When should searches start?

DepositSaver

The valuation and homebuyer's report were done on Wednesday and the report has been emailed to me today. Valuation matches what I'm paying for the flat, and there's nothing untoward in the homebuyer's report. I spoke to my broker yesterday who says the lender will assess the valuation on Monday, and then if they're happy, at some point after that a mortgage offer will be sent out.

I have paid my solicitor £250 on account, but as far as I know searches haven't started yet. Should I wait until I have an official mortgage offer before getting the searches done? If so will I need to tell the solicitor to start them once I have the offer or will they do so when they receive their copy of the mortgage offer?

I am away from home from 24th Dec until about 5th Jan so if an offer arrives in the post while I'm away I won't know and won't be able to tell the solicitor to start the searches, and am concerned about this delaying things. I was wondering if it would be sensible (or not) to get the searches started now even though I haven't got an official offer. If I do want to do that I assume I just ask the solicitor to go ahead and start them???

Sorry if this is a basic question, I'm an FTB...

Thank you

Guest101

The solicitor will not do much in those dates anyway. Always wait for the mortgage offer.

Ftb exciting stuff but try to keep from getting pulled along in the excitement

PasturesNew

In my experience, you don't tell the solicitor to do searches.... they know when to do them....

DepositSaver

Thanks for the quick replies both. I have to admit I am getting a little impatient and wanting things to go more quickly than they are.... I will wait for the (fingers crossed) mortgage offer and then hopefully solicitor will start the searches.

Thrugelmir

Your solicitor should automatically receive a copy of the mortgage offer.

Best to leave your solicitor to do their job. It's what you are paying them for.

SmlSave

Your solicitor should do the Local Land Search as soon as they are in receipt of ID and funds from you and the Title Plan from the seller's solicitors. Some Councils take 2 weeks to do the search and some take 8 weeks!

You can instruct your solicitor not to do the searches until you have our mortgage offer but this can delay things.

I'm sure your solicitors would be fine telling you if they have undertaken the search but don't expect an eta and do try not to contact them constantly. The amount of time that is wasted talking to clients when all you want to do is the actual work!

pr0berts

Best to leave your solicitor to do their job. It's what you are paying them for.[/QUOTE]

You would think wouldn't you but more often than not this isn't the case

alipops1986

From experience, I had a real problem with my Solicitor who didn't do the searches until the last min which meant we were delayed by 3 weeks!


From my point of view, there was no real reason for them not being done because our 3 person chain was moving very fast and we had already set a completion date due to various family events.


I'm all for leaving people to do their job, but there's no harm in checking/asking/questioning when you are paying for their service.


Alipops x

Kynthia

Usually the solicitor gets a copy of your mortgage offer direct and will then begin the searches if they already have the funds from you. However if you are prepared to take the risk and pay for searches before you have a mortgage offer on the property and a survey that you are happy with, then you can instruct them to do so. That money is lost if you can't get a mortgage or pull out because you didn't like the survey results.

ethank

I paid for the searches straight away. If you want to ensure that you don't pay for something when you don't know for sure that the lender will lend, then don't - but the quicker the searches get done the quicker you will move.

From the moment you put an offer in on a house, you will always be risking some money. Way up the risks, and decide whether you are willing to accept them.

suze012

How long do searches take and how long before exchange?