House buying, renting & selling

Discussion List

• Lettings management - is it mandatory to renew an AST?

  We have had a rental property for a long time that we handed over to a letting agent to manage from last year. The end of the tenancy is coming up and the agent asked what our intentions were. We told them that we are happy for the tenants to continue at the same rent under a periodic tenancy. The agent then invoiced us…

• Help with what’s probably a stupid question from a solo buyer

  Hello all I know this is probably really stupid but i’m in process of buying a new home solo and a bit clueless on it all and nervous i’ll make a mistake Sale and purchase just agreed to now completing solicitor forms. The instruction questionnaire asks if i have the full 10% deposit available to be paid on exchange. My…

• Deposit question - please help!

  Hi all I have been waiting to exchange on a house since September (FTB). For my purchase, I had a gifted deposit of c.£6000 from my husband. However, since receiving the money from my husband in August, I have since been paid in September and October which means that I now have £6000 additional of my own. This means that…

• Buyer's solicitor delayed exchange but pushing for same completion date

  Hi all, our conveyancer is very responsive but buyer's solicitor is delaying matters. We have been relaxed about our sale and never chased our buyer. We hadn't found anywhere ourselves and said we would move to rented if we didn't find anywhere. We were asked for a completion date at the beginning of October and we gave…

• Will I automatically fail the council affordability check?

  I'm on JSA and currently live with my mum but have applied for social housing. Can they do an affordability check based on my current benefits, without me failing because it doesn't cover/include housing costs? I know I could claim UC for the temporary increase but I don't want to until I have to (when I'm offered a…

• Restrictive covenant advice

  Hi :-) we have recently bought a home which we love and couldn’t be happier with. We loved the area and were looking forward to a quiet life here. Within 2 days of living here we received a letter through the door from a neighbour asking for money to be sent to a neighbour hood bank account which goes toward the upkeep of…

• What mortgage category am I in?

  Hi Can anyone tell me what mortgage category I'm in please? I was on a first time buyers mortgage from 2010-2014 with my ex partner, I was taken off it after we split up (i got nothing from the transfer to him solely) and have been renting privately ever since. I'm finally in the position where I would like to buy my own…

• Buyers and sellers opinions on ‘dressing’ and photos

  Hi it’s been a great help reading everyone’s experience and opinions on selling and buying. I know there’s a lot of differing information out there. I was just wondering what your thoughts are and how important is dressing a property for sale. We’ve tried to declutter as much as possible, extra cleans and touch up paint…

• Nightmare Neighbour- what can I do??

  I moved into a town centre flat a month ago in our quiet little area and I've already witnessed the police being called to sort out the neighbour below me 3 times. She hasn't been arrested but spoken to sternly each time. She's a nice enough person until she has a drink and then becomes a loud and abusive nightmare, most…

• DWP decision making re capital

  Hi, decision on 

• housing benefit and high earner mortgage

  Just started process of applying for a mortgage. I live on my own and receive housing benefit due to my illness. My fiance lives elsewhere and is a high earner. We are applying for a joint mortgage which he will pay for and I will give up my flat and housing benefit. We plan to marry next year. One lender told us they…

• FTB advice

  So having been doing some research, I am very wary about the ESW1 cert. I'm a FTB. Ideally I'd love a freehold, but the ones near me are at the top end of my budget and need work doing to them so I would have no capital. A flat suits my current circumstances. These are two I am looking at - both are a little bit above my…

• Shared Ownership v HTB Equity Loan

  In short, if you had to chose one, which one would you choose to help you get on the property ladder? In long, we are a family of four renting and wanting to get on the property ladder. In our area there is a mass of new builds happening which will grow the town by a quarter. With both types of schemes we will potentially…

• After survey estate agent passing on to solicitor

  Hi All Estate agent has said the following and am not sure what it means “ must stress that enquires regarding the sale after the point of which the survey has been completed will fall on the responsibility of your selected solicitor.” Does it mean if survey picks up major issues that discussion is through the solicitors…

• First Time Buyer - again

  My son split with his partner and after selling their house returned back to mum and dad. He has been back for 2 years and is currently looking for a property this time on one salary. What kind of salary and deposit does he need to buy £300,000 property and can he be a first time buyer again. I'm sure the answer to the…

• EA pushing for Exchange Date but not Completion date. Why..??

  Had chat with EA in the chain, he is very keen to push and agree on an exchange date. But not eagerness on completion date..Any idea why..? He want to agree a quick exchange date and keen 'to have an idea about completion date'!!! I am not keen to move but I want to make sure completion done earliest in the current…

• Anyone familiar with local authority housing/homelessness procedures etc?

  Hi, I just wondered if anyone has experience in dealing with local authorities as we've had an unusual offer and I'm wondering if I was too hasty to turn it down?We're in a private rental at the moment, myself and son, he has multiple disabilities so all income is via Universal Credit apart from a very small amount I get…

• Stamp Duty Query

  About a year ago, my mum passed away and my brother and I inherited her house which we now own 50/50, value about £240k He has always lived in the property but is now looking to sell and move - he will be an FTB. I already own my own house. He may not be able to afford a new place with half the value of the inherited…

• apportionments

  Hi everyone Hope someone is able to help. We're buying 45% of a house (before people say anything sadly this is our only option when we're being priced out of our area) We've just seen this in an email from our solicitor.. "The Solicitors acting for the developer will also collect in an advance payment of your Ground Rent,…

• Check for covenant

  When considering purchasing a property check whether there is a covenant that gives restrictions for example parking vans.