Couple of questions from nervous buyer - UPDATED!!! - see end of thread!

MORPH3US

I'm sure all buyers are as nervous as I feel, but I feel stupid because we only got our offer accepted on Friday - long way to go yet.

I have today had quotes off solicitors who were recommended for conveyancing but was just wonering if there is anything that I should particularly look out for? Or are they all very similar?

Also, how will we know when to give notice on our flat? We need to give them a months notice although i'm not sure if that means 1 month notice to move out on any date we like, or on the last 30th of the month (we moved in on the 31st so do we have to stay a full final month!??!)

I am going into the estate agents on Wednesday with ID to finalise the offer and seeing HSBC to finalise the mortgage a week on Tuesday.

Thanks for all help!

M

village_life

morpheus

with regards to conveyancing - a lot of solicitors do fixed fee deals - we've paid £495 for ours i think and we've used and abused them loads - and they've been brilliant with it - so make sure you go with a recommended solicitor!

with regards to your notice, i'd assume 1 months notice to end on the 31st day, given that you're probably running your tenancy from 31st to 31st per calendar month.

Lorian

MORPH3US wrote:

I have today had quotes off solicitors who were recommended for conveyancing but was just wonering if there is anything that I should particularly look out for? Or are they all very similar?

A personal recommendation from someone you know who has used them before is usually the best bet.

MORPH3US wrote:

Also, how will we know when to give notice on our flat?

Not yet! You need to have exchanged contracts and have a date for completion. Don't forget its better to waste a weeks rent than have nowhere to live for a week.

MORPH3US wrote:

We need to give them a months notice although i'm not sure if that means 1 month notice to move out on any date we like, or on the last 30th of the month (we moved in on the 31st so do we have to stay a full final month!??!)

Time to dig out your tennancy agreement and read the detail. If in doubt ask their agent.

Good luck!

Jorgan_2

Try & get a solicitor that operates on a no sale no fee basis or can offer some type of insurance. Without this, if the worst happens and the sale falls thru you will incur solicitors costs, even when it is not you fault. A personal recommendation is always a good way of finding a solicitor.

Do not give notice yet, you need to know that the chain is well advanced before doing this. By advanced I mean that the chain is closed, i.e. everybody has a property to move to, they all have their searches back & mortgage offers have been issued to those that need them. You should then be in a position to start talking moving dates. Do not assume that just because you have everything in place & done everything that has been asked of you, that every one else in your chain has.

Best of luck.

sarah_elton

Re notice on your flat - I was on a month's notice when I moved out of mine.

I didn't bother asking my landlord if I had to move out to coincide with rent date - I just made sure completion lined up (to be precise I had 10 days overlap so I could do decorating with the new place empty, but that's a luxury - worth considering though as your first mortgage repayment won't be for over a month after you move in), so you will need to ask about that.

In terms of process though, once my solicitor sent me the contract to sign and return, it included a form where I had to say when I wanted completion, how long, preferable dates etc. I sent it back with a note saying I was on a month's notice for rent, so needed at least 3 weeks notice of completion date once decided.

Mine was easy as I was FTB, and seller was moving in with g/f so no onward chain, so he went with the date I said. If it's a chain it may be a little harder to get exactly what you want, but it's not a big deal, and you'll find solicitors are more than used to dealing with the situation.

amazon_spice

No help! but ...... sending you huge good luck vibes.

... from a first time mover!

AB.

MORPH3US

What happens next?

Right, all of the searches have been done, the survey has been done and the solicitor just needs to "check the title" whatever that is.

So my question is, what happens next - once the solicitor checks the title?!?

Also, the survey didn't pick up much, main things were:

Minor:
- loose waste pipe from kitchen sink needs refixing
- back bedroom window painted shut (!!!!!!?!?!?)

For solicitor to check:
- service history reccords for boiler
- "Potential flooding risk within 500m"

Now obviously the minor things can be fixed easily, boiler service reccords should be easy to get off vendor, but what can be done about the "potential flooding risk"?? Asked solicitor and she said "in our standing enquiries we always ask whether the property has been affected by flooding"

But a) whats to stop them from lying (not that I think they will) and b) just because its never been flooded before, theres no reason to say it won't in the future, is there no other checks that can be done?

I don't even understand what the flooding risk could be!!!

Thanks

M

silvercar

Have a look at this website, put in your postcode and it tells you the risk of flooding.

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/flood/826674/829803/

clairehi

MORPH3US wrote:

What happens next?

Right, all of the searches have been done, the survey has been done and the solicitor just needs to "check the title" whatever that is.

So my question is, what happens next - once the solicitor checks the title?!?

Also, the survey didn't pick up much, main things were:

Minor:
- loose waste pipe from kitchen sink needs refixing
- back bedroom window painted shut (!!!!!!?!?!?)

For solicitor to check:
- service history reccords for boiler
- "Potential flooding risk within 500m"

Now obviously the minor things can be fixed easily, boiler service reccords should be easy to get off vendor, but what can be done about the "potential flooding risk"?? Asked solicitor and she said "in our standing enquiries we always ask whether the property has been affected by flooding"

But a) whats to stop them from lying (not that I think they will) and b) just because its never been flooded before, theres no reason to say it won't in the future, is there no other checks that can be done?

I don't even understand what the flooding risk could be!!!

Thanks

M

Our solicitor got an environmental search report to check the flooding risk. so it shouldnt be down to taking the vendor's word for it.

I think these environmental searches are standard now but they werent a few years ago - anyone know?

MORPH3US

We are getting an Environmental Search done (didn't get a choice) so hopefully it'll all be ok!

I checked the link above and it shows a blue patch over where our house would be (although the estate isn't there yet?)

M

Bun

The window being painted shut may mean you can't exit the property if there's a fire. Surveys show up things that could be deemed unsafe as well things that are defective. We had a survey on a ground floor flat that had quite new double glazing, but the survey pointed out quite rightly that the only bit that opened was the tiny bit of the top of each window, which was not big enough to escape from if necessary.

If you proceed with the property you would need to get this fixed for this reason.