where to complete?

samuellucas

We are doing our own conveyancing and selling a property. The vendor's solicitors are in Oldham and we are in Milton Keynes. They wish to complete on 5th August. We wish to complete on 8th August and here in Milton Keynes. Is that possible? How would they go about it? Are we being unreasonable?

samuellucas

Sorry, we are the vendors doing our own conveyancing!! I meant the purchaser's solicitor is in Oldham.

vuvuzela

I didn't think solicitors had to actually meet to complete a purchase, so surely it doesn't matter at all where you are. I know mine certainly haven't ever done that.

samuellucas

Thanks for your quick reply. Yes, I do appreciate that solicitors do not always have to meet. However, I have to hand over the documents. For safety reasons, I am not prepared to put them in the post. So what should I do?

firstaspect

Send them with a secure courier if you're concerned about putting them in the post or drive to Oldham yourself to take the documents. A solicitor will complete over the phone, they won't travel anywhere to do it.

narabanekeater

Or Royal Mail special delivery this will have compensation cover and be signed for

pete_ll

narabanekeater wrote: »

Or Royal Mail special delivery this will have compensation cover and be signed for

Yes, it's only about a tenner and they will guarantee delivery either before 9:00 or before 1:00pm depending on whether you want to pay extra. Just take your stuff to the local (sub) post-office. They'll put it in one of their special plastic covers and ask yo how much insurance cover you want (you pay for that in bands, up to ISTR £2500). You get a receipt WHICH YOU MUST KEEP if you ever need to claim.

GDB2222

This should all be in the contract. Have you exchanged yet? Surely, 5 Aug or 8 Aug is a matter for negotiation between buyer and seller, assuming contracts have not yet been exchanged. Who is holding the deposit?

I have conveyed some relatively small properties myself in the past. I have generally used the other party's solicitor as a postage box. For example, I have sent him the TR1 in plenty of time beforehand 'to be held to my order' - check he agrees to this before actually sending the document! Then, before completion date, I would agree with him (in writing) that he can release the TR1 to his clients at the same time as he sends me the completion money by CHAPS - having first spoken to me by phone on the day. There's never been any problem. Most solicitors understandably hate dealing with people selling their own property, as it all takes them a bit longer.

If you are dealing with a solicitor at the other end, he will agree to all this. If the work is being done by a glorified secretary, they'll need to take instructions from a qualified person.

I would be more concerned if the buyers were using a tiny firm than one of the big firms.

samuellucas

Thanks for all your comments. I'm going to telephone the solicitors today and see if we can agree on something amicable to both sides. Will let you all know what is agreed upon.

kr15snw

None of our solicitors have ever met, and we rarely see ours (haven’t seen her once for anything to do with the purchase of our sale).

We live in Plymouth, as does our buyer and their solicitor. Our Solicitor lives in Exeter. Our Vendor lives in Yeovil as does their solicitor!

With post / couriers / email / fax we have had no need to ever see our solicitor. And won’t do for completion this week J

kingstreet

Get the DX number for the purchaser's solicitor and ask a local solicitor if he'll let you use his DX for a small fee.

On completion day (once you've agreed it between you) you should release the keys to the purchaser once the purchase monies have been received into your account. They would be expected to come to the property or to the selling agent, probably locally-based, to do this.