to those buying in these difficult times! AKA buyers support network

<sebb>

RacyRed wrote: »

Fingers crossed for you Sebb.

My surveyor goes out this week. There are a few points I spotted on the viewings that I'm a bit worried about so I'm starting to feel very nervous already

Thanks! Went round to see it today and spotted lots more things that were wrong with it. Nothing deal breaking - perhaps something to negotiate on the price - because its nothing that cant be easily fixed. But STILL waiting on the response from the vendor's solicitor! Is it normal to wait this long for building completion certificates when the conversion was done only 18 months ago?

RacyRed

<sebb> wrote: »

Thanks! Went round to see it today and spotted lots more things that were wrong with it. Nothing deal breaking - perhaps something to negotiate on the price - because its nothing that cant be easily fixed. But STILL waiting on the response from the vendor's solicitor! Is it normal to wait this long for building completion certificates when the conversion was done only 18 months ago?

I wish I could answer that one. What does your solicitor say?

<sebb>

RacyRed wrote: »

I wish I could answer that one. What does your solicitor say?

She says she's chased every day for the last week and heard nothing - she's copied me in on the emails and letters. She also says if there isnt a building completion certificate then she'll make sure that they get one before the purchase progresses. I'm not sure that she quite gets the fact that I'm going to pull out as fast as I can if there isnt one!

RacyRed

<sebb> wrote: »

She says she's chased every day for the last week and heard nothing - she's copied me in on the emails and letters. She also says if there isnt a building completion certificate then she'll make sure that they get one before the purchase progresses. I'm not sure that she quite gets the fact that I'm going to pull out as fast as I can if there isnt one!

Maybe try spelling that out to her so that she lets the vendors' solicitor know how serious you are about this?

Has she experienced this sort of delay before with this type of certificate or is it a new one for her?

<sebb>

RacyRed wrote: »

Maybe try spelling that out to her so that she lets the vendors' solicitor know how serious you are about this?

Has she experienced this sort of delay before with this type of certificate or is it a new one for her?

I havent gone so far as spelling it out yet, but I'm getting to that point! I dont blame her, she's just trying to get it sorted. As far as she is aware I just want it sorted regardless. TBH if they could get the certificates, then I want the flat. I told the EA today and he says he's going to chase them too and speak to the vendor.

From the conversations I've had with people I know buying round here it seems the norm to have dodgy building works done then accept indemnity insurance on sale. I'm not prepared to do that, and thankfully my solicitor hasnt suggested that either. I'm going to give it till the end of the week then tell the buyer he has 5 days to produce the certificates or I'm pulling out.

<sebb>

Arghh, I've just had the EA on the phone. The vendor is signing his half of the contract tomorrow and wants to know when I'm signing mine!

We STILL havent heard from their solicitors. I calmly explained that when the vendor got round to providing basic and fundamental information, then I might be in a position to talk about dates. Until such time, I'm not even sure that the purchase will go ahead.

The things I'm waiting for (to name a few)

- The building completion certificates for 2 separate major building works that were carried out
- The boiler installation certificate
- A valid building contents insurance certificate (the one they had wasnt valid as he hadnt told the insurance co it had been converted to flats)
- confirmation that the exisiting tenants have been served notice (I just found out they havent - he's going to do that after I sign!!!)
- The consent to lease from his mortgage company

There are about a further 10 queries but these seem less important.

RacyRed

Sounds like a nightmare Sebb, maybe it is time to pull the plug on that one. endor sounds as if they just want to get shot of it and hope you will be keen enough to gloss over important details.

<sebb>

Last night I made my final decision to pull out of the sale. We finally got back the queries from their side and although they claim they've given me full building completion certificates, what they've actually given me is a building completion certificate for the first work done in 2004 (loft extension) and no certificate for the conversion to flats carried out in 2008. What is even more suspicious is that the building completion certificate for the 2004 works was only dated last week! I bloody knew he didnt have one when I first asked. So why didnt it cover the conversion too?

Secondly, the insurance still isnt valid, despite my solicitor saying my lendor wont accept it. There is no boiler installation certificate. The lease plans havent been registered with the land registry yet.

And to top it all off he asked me yesterday to agree to complete by 31 March but he hasnt told the tenants to leave yet. He refused to give them any formal notice because apparantly they have told him they will leave whenever he asks them to!

I think I've had a lucky escape with this one. Now I just need to tell the EA which I'm not looking forward to.

Doshwaster

Hello fellow housebuyers,

I have been househunting for a few weeks now and so far it has been fun - like a new hobby which hasn't cost me a penny - viewing a few properties each weekend and nipping out of work to see the odd one in the week.

However, I'm starting to get a little disillusioned. I haven't yet seen anything which lights my fire. There have been some "nice" places near the top of my price range but none which I could imagine living it. At the lower end of the range they need too much work doing to them and I'm not looking for a "project"

Now I'm starting to get hassle from EA's to arrange second viewings and to put in an offer ("there's a lot of interest, Sir. I think it will be gone in a few days").

Another factor is the forthcoming election. With two budgets likely within weeks then anything could happen to stamp duty. I'm looking in the £150-160k range and wonder if it might be better hanging on for a couple of months to see how things settle down.

Also, we've had some bad news at work in the last week which makes me think that my job may not be as secure I had thought.

Any advice? I need to get remotivated again. If I'm falling at the first hurdle, am I really cut out for this home buying game?

RacyRed

<sebb> wrote: »

Last night I made my final decision to pull out of the sale. We finally got back the queries from their side and although they claim they've given me full building completion certificates, what they've actually given me is a building completion certificate for the first work done in 2004 (loft extension) and no certificate for the conversion to flats carried out in 2008. What is even more suspicious is that the building completion certificate for the 2004 works was only dated last week! I bloody knew he didnt have one when I first asked. So why didnt it cover the conversion too?

Secondly, the insurance still isnt valid, despite my solicitor saying my lendor wont accept it. There is no boiler installation certificate. The lease plans havent been registered with the land registry yet.

And to top it all off he asked me yesterday to agree to complete by 31 March but he hasnt told the tenants to leave yet. He refused to give them any formal notice because apparantly they have told him they will leave whenever he asks them to!

I think I've had a lucky escape with this one. Now I just need to tell the EA which I'm not looking forward to.

Sounds as if you made the right decision Sebb, if you had gone ahead you would have been constanty worried about possible problems when you wanted to sell.

How did the EA react?

Doshwaster, it often takes a while to find "the one". If you are going to need a mortgage it might be best to see how things at work go before committing yourself?