Buying a home and don't know how anything works
- Thread starter miss direct
- Start date
moonsi til
worked it out now!
25th May seems ages away from now for searches.
Once all the paperwork is complete such as survey/searches then it’s as fast as you want to go. The searches might find something that starts a slow ping pong conversation but for me once all the legal stuff was done I just had to agree a date & as me & the vendor were not in a chain they asked for a weeks notice which for me was held up by xmas but essentially it could have been as little as a week.
Once all the paperwork is complete such as survey/searches then it’s as fast as you want to go. The searches might find something that starts a slow ping pong conversation but for me once all the legal stuff was done I just had to agree a date & as me & the vendor were not in a chain they asked for a weeks notice which for me was held up by xmas but essentially it could have been as little as a week.
cybershot
Well-Known Member
jesus, that’s a long time and fact your solicitor is mailing on a bank holiday probably shows how busy they are trying to create some breathing space for themselves. Make sure all the other documentation is done in the meantime. Both parties have signed contracts and deeds then it’s a case of solicitor ensuring nothing to worry about in the searches and to exchange. I’d be thinking of a moving date between 2-4 weeks after those searches are done assuming no further complications and the state of the rest of the chain. If you can move quick and so can everyone else then you can do it in less time than that but may need to give yourself flexibility to arrange movers. You can start proposing exchanging and completion dates with your solicitor now so everyone else in the chain can agree on said dates. As myself and a few others have experienced in this thread having the moving date approach very quickly and still not exchanged can be very stressful.
Thora
Differently Ethical
I was surprised about the bank holiday too, and it's come from the actual solicitor and not one of the assistants. Getting a survey organised was also a struggle with everyone booked up for weeks.
So what should my next move be? Hassle the estate agent to see where things are with the vendor?
So what should my next move be? Hassle the estate agent to see where things are with the vendor?
bellaozzydog
rolling turds in glitter
Solidarity with the OP
I’ve just managed to get my solicitor to admit he has received the first paperwork on a flat purchase
he emailed saying “I will endeavour to look at them next week”
which has incensed me
No one else has bothered doing anything, estate agent hasn’t even sent out a revised memorandum of sale
despite it being a no chain deal I can see this going on for ever
I’ve just managed to get my solicitor to admit he has received the first paperwork on a flat purchase
he emailed saying “I will endeavour to look at them next week”
which has incensed me
No one else has bothered doing anything, estate agent hasn’t even sent out a revised memorandum of sale
despite it being a no chain deal I can see this going on for ever
miss direct
misfungled
Well my solicitor STILL hasn't got the contract pack from the seller's solicitors (I sent a chasing email as it was 8 days since they last said they hadn't received it) and haven't been able to get hold of them either. I'm not sure there's anything I can do at this stage but wait. Rent day today so on it drags. I keep seeing things I want to buy for the new flat but have to resist.
cybershot
Well-Known Member
contqct the estate agent. They are basically the only ones currently that can contact everyone. (And also the reason why you wantto try and get your sellers number to text if they are technophobes)
sort that 2nd viewing out while at it.
miss direct
misfungled
Yes you're right. I suppose I'll have to buy some credit and overcome my phone phobia as EA just ignores my emails.
bellaozzydog
rolling turds in glitter
yep I’ve been in twice to measure stuff and have tradesmen sort out quotes. Estate agent supplied someone to open up and stand around when I did it
cybershot
Well-Known Member
perfectly fine and if anything proves how keen you are (although some sellers may get nervous but if they refuse then what are they trying to hide!)
miss direct
misfungled
Solicitor now says the sellers solicitor has received the signed paperwork from the seller and will prepare draft contract. Once my solicitor has that, they'll submit searches, which I've already been told will take about 4 weeks. Could I possibly be looking at best case scenario of 8 weeks from now? Will I make it by the 6th of June as I'd like?
prunus
Tick tock.
It’s certainly possible. Things it would be useful to know re: timing
Has your solicitor completed the report on title? If not what is outstanding?
Are there any responses to queries outstanding?
And to ask your sellers: do they have a preferred completion date? Or earliest possible date?
And remember - and I promise I’m not on commission from the insurance companies
- you can insure out the risk from adverse searches and then not have to wait for them to come back.
The whole process is a bastard pain - made more so by the fact that there’s no need for it to be so - but it will be over at some point.
Leafster
.
The other thing to remember about insurance is that you're legally responsible for your new home from the exchange date and not the completion date so you should sort out the house insurance so it's in place on the date of exchange.And remember - and I promise I’m not on commission from the insurance companies
- you can insure out the risk from adverse searches and then not have to wait for them to come back.
miss direct
misfungled
I dont think my solicitor has done anything yet apart from have me fill in lots of forms and pay some money for the searches.
There are no queries yet...well I asked something about the boiler and got the answer I wanted. I imagine there may be some questions after I see the fittings and fixtures. I thought I'd organise my second viewing after that (curious as to whether they'll take things like curtain poles and rails) so I can start planning what I'll need to buy in terms of furniture and white goods.
I think but will need to check that building insurance is included in the service fee (its a leasehold maisonette). Contents insurance is surely for once I'm in there (?)
There are no queries yet...well I asked something about the boiler and got the answer I wanted. I imagine there may be some questions after I see the fittings and fixtures. I thought I'd organise my second viewing after that (curious as to whether they'll take things like curtain poles and rails) so I can start planning what I'll need to buy in terms of furniture and white goods.
I think but will need to check that building insurance is included in the service fee (its a leasehold maisonette). Contents insurance is surely for once I'm in there (?)
Leafster
.
I suspect the buildings insurance is paid via the service charge but you're right to check. I think there's a very small risk of a burst pipe or similar in the period between exchange and completion which should be covered by contents insurance so it's down to you decide whether it's worth it or not. It's true you won't have moved in so your belongings aren't at risk but would you really want to have to fork out for new carpets or internal replastering and decorating because of a leak.
miss direct
misfungled
True. Well I don't know if carpets etc are staying anyway until I see the forms the sellers have completed. I can't imagine they'll be taking them, they look kind of old and not special enough to be worth the bother of taking up. I have no idea how much things like carpets cost - I'm used to wooden floors and rugs, but I suppose carpets are more useful in the UK. If there did happen to be a burst pipe then it would give me a good reason to get new carpets instead of being stingy.
Cid
Proper break this time
Generally if it's nailed down/fitted it will stay. At that point iirc there's a legal expectation that it forms a part of the permanent fixtures and fittings...
I'm not a huge fan of carpets in general, sod to keep clean. Fine for less trafficked areas of a house, but pretty crap anywhere else - especially in the UK where there's not a proper culture of outdoor footwear removal. Not particularly cheap laying new floors mind you... And kind of worth putting off in case you want to think about underfloor heating.
I'm not a huge fan of carpets in general, sod to keep clean. Fine for less trafficked areas of a house, but pretty crap anywhere else - especially in the UK where there's not a proper culture of outdoor footwear removal. Not particularly cheap laying new floors mind you... And kind of worth putting off in case you want to think about underfloor heating.
miss direct
misfungled
I am a strict shoes off household. To me, shoes inside is gross. Underfloor heating, ooh. Had that in Poland once. Was amazing.
beesonthewhatnow
going deaf for a living
Yep. Wearing shoes inside is grim.
hash tag
Books, not bombs
If you are prepared to pay, it might be possible to get personal searches done in a day or two.
hash tag
Books, not bombs
Yes. It's also another way of demonstrating how committed you are
AnnO'Neemus
Is so vanilla
Not just leaks, also the risk of fire, property falling into a sink hole, etc, etc, etc.
(Not miss direct's property, specifically, but generally speaking.)
miss direct
misfungled
What's a personal search? No one has mentioned anything about speeding up the searches.
miss direct
misfungled
Ah ok. Thanks. Well I've spoken to someone from my solicitors. They've got all the documents from the sellers apart from the most important one, the title deeds. Apparently there's a note saying "to follow." I was asked if I wanted to go ahead with the searches, but was advised to wait. So I shall...
I'll be getting the f and f forms via email
Today's a busy day. Spoken to the estate agent as well, who apologised for the delays (according to them, the sellers solicitor is a bit...er...rubbish). The good news is that searches are now coming back in a matter of DAYS (not 4 weeks as I was told before!) so perhaps this will happen quicker than I'm anticipating. The sellers are also going to get back to me with a list of white good and furniture they may leave (sell?), and I'll book in for a second viewing soon. So actually moving on !
I'll be getting the f and f forms via email
Today's a busy day. Spoken to the estate agent as well, who apologised for the delays (according to them, the sellers solicitor is a bit...er...rubbish). The good news is that searches are now coming back in a matter of DAYS (not 4 weeks as I was told before!) so perhaps this will happen quicker than I'm anticipating. The sellers are also going to get back to me with a list of white good and furniture they may leave (sell?), and I'll book in for a second viewing soon. So actually moving on !
Last edited:
