Countrywide Conveyancing/HSBC - avoid like the plague if you want to complete

Yorkie1

MrBR wrote: »

Hi All,

I've just seen this thread regarding HSBC and CC.

I'm in the same boat with this. My solicitor has been chasing CC for the last 4 weeks in order to complete my 1st house purchase and we are not getting anywhere with them.

I have phoned HSBC regarding this who advise they will escalate this with CC, however they are unable to keep me in the loop which gives me no faith in knowing this is moving forward.

I even contacted CC today directly who advised me that they were unable to discuss my own property purchase with me. Which is find a bit silly.

Does anyone have any advise how I can speed things up?

Thank you.

Others have reported progress by continuously badgering HSBC, who then kick CC.

CC are correct not to speak to you - you are not their client (HSBC is their client) and therefore they are not supposed to do so

littlemonkeywolf

If Countrywide say they need X amount of days between exchange and complete.. their lying... they managed to do both for me yestday on the same day after originally stating it would have to have 6 days between.
Thank god the drama is over,.. a 28 day repossesion turned into 13 weeks of torture... but you will all get their eventually!

MrBR

Yorkie1 and littlemonkeywolf, thank you. I'll continue to badger HSBC then, I've raised a formal complaint with them now as well to see if I can get this moved forward.

Cheers, I'll let you know how I get on

seagull-kev

MrBR wrote: »

Yorkie1 and littlemonkeywolf, thank you. I'll continue to badger HSBC then, I've raised a formal complaint with them now as well to see if I can get this moved forward.

Cheers, I'll let you know how I get on

As other posters have said - pestering the person whose dealing with your HSBC complaint every day is probably the best way to get things done - however I expect it'll still be incredibly frustrating and fruitless for you unfortunately, if its anything like what I've experienced.

I rang HSBC pretty much every day in the week leading up to 23rd March when we were meant to complete, and have done almost every day of every week since then because nothing was happening. I was promised phone calls back with updates and never heard a thing so calling them myself was the only option...until they stopped speaking to me - now when I ring the person nominated to deal with my complaint they simply won't talk to me and instead pass messages on to the person who answers my call.

Oh and here's a tip for any HSBC complaints staff who might be reading this: If you're going to take the p*** out of a customer behind their back, cover the mouth piece of the phone first - I can hear what you're saying!! :mad:

bluestarlight

We are using first direct for our mortgage, so using our own solicitor. But I just got a message advising me the surveyor will be Countrywide! Are they as bad at this as they are the legal work?!

seagull-kev

bluestarlight wrote: »

We are using first direct for our mortgage, so using our own solicitor. But I just got a message advising me the surveyor will be Countrywide! Are they as bad at this as they are the legal work?!

I had that from HSBC too - we had to pay HSBC a fee for the survey > HSBC then paid Countrywide and Countrywide sent out a third party surveyor to do the work, rather than actually physically doing it themselves - so I had no problems with that - you might be okay!

I was a bit annoyed when I found out it wasn't Countrywide themselves doing the survey - because a part of the money I've paid them will be a chunk of commission for themselves- If I went to the surveyor directly no doubt I'd have got it done cheaper without two lots of middle men

betmunch

bluestarlight wrote: »

We are using first direct for our mortgage, so using our own solicitor. But I just got a message advising me the surveyor will be Countrywide! Are they as bad at this as they are the legal work?!

Countrywide do a lot of things to do with the house buying process. Mortgage Broking, Surveying, Conveyancing, etc.

To my knowledge there are no issues with the Surveying department, they are one of the bigger surveyors and I regularly have them value properties for my clients.

In summary, no need to worry!

sveedy

i'm another one who fell for the good HSBC rate and am now suffering thanks to countrywide. My solicitor is tearing her hair out trying to get them to respond to her.

if i knew 8 weeks ago what i know now, i would not have chosen HSBC.

i'm now resigned to the fact that the purchase will happen when countrywide can be bothered to pull their useless box ticking finger out. it was meant to happen on friday but now, who knows? :mad:

PZH

I've got an appointment with HSBC on Friday - so forearmed is forewarned.

Might go elsewhere for a mortgage, but I'll wait to Friday and try to get info out of them regarding who they will appoint as Solicitors.


BUT, because I am in private rented property at the moment, can I ask what would happen if the Completion didn't happen or if the date kept slipping??

Surely I would have handed back the keys to the landlord or a termination date been set ??

Who would pay for temporary accommodation until completion actually happened ?

Richard_Webster

BUT, because I am in private rented property at the moment, can I ask what would happen if the Completion didn't happen or if the date kept slipping??

Surely I would have handed back the keys to the landlord or a termination date been set ??

Who would pay for temporary accommodation until completion actually happened ?

You don't give notice on your rented until after exchange of contracts has actually happened.

Never rely on some vague predicted date guessed at by an estate agent. It hasn't happened until it happens. It won't happen until HSBC's lawyer says they are satisifed and there may a longish delay before that happens. Only when they tell your solicitor they are satisfied AND your solicitor has exchanged ocntarcts do you give notice on your rented.