Odd solicitors questions!

Bufger

Maybe someone can shed some light/experience here.

My vendor rang me today (we have a very good open communication relationship) and told me that her solicitor had rang and said that my solicitor has been asking some very odd questions. Her solicitor refuses to answer them as they are unrelated to the property and has said that she hasnt ever seen such rediculous questions before!

An Example of one i was quoted: 'is the reason for moving due to a bad smell coming from one of more of the neighbours'.

I mean seriously, is this the kind of question a solicitor needs to ask? I appreciate my solicitor is working for me and in my best interest but where is the line? if they refuse to answer (which could be rightfully so if these questions are so stupid) would we end up in a deadlock?

Im happy with the house, the independant surveyor was very happy with the property, my lender is happy with the value of the house so why is my solicitor being silly?

So close yet with this solicitor i feel so far away.. :rotfl:

Richard_Webster

Yes it does sound silly.

Sometimes solicitors have situations arise where somebody buys a house and for instance the buyers move in and discover something that could have been asked about in inquiries, such as a nasty smell. They talk to neighbours and discover that the sellers moved largely because of the smell caused by another neighbour's activities.

Solicitor makes a note to ask the question next time!

I had one local solicitor who always wanted to know if the property had a water softener and the names of the owners of the all the properties that adjoined the one being purchased. I could never really see the point of these questions.

However if the seller's solicitor won't answer them your solicitor would have to explain to you the significance of this (or lack of it) and you might well conclude that you were not bothered!

Bufger

Thankyou Richard.

I did think it would probably end up being a case of me stating i wasnt bothered about certain questions to close the gaps.

DVardysShadow

Bufger wrote: »

... An Example of one i was quoted: 'is the reason for moving due to a bad smell coming from one of more of the neighbours'.

I mean seriously ...

It's a roundabout way of enquiring about bubonic plague, I think.

Tamsin_Temrin

How close is the nearest pig farm?

How about tannery?

Sewage farm?

Chicken farm?

May all be concerns for smells. Or the solicitor has been caught missing out one of the above before and is now covering his @rse

Doozergirl

They might be stupid questions but isn't it just quicker for them to answer 'no' and just get on with it?

I can't say I've had anything that stupid, in fact my solicitor sends out a list of additional queries as standard which I have never seen from a buyer's solicitor, it's at least nice to know that they are going further than they probably need to to dig out any issues.

Your solicitor may be slightly nuts, but at least it's in your favour :rotfl:

barnaby-bear

Bufger wrote: »

Maybe someone can shed some light/experience here.

An Example of one i was quoted: 'is the reason for moving due to a bad smell coming from one of more of the neighbours'.

I mean seriously, is this the kind of question a solicitor needs to ask?

I've heard of people having issues with flats above fast food places in London, curry/kebab/fat frying.... and I have heard of people complaining about their neighbours overpowering cooking smells in flats....

There are areas where pong-pollution affects saleability - if you bought a house near this guy and your solicitor hadn't found out something that makes the area virtually impossible to sell in and you were stuck with the issue and a devalued house
http://www.eadt.co.uk/content/eadt/news/story.aspx?brand=EADOnline&category=News&tBrand=EADOnline&tCategory=xDefault&itemid=IPED21%20Oct%202009%2012%3A01%3A01%3A083

Bufger

Thanks for the advice guys, that does make sense actually, it is probably a standard question but it just seems rediculous in the circumstance of having a mid terrace away from any fast food/farms/sewage works etc etc.

I'm expecting them to come back to me early this week, i can then discount the questions im not worried about or speak to the vendor and tell them it might just be quicker to answer.

DVardysShadow

barnaby-bear wrote: »

I've heard of people having issues with flats above fast food places in London, curry/kebab/fat frying.... and I have heard of people complaining about their neighbours overpowering cooking smells in flats....

There are areas where pong-pollution affects saleability - if you bought a house near this guy and your solicitor hadn't found out something that makes the area virtually impossible to sell in and you were stuck with the issue and a devalued house

While the question might have to be asked, buyers with noses can go around and sniff for themselves, [it doesn't matter to those without]. That will be far more satisfactory than asking vendors because when they answer, they will be far more focussed on what they want to move to than on waht they want to move away from.

blckbrd

How much is this comedian charging you for the additional time spent on asking such tripe? (BTW tripe smells vile - perhaps his neighbours have asked the same question...)

barnaby-bear

DVardysShadow wrote: »

While the question might have to be asked, buyers with noses can go around and sniff for themselves, [it doesn't matter to those without]. That will be far more satisfactory than asking vendors because when they answer, they will be far more focussed on what they want to move to than on waht they want to move away from.

hmm tricky one - a lot of agro-pong is seasonal - sugar beet factories run for six months at a time - odd smell but not in summer - once running in winter it's 24-7 so the sugar doesn't harden in the pipes..... view in summer no problem.... again probably a standard question but wy the vendors won't just tick no a bit disturbing.... mid-terrace - leaky chimney problems with cooking/wood burner smells? Just the OP's solicitor covering them and client against a lot of unlikely scenarios - but quicker and easier for a vendor to answer