Why does it take SOOO long?

vet8

I am sure loads of people have asked this, but can someone explain why house buying/selling takes so much longer now than it used to.

We are selling with no chain at all, no mortgage for the buyer, dead simple and it still takes months. It never used to take this time. Do solicitors have to do other things now or do they just take a long time to show how busy they are?:D.

I just find it so frustrating.

I_have_spoken

AFAIK it's the searches that usually take them time

jessbailey

Agreed, searches are taking longer. Also believe that solicitors are more either:
Handling too many cases,
Lazier,
Less reliant on recommendations from clients (they rely on the Estate Agents who they pay commissions to),

agonyjohn

I am 16 weeks down the line on a simple chain - solicitor at the top slowing it down not wanting to provide information as its a new build... painful!!!

hcb42

i dont think it does take any longer than it used to, just some parties are better at speeding it up than others.

TBagpuss

jessbailey wrote: »

Agreed, searches are taking longer. Also believe that solicitors are more either:
Handling too many cases,
Lazier,
Less reliant on recommendations from clients (they rely on the Estate Agents who they pay commissions to),

Just to note:

- Yes, most solicitors have higher case loads, as conveyancing work is priced so low that high volumes are needed to allow any kind of profit.
- the majority of solicitors do not pay commissions or referral fees to agents
- Searches take longer
- There is a lot more regulation (requirements about ID, client care, etc are much more onerous than they used to be, and ensuring that everything it compliant takes time)
- people are much more ready to complain, sue etc - which means that things which might have been done informally or by word of mouth or verbally between seller and buyer now end up being done in great detail via professionals to cover everyone's backs

There are also a lot more unqualified people involved in the process, including a lot of conveyancers, which can slow things down, especially if anything even slightly non-standard comes up.

Also, I think that people's expectations have changed

vet8

Our chain is 1 person and they do not need a mortgage.

I appreciate there are searches and endless repetitive forms to fill in, but there seem to be inordinate delays before anything happens. It did used to go through in about 5 to 6 weeks when we first started buying houses, now it is at least twice that.

It need sorting out.

pawpurrs

I did it an just over a week last time, it doesnt have to take months! Although with chains it seems to, there was no chain.

hazyjo

pawpurrs wrote: »

I did it an just over a week last time, it doesnt have to take months! Although with chains it seems to, there was no chain.

Did you have searches, a mortgage and a survey?!

Have heard of a week or so before, but I can't imagine it. I chased everyone every day for three months before I completed. Five weeks was my quickest.

Jx

browneyedbazzi

pawpurrs wrote: »

I did it an just over a week last time, it doesnt have to take months! Although with chains it seems to, there was no chain.

Wow, I was beginning to lose hope in finding somewhere and getting in before Christmas but now I feel like anything is possible!

fionajbanana

My issue is the searches. Why do they need to them if the last time the property was sold two years ago?

Chances are the results are the same.