PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

Hello Forumites! In order to help keep the Forum a useful, safe and friendly place for our users, discussions around non-MoneySaving matters are not permitted per the Forum rules. While we understand that mentioning house prices may sometimes be relevant to a user's specific MoneySaving situation, we ask that you please avoid veering into broad, general debates about the market, the economy and politics, as these can unfortunately lead to abusive or hateful behaviour. Threads that are found to have derailed into wider discussions may be removed. Users who repeatedly disregard this may have their Forum account banned. Please also avoid posting personally identifiable information, including links to your own online property listing which may reveal your address. Thank you for your understanding.

How long do searches take?

Hi the reason that I ask is that I should be completing on our house sale and purchase this friday but today I get a call saying that the buyers solicitor hasent receaved a search back yet. after alot of calls I find out that the solicitor forgot to put this seach in:mad: This sale has been going on now for nearly 13 weeks and I'm completly fed up with it all. I've been told that they gonna try to get an emergency search done (if there is such a thing?). is there anything I can do to rush it thru apart from ringing everybody up every day etc to put pressure on. I dont think we can wait another week for this to end plus the owner of the house we are buying is getting fed up to with all the delays. any ideas or should I just get use to the fact that it aint gonna happen?

cheers
No Unapproved or Personal links in signature please - FT3
«1

Comments

  • How frustrating for you - you have my every sympathy. We moved in March and we managed to go from offer on to completion in exactly four weeks - the trick? Phoning everyone every day! Yes, they got bl**dy annoyed with me but pulled out all the stops to get me off their back!

    Good luck!
    You'll never see a rainbow if you don't first put up with the rain . . . :happylove
  • How frustrating for you - you have my every sympathy. We moved in March and we managed to go from offer on to completion in exactly four weeks - the trick? Phoning everyone every day! Yes, they got bl**dy annoyed with me but pulled out all the stops to get me off their back!

    Good luck!

    Blimey 4 weeks!!! The thing is I have been ringing everyday. It's amazing how fast things move when i threaten to just walk away a call it a day. But this time a dont think that will work as things may just not happen in time. also i dont want to do that just in case i have to hold them to it and we loose the house we want but on the other hand i dont want it to go on another week. Also I've already canceled or home insurance/phone etc... plus redirected our mail to the new address I dont wanna go and get that all done again. I feel like going into the buyers solictors and telling them waht I think but that wont help matters will it..... or will it???:confused: I've spoken to the person that buying our house and told them to get the solicitor to pull they finger out so we shall see what happens. thats why I ask how long do these searches take to from start to finish. I dont even know what search still needs doing as the solicitor would'nt tell mine or my estate agent.
    No Unapproved or Personal links in signature please - FT3
  • david29dpo
    david29dpo Posts: 3,747
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    Depending on the council and the type of search, anything from 1-4 weeks.
  • Lomion
    Lomion Posts: 63
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    They council has 10 days to provide the searches. Southend on Sea council does it in 5. Have a look on the council website. It should tell you there how long they normally take :D
  • ferritt wrote: »
    I've spoken to the person that buying our house and told them to get the solicitor to pull they finger out so we shall see what happens. thats why I ask how long do these searches take to from start to finish. I dont even know what search still needs doing as the solicitor would'nt tell mine or my estate agent.

    Get the buyer to ask their solicitor if the search would be quicker, if the buyer went to the council offices in person.

    Or .... is it possible to pay extra to get a faster search e.g. online. If so, buyer's solicitor should pay the extra as recompense for the "oversight".

    Searches are such a basic part of the process that it's difficult to see how a professional could "forget" to request it :mad:
    Warning ..... I'm a peri-menopausal axe-wielding maniac ;)
  • Well by what has been mentioned in this thread I better rearrange all my home insurance etc and stop the redirections on my mail. There is no way I'm waiting another 1-4 weeks. I was prepared to wait until the following monday/tuesday but if not that I'm gonna call it off. What about if I went into there solicitors in person would that help? Not to go in and start F'ing and blinding but just get my point across that they've cost 2 people there new homes! Well it's now 8:45 in the morning so I'm gonna sart ringing all parties concerned every hour now until I get some answers. another thing is where do I stand legaly as the buyers solicitor has admited that it is there fault so could I claim all my charges back if it all falls thru?
    updates to follow
    cheers
    No Unapproved or Personal links in signature please - FT3
  • Well after a long day of ringing all parties concerned I've still no idea whats happening. I did this morning go into my buyers solicitors and to put it bluntly I told them what I thought of them and basicaly told them that they've not only got to pull they fingers out but toes feet and anything thing else that will speed this search thru. They were slightly shocked by my visit. I did find out that if you were to go to the local council direct the search could be done in 3 working days but the cost would be £126. They solicitor said that they may not do this as they normally charge £60 for a search and always aim to get the cheapest price for they clients!!!! I calmly explained that if thats the case the price of my property would now go up by £126 to cover the cost so the best option would be to just accept that they at fault at pay for the search. I did speak to the purchaser and they said that he told them to just do as he wants the house and doesnt want to loose it. My solicitor and estate agent just keep ringing them a to ask whats going on but no firm answers as yet. I was told that if we do not complete on friday we will atleast exchange contracts so I have a gurenteed buyer for my house but I dont really want to exchange until the day of completion because if I exchange now I know I get told the search did'nt come back in time so I have to wait until it does (1 - 2 weeks) but because the contracts are exchanged I'm tied in and will be liable if I pull out because I cant wait that long due to no time to move etc.... I will ring allparties again tomorrow and try again to get a firm answer. I've gave them a deadline of this friday but my solicitor and estate agents knows I would wait until the following tuesday at the latest but after that I'm just gonna pull out and rethink my options.

    cheers
    No Unapproved or Personal links in signature please - FT3
  • I'm surprised your buyer will exchange contracts without the local search. Perhaps his solicitor's advice is as poor as his organisational skills?!

    Incidentally, I can beat drowningbutwaving's four weeks from offer to completion. I did it in three. I think my solicitor used a specialist company to go to the council offices to do the search. I had the impression they went several times a week and did the search there and then.

    (not tryingto rub it in - just saying what can be done if the will is there).
  • Ferritt, your situation seems so familiar I'm wondering if you are the person I'm buying from...

    Anyway, I am in the same position and it's been frustrating as hell. I paid my solicitor in cash for the searches to be done over 4 weeks ago and it was 3 before they did anything - and only then after I reminded them. On top of this and the postal strike delaying some paperwork between solicitors (and two sets going missing in the post apparently), we have been unable to establish a concrete completion date :mad:
  • Ferritt, your situation seems so familiar I'm wondering if you are the person I'm buying from...

    Anyway, I am in the same position and it's been frustrating as hell. I paid my solicitor in cash for the searches to be done over 4 weeks ago and it was 3 before they did anything - and only then after I reminded them. On top of this and the postal strike delaying some paperwork between solicitors (and two sets going missing in the post apparently), we have been unable to establish a concrete completion date :mad:

    Sorry to hear about your situation but I dont think we are dealing with each other :)

    Again rang his morning to find whats going on but again nothing new just being told that there solicitors are now not answering calls!!!! Anyway I tell my solicitor that from every day after the so called completion (26th) that we dont complete the house price goes up and continues to go up until we complete! Surprise surprise estate agent rings to inform that everything should now be on! seems as thos the search will be back in time!!! So I shall ust wait and see what happens. Gonna do my normal morning call tomoz again and see whats what as tomorrow I want to know if i's happening or not! The plot thickens!!!:confused:

    cheers
    No Unapproved or Personal links in signature please - FT3
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 342.5K Banking & Borrowing
  • 249.9K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.4K Spending & Discounts
  • 234.6K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 607.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 172.8K Life & Family
  • 247.4K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.8K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards