My Experience - Thames Valley Housing Association - My Choice Homebuy Scheme

hayley_jayne2009

Hello All,

I totally know how you all feel, we sent off our application and recieved our pack early april, we found and fell in love with 'our' house, put in an offer completely unaware of this unfolding nightmare!
We were told at the time 3 weeks untill a decision would be made, however nearly 8 weeks on we are still waiting.

I havent even dared ring thier office, but everytime i go to the agents office he 'gets in touch' and they move the goal posts again.

TVA have given us three dates so far and each has gone past. Thier communication and customer service is disgusting.

Went in today and was told our application would be looked at on the 22nd (we have our case worker already).... am not holding my breath.

Luckily we have understanding vendors, am so stressed though and just cant see the end of all this

How is everyone else getting on?

H xx

Sandra2

Hi all,
Today we have heard that our buyers have the piece of paper approving them for their loan from TVHA and they can now book the survey. We accepted their offer on April 4th. We have been told we are looking at a further 5-8 weeks - a total time of 17-20 weeks from accepting offer to completion. Most people move in 6-12 weeks and this is the first real sign we have that our buyers can actually proceed. We have held on for our buyers, thanks in part to reading posts on here as at least we knew others were experiencing similar issues, but I know other vendors pulled out much earlier. I hope that other vendors will be as patient as us but it is the most stressful situation I have been in for a while. If we get to exchange and - dare I say it - completion I will be amazed as I, as I said to my MP and in my complaint to TVHA, this scheme is over-promise, under-deliver, dreadful customer service, totally lacking in information, unbelievably stressful and makes the moving market even more difficult for all. I hope everyone else is hanging on in there...

withoutatrace

That's good to hear, Sandra2. I am sure you buyers are really appreciative, you have been very patient in an unbelievaby diffcult circumstances! We are trying to get everything done to exchange contacts within the next week, as our vendor wants to complete on 24 July...Quite tricky when you are dealing with the FA/mortgage provider, Thames Valley and the Solicitors, been a lot of emails, letters, phone calls...

But I am feeling positive for the first time in ages! I hope everything goes smoothly for everyone- includng myself!- from now on. If anyone has got to the point of exchange I would love to hear how it went.

lellow_lorry

We accepted an offer 31st April, and still no news. Questions I have are anyone know the time frame roughly? I'm patient enough to wait but don't know how long this process takes. Also is the completion date flexible, as i am looking to bridge between 2 properties if it takes too long. This scheme is great for first timers in principle ,but am now hearing others are not accepting offers from any one using my choice due to the problems with delays

withoutatrace

Our offer was accepted on 28 April, and we are only just seeing thngs happen, Once you have the official approval from Thames Valley the speed at which things happen depends on the other people in the chain, as well as things like surveys, mortgage approvals, solicitors etc. Thames Valley do insist on three weeks between exchange and completion to make funds available though. The completion date can be flexible to a point; the buyer can ask for an extension if need be but there is no guarantee that the case worker will agree.

If things go as planned and we complete on 24th July it will have taken around 3 months from having the offer accepted to moving in.

lellow_lorry

Thanks for the info. Guess its just a case of a waiting game. Based on your experience and progress might be a few more weeks before see any sign of progress

ChelseaDPM

Hello all,

Its now the 22nd and hopefully Thames Valley are underway with the processing of our application, as promised last week. Will wait and see in a couple of days before contacting them.

Anyway, i contacted my local MP as i was threatening to do, and today i got a response!

"I have noted your concern about the problems which you are encountering with the My Choice Homebuy Scheme, and will certainly raise this matter with the Government".

"I have therefore today written on your behalf to the Minister of State for Housing at the Department for Communities and Local Government, asking if he can look into the points you have raised and let me know his response. In my letter i have highlighted the fact that you believe there are many other people suffering at the hands of Thames Valley Housing Association and this Government backed scheme".

"I will of course write to you again as soon as i receive the Minister's reply".

Get in - power to the people!

:T:rotfl::T:rotfl::T

withoutatrace

Just to say I have no idea what Thames Valley are up to now, they are still driving us insane with silly nonsense; quibbling over figures, not sending documents to our solicitor etc etc, and now today they also sent a letter out of the blue saying we have to exchange by 26 June or we will lose the funding! I have the original award letter in front of me stating we have to exchange by 15th July so surely they can't do this. Ayee isn't returning our calls or answering our emails...We have spent thousands of pounds on mortgage arrangement fees, survey, solicitors...I am so sick of all the unnecessary stress!

ChelseaDPM

That is absolutely disgusting...

I would definately make an appointment with your Citizens Advice Beureu to see where you stand. You can not exchange in 4 days!

idiots. I feel for you.

Trollfever

i contacted my local mp

:t

:T


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