Offer accepted but not seen HIPS - what to do?

Richard_Webster

Your solicitor will be wanting to see the HIP so he will be complaining too.

It really is awful that estate agents don't understand their obligations. I keep getting told by agents things like "we haven't got the HIP, the seller was getting it done himself..."

That's nothing to do with anything. If they are marketing the proeprty they need to be able to make the HIP available even in its uncompleted state (minus searches).

They should be telling their seller client they can't market without it so it is up to him to make sure it is got to them ASAP if he wants property marketed.

sallycanwait

Ah! I mentioned it to the solicitor and as they work for the EA said it didn't matter as they do everything at once (or words to that effect). So they're not complaining!

All sounds mighty dodgy to me!

chickmug

sallycanwait wrote: »

Chickmug you're good! Thanks for those.

I have emailed the estate agent again citing the legal requirement to send the HIP through within 14 days of request. I have also emailed Consumer Direct with this information as well.

The EA don't have a complaints system on their website but the Property Ombudsman website says that I should complain initially to the agent before they can take a complaint further. Should I just email the branch or use the Contact Us form on the website?
I would email branch

Should I wait until the sale is completed before I complain to avoid upsetting them and causing more delays?
This is where the problem lies. I do complain but not if it costs me something I want.But I would whenever I had exchanged if by then you still have the resolve to do so.

Having to tread carefully is a pain?

monkeys_bunny

at least the vendor understands that its not you holding things up. i would, i if i were you, keep the vendor in the loop about what is going on and that you want to buy the house but the Solicitors are being rubbish and therefore not your fault.

can i ask why you want to see the hip?

have you seen anyother documents, signed contracts etc yet?


good luck, i hope it turns out to be ok and the house of your dreams

jamesperrett

sallycanwait wrote: »

Ah! I mentioned it to the solicitor and as they work for the EA said it didn't matter as they do everything at once (or words to that effect). So they're not complaining!

All sounds mighty dodgy to me!

The solicitors should be working for you - I'm not sure how this would stand legally but I would suggest that you think about contacting another solicitor and tell the original solictor that, unless they produce the HIP within a certain time, you will no longer require their services.

Cheers

James.

tek-monkey

With how they'd responded so far I'd want shot of them anyway!

monkeys_bunny

I think Sallycanwait is a little scared if she changes solicitors she may loose the purchse and money........but i may have read that wrong

tek-monkey

Tell the vendor you want the house, but cannot deal with such an unprofessional solicitor. Don't need the HIP cos they work for the EA? Can you get that in writing?

Richard_Webster

Is OP being charged for fresh set of searches? If not his/her solicitors will want to see HIP to check searches.

I would also want to look at the PIQ to make sure it was consistent with any other questionnaires completed by the seller.

sallycanwait

We've not seen anything yet. Other than a letter from the EA confirming our offer and the names of the vendors and our solicitor and a letter from the solicitor thanking us for returning the forms and paying the £300 deposit and giving us an online tracking log-in, we've had nothing else.

As I said to the vendor this morning - if we hadn't been down to see them recently and seen all their boxes packed up, I might actually begin to think I'd dreamt the whole thing up.

We asked for the HIP report as it's meant to be a supporting document for the buyer - otherwise what's the point?

As for changing solicitors - the thought did cross my mind, but I assumed I'd lose the £300 deposit taken on 25 August and really the vendor needs to do the same for it to be effective which I imagine is too complicated to suggest this far along.

Thanks for all the replies, it's satisfying to know that I'm not being paranoid about this and that things aren't going the way they should be. I think we will complain after exchange and I know the vendor intends to do the same but doesn't want to jeopardise anything for us either.