Can we contact our buyer directly?

SkintMonkey

I haven't got time to go into detail, but basically our sale may be in jepordy - our whole chain may collapse because of our buyer. The exchange has been delayed and our completion date is now up in the air.

As I have our buyers name and address I can probably easily get hold of his phone number. I'm really tempted to call him and calmly talk to him to check that he is still keen to buy our house and for the chain to progress to exchange and completion. I want our mind put at rest, because we are really worried that this move will never happen.

What do you think? Can we/should we contact him? Our Estate Agent is not exactly being greatly helpful and I think we just want to hear it from the horses mouth.

Your advice greatly needed.

Thanks.

cattie

Yes if you have their phone number then I'd certainly give them a call. It's quite understandable that you want to know what is what & you could save yourself a lot of unecessary stress by speaking to the buyer directly.

Ticklemouse

I'd give them a call too.

When we sold our last house, there was a chain of 4. Our purchasers were using a local solicitor/conveyancer who was apparently very "green" (aka [EMAIL="cr@p"]!!!!!![/EMAIL]) and it was she who caused most of the problem. Luckily our purchasers and I got on really well and between us, we rang round, sorted out, got hold of surveyors to put together information etc regarding the planning permission that our conservatory DIDN't need. If we hadn't been on the phone to each other - sometimes 5 times a day!! - I don't think we would have moved. I was also 9 months pregnant/newly delivered when all this was going on too

Alfie1999

I popped a letter through our sellers door when I bought the house i'm in now, giving our names and phone number, and inviting them to get in touch if they felt comfortable doing that.

She did and it solved more than one problem where mixed messages and frustration would have caused real problems if it had been left to ea's and solicitors.

I've done it with the house i'm buying now but the sellers haven't got in touch unfortunately.

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

If we had'nt all kept in touch with the chain we had, when we bought this house then it most certainly would of all fell apart.Our solicitors were no help at all most of the time.It is hard sometimes to bite your tongue and be diplomatic if you have someone awkward to deal with,as is often the case but it's only a means to an end and it's worth it if you get the house you want.

Tahiti

I wish I'd contacted the sellers of our current house rather than relying on communication between the two solicitors. They took forever to sort out some very simple things that weren't even issues!

freebird65

I totally agree with everyone else here - I did the same on my last sale. The EA had told me my vendors were pulling out of the sale as my end was too slow etc, etc - when I went round to see them in panic they were totally surprised - and more than a little angry at the agent - as they had absolutely no problems with the deal at all.

In future I will always give my number to anyone I deal with and invite them to call me with any queries or concerns - it saves a lot of misunderstandings.

bukup

Tahiti wrote: »

I wish I'd contacted the sellers of our current house rather than relying on communication between the two solicitors. They took forever to sort out some very simple things that weren't even issues!

I work for a firm of conveyancing solicitors and we do our best to keep the chain together and informed however the estate agents are meant to be the first port of call as they have access to both vendor and purchaser whereas the solicitor only has access to his client and the otherside but not their client. At the end of the day the estate agents commission account is far greater as it is worked out on a percentage rather than the solicitors fixed fee and therefore they should provide as good a service for the vast sums they get paid.

PurpleDuck

I did as the estate agents were worse than hopeless and never passed messages on.

onejontwo

SkintMonkey wrote: »

I haven't got time to go into detail, but basically our sale may be in jepordy - our whole chain may collapse because of our buyer. The exchange has been delayed and our completion date is now up in the air.

As I have our buyers name and address I can probably easily get hold of his phone number. I'm really tempted to call him and calmly talk to him to check that he is still keen to buy our house and for the chain to progress to exchange and completion. I want our mind put at rest, because we are really worried that this move will never happen.

What do you think? Can we/should we contact him? Our Estate Agent is not exactly being greatly helpful and I think we just want to hear it from the horses mouth.

Your advice greatly needed.

Thanks.

At the end of the day it is you and the other party who are forking out all the money so if you can do anything to stop things going awry then you certainly have the right to! otherwise for the sake of a phone call it could cost you dearly financially and emotionally.
Give them a ring now, that's what we did , keep in touch and things usually go smoothly. Good luck!

Tustastic

With my last property sale, it became gradually apparent that both sets of solicitors were slow and silly despite being regularly chased by my estate agent. In the end she got me and the buyer to speak to each other direct because it concerned stuff that she couldn't negotiate on. The buyer and I did excellent business together and outwitted the lawyers.
BTW I was an executor in this situation and I certainly hadn't chosen the solicitors myself. It comes to something when you have to speak to your solicitor holding your mobile phone to his mouth (on loudspeaker) so your buyer can be a witness to the solicitor's promises of action and deadlines.