Searches results

jenna_m

We are first time buyers and had an offer accepted on a house towards the end of March. We have had out mortgage approved and sorted out a solicitor who was recommended to us. Everything was going ok until it came to the searches. We asked for a few to be done and it has taken over 4 weeks for us to hear anything from the solicitors since then.

We have been chasing and all that we were told was that they were still waiting on the searches. Anyway we eventually received all the paperwork from the solicitors yesterday and there is no mention of the searches in there at all. Is this what normally happens? Why would you pay all that money and then not see the results?

I have also asked the solicitor but had nothing back. Not really that impressed with them really. We are the FTB and its us who is holding the whole process up as our vendors are much ahead of us.

Thanks for your responses in advance and I apologise if this is covered many times before, I have looked but not found anything!

pops5588

Really sorry to hear you're having difficulties with them. I'm a FTB too and it's hard enough getting to know the process for the first time without feeling like the professionals aren't helping!

I have to say our solicitor has been fab. They've informed us of everything to date, we received all our paperwork which included a full breakdown of their costs and also a detailed flowchart of what they do at what stage. That being said, they aren't cheap. We took advice from people on here and got 3 quotes from different solicitors. Others were cheaper but didn't have the reputation for service that our had. I must say, it has definitely been worth paying that bit extra.

The only thing I can maybe assume is that the searches came back all clear? You would hope that they would tell you otherwise...maybe a case of no news is good news, but they really should be keeping you in the loop. I would just continue to harrass them if it were me! good luck

jenna_m

Thanks for the response.

Your solicitors sound great. A friend recommended mine, she was a FTB too and isn't one who usually takes any messing so thought it was a good choice. We just don't really know what's happening next, the forms they have sent contain all the things I was expecting (from reading posts on here) except the searches. There is nothing about what happens next though, just a return these forms signed to us.

I was hoping that no news means good news too, however we do know that planning permission has been requested for a field nearby and thought this was something the searches would pick up. Think it's just the frustration of waiting so long due to the searches and then them having no relevance in the paperwork.

Thanks again for some reassurance and I hope everything continues to go ok for you in your purchase!

Mercurial

I received copies of all searches from my solicitors as soon as they became available just to see if I was happy with the results. All searches were completed within two Weeks. They weren't the cheapest either but they are professional and speedy. Good luck.

G_M

The timescale for searches is out of your conveyancer's control.

Some localauthorities take a few days, some take weeks. Ring the LA and ask what their typical turnaround is.

If your conveyancer has received the search back, he should send it to you. If he has 'forgotten' to fo this, ask!

But possibly he is still waiting.