FTB woes :(

melysion

Just a rant really

Trying to buy first flat. Had my mortgage in advance given some 6 weeks ago and the vendor - despite a lot of prodding and promises on her part - has not handed over the paperwork to my solicitors.

Initially she said the sale was chain free as she would rent if my purchase went though before she brought somewhere.

Now, she has decided she doesnt want to rent at all and I imagine this is why she is stalling.

So bloody frustrated. Why do people do this? I'm now going to look at other properties and will pull out of this sale if I see something I like and an offer is accepted - but there isnt a lot out there at the moment and i really like this flat.

I'm also effectively homeless in the meantime - sleeping on someones floor - which isnt helping.

You'd think that the seller would be more accommadating and not want to lose me as a buyer - she says she is keen to sell but i cant wait forever for her to find something herself beforehand.

Has anyone else been in this situation? Its turning out to be an immensely stressful situation

Ivana_Tinkle

A similar thing happened to us and it is incredibly frustrating that a complete stranger can put your life on hold in this way.

I think you've answered your own question, though: keep looking at other properties and, in the meantime, don't spend any (more) money on this purchase. It wouldn't do any harm to let the estate agent know that you're looking at other places - sound a bit sad about it all and say you love the flat but it just doesn't look like the vendor is serious about selling. It might just give them a kick up the bum. But there's no point issuing any ultimatums unless you've found somewhere else you like.

melysion

Yep, I've told the estate agent that I'm looking at other properties now. To give him his due, he is as frustrated with the vendor as I am. He even set up a meeting for us both two weeks ago and she promised to get everything sorted out. And yet, here we are and not a single step forward

oneburge

melysion wrote: »

Initially she said the sale was chain free as she would rent if my purchase went though before she brought somewhere.

Unless you heard these words from her mouth, it's entirely plausible (probable) that the estate agent made this up to make it seem more attractive to you - especially if they knew your circumstances.

melysion

oneburge wrote: »

Unless you heard these words from her mouth, it's entirely plausible (probable) that the estate agent made this up to make it seem more attractive to you - especially if they knew your circumstances.

It was the vendor herself that said this. When I initially viewed the property the estate agent couldnt make it. Plus it said chain free on the online advert!

Ivana_Tinkle

It seems to be incredibly common that vendors say (and perhaps even think) they're willing to rent but when it comes down to it they change their mind, without any sense of how they're messing with people's lives. GRRR!

PasturesNew

melysion wrote: »

Now, she has decided she doesnt want to rent at all and I imagine this is why she is stalling.

So bloody frustrated. Why do people do this?

Because renting somewhere sounds easy... until you try to do it. Once you try to do it you're hit with cr4p agents, exhorbitant agent fees/conditions/etc and everywhere's overpriced and grotty.

melysion

PasturesNew wrote: »

Because renting somewhere sounds easy... until you try to do it. Once you try to do it you're hit with cr4p agents, exhorbitant agent fees/conditions/etc and everywhere's overpriced and grotty.

Thats no excuse, particularly if its only temporary.

Oh well. Very disappointed and frustrated but there it is

Winkle1908

I personally would give them a time limit to have the paperwork in by and then pull out if they do not deliver. If its this bad now its likely to be a bumpy ride!

If you love the flat so much though you should ride it out within reason. Maybe ask to view it again, to make sure you really love it and ask the vendor what the crack is, there might be a specific reason. Could they be looking to buy even though its been marketed as chain free?

melysion

Winkle1908 wrote: »

If you love the flat so much though you should ride it out within reason. Maybe ask to view it again, to make sure you really love it and ask the vendor what the crack is, there might be a specific reason. Could they be looking to buy even though its been marketed as chain free?

Thats exactly what I did and yes the vendor is looking to buy. I can grit my teeth and wait but my mortgage offer expires end of October and although that seems a long way off we have already had 6 weeks of nothing happening.

melysion

Grrr. My estate agent (well the vendors really I guess) is a knob. He has only gone and told the vendor that I'll pull out if the papers arent at my solicitors at the end of the week. That isnt what I said and he knows it. Anyway - sounds like it may have had the desired effect anyway but thats not the point.

I cant believe he did that.

After being treated like a subhuman species with my dealings with them as a tenant I was most interested to see how estate agents would behave with me as a buyer. I have to say I'm not impressed! They are so unprofessional arent they.