keys.

He should count himself lucky that the damage was done before the contracts were signed - and run a mile!

Time said:

Today he has learned that the previous tenants have returned and thrashed the place. All the windows have been broken.

Any advice?

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Report the previous tenants, I would assume they are responsible for all repairs and they should be punished for their criminal behaviour.

It will be very hard to prove it was them, certainly to the standard of proof in a criminal court.

To my amazement he is going to complete. Rather you than me I said to him today.