Normal? Buyer wants to view house but we are due to exchange

peaz

Hi guys

I was hoping you could just put my mind at ease as I am panicing and so is my husband- not a normal occurance in this house! Usually its one or the other but its both of us so we need a little reassurance!

Ok so house was on the market, several viewings and finally had an offer in Oct which we accepted. Buyer asked us to pay stamp duty which we agreed to. Survey downvalued it so buyer reduced asking price and we agreed (the buyers of the house we liked kindly did the same to keep the chain together). Buyer asked us to provide a damp report and a Periodic inspection report for the electrics-which we had to pay for. The house we want to buy needs a rewiring but with the additional expenses as above we cant afford to do it. Now we have been told that the Local Authority Search on the HIP is out of date (done mid Jan 08) and we have to pay for it. A basic one is £80, a local council one is £200. We simply cannot afford this.

Any ideas on what we can do? Our solicitor is on the phone to them now to explain that we have paid out for so much but I am just pre-empting a bit of a battle.

Also the buyers solicitor has advised the buyer to come round again to view the house. Is this normal? I was under the impression that we would be exchanging sometime soon so obviously this is worrying me and husband somewhat.

Please can anyone advise on the HIP and just put our minds at ease regarding the viewing!
xxx

carolt

How much have prices fallen in your area?

Good luck, but it sounds a little like your buyer has got cold feet.

chucky

peaz wrote: »

Hi guys

I was hoping you could just put my mind at ease as I am panicing and so is my husband- not a normal occurance in this house! Usually its one or the other but its both of us so we need a little reassurance!

Ok so house was on the market, several viewings and finally had an offer in Oct which we accepted. Buyer asked us to pay stamp duty which we agreed to. Survey downvalued it so buyer reduced asking price and we agreed (the buyers of the house we liked kindly did the same to keep the chain together). Buyer asked us to provide a damp report and a Periodic inspection report for the electrics-which we had to pay for. The house we want to buy needs a rewiring but with the additional expenses as above we cant afford to do it. Now we have been told that the Local Authority Search on the HIP is out of date (done mid Jan 08) and we have to pay for it. A basic one is £80, a local council one is £200. We simply cannot afford this.

Any ideas on what we can do? Our solicitor is on the phone to them now to explain that we have paid out for so much but I am just pre-empting a bit of a battle.

Also the buyers solicitor has advised the buyer to come round again to view the house. Is this normal? I was under the impression that we would be exchanging sometime soon so obviously this is worrying me and husband somewhat.

Please can anyone advise on the HIP and just put our minds at ease regarding the viewing!
xxx

it may just be they want to check the property out to see little things like furniture they may need or something like that.

i wouldn't worry about it too much until you know for sure.

hope that everything works out.

silvercar

Also the buyers solicitor has advised the buyer to come round again to view the house. Is this normal? I was under the impression that we would be exchanging sometime soon so obviously this is worrying me and husband somewhat.

Very normal. The solicitor would have advised it, so the buyers can confirm that everything is in the same state it was when they last viewed. We have done it on every house we bought, as have our buyers.

domcastro

no - it's fine. I exchanged today but went and viewed the house last week again as I wanted to show it to my sister. I also wanted to measure the doors to see if my sofa would get in the house

peaz

Mmmm, I am really trying to stay positive here! I think we both agree but don't want to admit it to each other.

House prices have fallen here but there are a lot of similar houses that are higher than what we are selling for and in worse condition. I guess its like anywhere.

peaz

Thanks for the replies (I posted my second post before I saw the rest!).

Excellent- so it seems like the done thing! We didn't do it and we aren't doing it on the property that we are buying. Its just a nervewracking time!!

A mad dash round the house is in order then- we are treating it as another viewing!

whathavewedone

I really wouldn't worry about the viewing. When we sold in 07 our buyers came round again with a measuring tape. They also asked us where we got our carpet from as they wanted to do the dining room in the same carpet (wooden floor in there) as the rest of the house.

We also saw the house we're in now before exchange for the same reasons, wanted to measure for curtains etc. I think it's quite normal. Once you've put your offer in you tend to think of it as yours and start getting excited about how you want to decorate etc.

[Deleted User]

Its normal. Don`t worry

whathavewedone

I don't really understand all this HIP business as I bought before it all came in but if they want another search done then they should pay for it. Buyers always used to have to pay for searches. If someone really wants a house they shouldn't let it fall through for the sake of £80.

If you can't afford it you can't afford it. It's pretty important that you get the house you're buying rewired.

peaz

Thanks all.

Whathavewedone- I agree with you but our Estate Agent reckons they will insist that as it is part of the HIP which we are responsible for, it is our responsibility to ensure it is valid. I can see their arguement but we have paid her stamp duty- which should be her responsibility- and therefore we arent exactly being tight about things.

If we didn't have to foot her stamp duty fee then we could rewire. Now we have to wait. We are stretching ourselves by buying this property but we have got ourselves a good deal so we are trying our hardest to meet her demands but the line has to be drawn somewhere.