Conveyancing - How long did yours take for a purchase?

EatingGlitter

Hiya,

So we've had our offer accepted, Home Buyers Report done, got a text from the building society this morning saying our mortgage has been approved and we shall receive our offer in the next couple of days.

We've got our conveyancing solicitors as part of our mortgage package and received their details in full last week. I've sent them back their questionnaire, our Home Buyers Report and a cheque for £250 and called them today. They said it's been accepted etc and they are waiting for our draft contract. However I know that this was sent last week.

I was just wondering how long other people have waited for conveyancing to be completed? I understand it's one of those "how long is a piece of string?" questions but the EA keeps calling me for an exchange date and I don't even think they've initiated any of the searches yet! In fact I've called the direct line several times and nobody picks up so I have to go through the main switchboard of the firm to even get ahold of anybody!

Thanks

InkZ

I sold my flat with no chain last month and it took about 6 weeks to exchange.

Funkygibbon

Offer was accepted on the 9th March. Still waiting to exchange contracts!

EatingGlitter

Our offer was accepted on the 27th April, we are FTB and the vendors are no chain and moving into a rental property with the same EA.

Nationwide our building society have been quick and our offer should be with us tomorrow (though they've text to say it's accepted), our surveyor (who was from the dreaded Countrywide!) was in and out within 2 working days, third working day we had our report (V pleased with this). Conveyancing solicitors have taken a bit longer to be in touch and when I spoke to them today they said that they are waiting for the draft contract etc.

I've got our EA onto them now though... so fingers crossed this should speed them up!

hazyjo

Five LONG months from offer to completion. Nightmare. Unforeseen problems re the garages that came with the house we were buying. Only 3 of us in chain. Investor buying mine, us buying a house off a family who were going into rented. Was supposed to all happen within one month (our buyer's request. Luckily he hung on).

Good luck!

Jx

Richard_Webster

when I spoke to them today they said that they are waiting for the draft contract etc.

First post said you knew the contract had been sent already. How do you know this?

When they get it they can send off searches and check through what has been sent and ask any relevant questions of the seller's solicitors. The it is how long seller and his solicitors take to answer them. EAs can chase this.

When searches all back and satisfactory replies to enquiries solicitors will report to you with stuff to sign.

EatingGlitter

First post said you knew the contract had been sent already. How do you know this? The Estate Agent told us it had (however I can imagine that this might not be the full truth!)

When they get it they can send off searches and check through what has been sent and ask any relevant questions of the seller's solicitors. The it is how long seller and his solicitors take to answer them. EAs can chase this.- We're buying in Copnor, do you know how long the searches tend to take with Portsmouth City Council? I've heard they are quite fast

When searches all back and satisfactory replies to enquiries solicitors will report to you with stuff to sign. Brilliant Thank you

EatingGlitter

hazyjo wrote: »

Five LONG months from offer to completion. Nightmare. Unforeseen problems re the garages that came with the house we were buying. Only 3 of us in chain. Investor buying mine, us buying a house off a family who were going into rented. Was supposed to all happen within one month (our buyer's request. Luckily he hung on).

Good luck!

Jx

Ouchhhh!

I have a feeling we might have one hiccup. Previous owners did a semi-loft conversion over 10 years ago. House has been sold with a "loft space" and we intend to use it as a "loft space" ie. storage and stuff and not as a room. As it was the owners before the current owners there are no building regs. I know who did the work and they are a reputable tradesperson, however in order to get it up to code is going to be difficult and expensive. We might do this later but for the time being it's a posh attic.

Our surveyor put it as a 3 in our report but said that it wasn't a major concern. I have a feeling we might have to go through an indemnity insurance hoo-hah....

Richard_Webster

We're buying in Copnor, do you know how long the searches tend to take with Portsmouth City Council? I've heard they are quite fast

About a week I would guess. Is your solicitor doing the search direct with the Council or using a private search company? If it is the latter, in some cases they can be cheaper e.g. in Fareham where searches cost £164 with the Council and typical private searches only cost £80-£110 but in Portsmouth it is a no brainer as the Council only charges £50!

Grimbal

Not actually completed as such but wanted sympathy:

5 weeks from acceptance of offer to imminent exchange (no chain -we're in rented and vendor was in care home). Thought we were doing brilliantly but then, 2 days or so before exchange, vendor dies (how inconvenient!) and house is now in probate

Might be a while.....

EatingGlitter

Richard_Webster wrote: »

About a week I would guess. Is your solicitor doing the search direct with the Council or using a private search company? If it is the latter, in some cases they can be cheaper e.g. in Fareham where searches cost £164 with the Council and typical private searches only cost £80-£110 but in Portsmouth it is a no brainer as the Council only charges £50!

Oooh. Thanks for the heads up on that. Can they insist on a private search?