FTB Chain Free but still Seller's solicitors very slow

eagerftb

Hi Forum Members,

We recently found a flat that we like. Offered near asking. The offer for accepted and the property went to Under Offer that very week.
We have lined up everything- solicitors, mortgage applied for and the survey was done today.

We even met the Seller a week or so ago and saw the Garage that comes with the flat. The seller told us his tenants are leaving first week of December and we should have no issues completing by 15th December.

However my solicitor has still not received the draft contract. She spoke to Seller's Solicitor who said they are awaiting documentation from the Seller. The Estate agent told me last week that the Seller has sent over the documents to their solicitors.


Our Rental property is in periodic tenancy and we have to give one month's notice. If there is no movement in this week or early next week then we cant expect exchange and completion to happen v soon.


Is it usually this slow?or are we expecting things to go too fast. Our solicitor has had the papers for almost 2 weeks now. What can we do to expedite? I have spoken to the EA and he says he will chase the Seller to get the documents sent over asap.

Thrugelmir

eagerftb wrote: »

The seller told us his tenants are leaving first week of December and we should have no issues completing by 15th December.

Are or should be?

eagerftb

As per the EA when we saw the property the tenants were leaving in end of November but when we met the Seller he said the tenant will be moving out First week of December. I see your point on this could be the reason for being slow.

But I would rather be much happier if I know in clarity about a potential completion date. Why commit to a date if they cannot meet it.

Is it lot of documentation from a Seller's side that has to go to their solicitors. The property is jointly owned by two friends.

I am happy to wait for completion as long as things move and we can exchange in a reasonable time scale.

Kynthia

Do not give notice until you actually exchange. I've seen on this forum and in real life, people worry about homelessness or having to pull out of the purchase due to doing this and then the purchase being delayed. Even without a chain things can take months, and with a tenanted property it is not a simple process.

eagerftb

Thanks I believe I have to sit tight and hope all goes well. Any experience
or advice regarding speeding up Seller/Seller's Solicitor.

Can we exchange in end of Nov/Begining Dec but complete in
January?

Jnewbie

Hey there,

I'm in a similar situation to you. Buying a chain free flat, I made the offer at the end of august. Mortgage offer and valuation was done by end of September. My solicitor has only just received the draft contact from the sellers solicitor. The estate agent and the seller have been chasing the solicitors but they are just VERY slow.

eagerftb

It must be very frustrating. There is not much one can do. In your case the draft contract is there although late but definitely a sign that you can move ahead. I believe keep chasing the EA and the Seller is the way to go. You always have the fear the longer it takes more chances of something going wrong.

Jnewbie

Because nothing happened for a few weeks I started putting pressure on the estate agent to earn their money. I kept phoning them until I got status updates, they then started to chase the sellers solicitors.

eagerftb

I have called the EA few times and he says dont worry, he will chase the sellers to get things done quickly. But not sure if he is doing anything.

Jnewbie

Not much more you can do apart from put more pressure on the estate agent. I didn't contact my seller too much as I didn't want to hassle him, didn't mind winding estate agents up though. From what Ive read it doesn't take long for the solicitors to type up the contract they probably just haven't got round to it. Completion on the 15th of Dec seems possible as long as you get the contracts soon and there aren't too many queries your solicitor has to make.

eagerftb

Spoke to the EA again. He says he has managed to speak to the Seller and he has confirmed that he will get all the documentation to the Solicitors this week (complication being because it's jointly owned, one person sent everything but the other one has to get all the documentation from his side over to the solicitor). Let's see if it gets to the Solicitor this week...few more days added!