Home seller forced to leave smart home devices behind, despite insisting to buyers they won't work anymore, leading seller to mess with the system: ‘I thought to have fun with it’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Nov 28, 2025 10:00 AM EST

When you decide to sell your house and move to a different home, you do it knowing that some of your beloved belongings will have to stay behind. Moving always forces you to look at all the stuff you've accumulated so far and consider what must come with you and what is no longer needed.

Now, smart home devices are a tricky one. On one hand, you probably want your next home to be a "smart" one as well, and those devices usually cost a lot of money. On the other hand, those devices might not work as well in your new home, and removing and then re-installing them might amount to more work than just buying a new system.

That is why the home seller in the story below planned on selling these devices to the buyers and even offered to help them figure out how to use them. The buyers, however, refuse to pay any money and insist that the seller just leave the devices for them to figure out alone.

The seller complied, knowing fully well the system would not work without their involvement. Then they decided to prove that to the entitled buyers…

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  • Enjoy your "free" smart home devices

    So here's the deal. I'd built a collection of smart home devices over a few years before we decided to move to a different state - most of which were smart switches on the wall.
    via its-a-me--Mario
  • Smart Home CCTV Security On Mobile Phone
    via AndreyPopov

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • I'm kind of a nerd, so my smart home setup is not simple and requires some tinkering.
    via its-a-me--Mario
  • For example, I had some devices set up to not reach the cloud and could only be controlled through my home PC, so they were basically unusable once my home computer was off the network - same with the front door camera doorbell.
    via its-a-me--Mario
  • I set them up that way to automate the devices. and build some scenes. I also had to use special equipment to load non- standard firmware, which once done, you couldn't use the normal app to set it up.
    via its-a-me--Mario
  • A few years ago we put our house up for sale in the crazy seller's market and got an offer right away.
    via its-a-me--Mario
  • I mentioned to the buyers, who were actually pretty friendly at the time, that I would be taking my smart home equipment since it's all set up in a specific way that would probably not work for them - no objections.
    via its-a-me--Mario
  • That, however, was not mentioned explicitly in the contract (yes, that's my fault). As the closing date was approaching, I asked the buyers if they just wanted to buy the bundle already set up and ready to go, and that I would take the time to reprogram all the devices so they're ready to set up the standard way using their smartphones.
    via its-a-me--Mario
  • smart home, wall switch
    via Jakub Zerdzicki

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • I also told them I'd be available to help set up every single device if needed.
    via its-a-me--Mario
  • Otherwise, I was planning on taking all the devices. The buyers decided to complain to their car-salesman-type lawyer, who then complained to my lawyer that I'm breaking the contract by taking switches that are on the wall.
    via its-a-me--Mario
  • My lawyer try to explain that I would be doing them a favor taking the stuff off the wall since it would all be unusable once my computer is off the network and it would take special equipment to program back to a usable state.
    via its-a-me--Mario
  • Their "lawyer" didn't budge. Mine said they were being unreasonable and asked if I had any attachment to those devices.
    via its-a-me--Mario
  • Well, I didn't. And honestly they weren't that expensive - I just didn't want to go through the setup all over again.
    via its-a-me--Mario
  • Well then, I complied. I left all the switches in the wall but I thought to have fun with it.
    via its-a-me--Mario
  • Since they were still mine until closing day, I decided to check out a bunch of new features on the switches.
    via its-a-me--Mario
  • One feature is a built-in schedule that doesn't require any network. SCORE! I set up the entertainment room lights to turn on at full brightness randomly at night, you know, around the time people usually watch movies.
    via its-a-me--Mario
  • I also set up the smart switch in the bedroom to turn the ceiling lights and fan off and on randomly at night.
    via its-a-me--Mario
  • I also had set up nice cabinet lights in the kitchen and bought a separate WiFi controller to replace the original not so smart controller.
    via its-a-me--Mario
  • That wasn't in the wall, so technically the contract said it was mine to take - and I did.
    via its-a-me--Mario
  • It was petty, I know, but if the contract is your leverage, it can be mine mine also.
    via its-a-me--Mario

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Tags

seller tech support malicious compliance smart system homebuyer smart home entitled new homebuyers home money entitled people
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