Can Barratt do this?

ixwood

I'd be reluctant to buy now, but also reluctant to pay penalties. Do you have a link to the house with more details? I missed it if it's already on here.

[Deleted User]

Sorry, the Barratt microsite does not have much detail. I'll do my best here (not sure what other info you want so just repost if I'm off the mark!):

· Purchase Price: £119,650
· Barratt paid 5% deposit
· I'm paying 5% deposit
· 1st floor - 2 double-bedrooms, bathroom
· Ground floor – Entrance hall, kitchen, store-room, WC, living/dining area with French Doors onto garden
· Allocated parking for 2 cars (private car park to the left of the house - there is a 1 bedroom apartment attached to the top of my house and you drive under it to get to the car park)
· 40ft long back yard

This is the development:



The development is approximately 180 dwellings and, besides my house and one other of the same type, they are all 1 – 2 bedroom apartments or 3 beds

The area itself is on the site of an old supermarket. My property backs onto an old disused warehouse site but since I secured the property it has had planning approved for a lot of 2 storey dwellings.

I shouldn't be overlooked because the land behind is a good 15-feet lower than my house

The disused railway station about 2 minutes walk has also been ear-marked for reopening by the local council. This line will enable people to go between Liverpool and Manchester in around 30mins but will also provide a direct route straight through to London Euston. There's also a local primary school, pub and some shops within walking distance.

I understand there will be a premium on all new builds but for me it’s worth it because I won't need to do anything to it for a LONG time. I just want to live in it at the end of the day!!

Has anyone been in a similar situation to me? Would the costs associated in walking away be comparable to me just paying the deposit anyway?

MarkyMarkD

I am not impressed by your solicitor's involvement in this. 5 minutes isn't enough time to explain to you the key terms of the house purchase and the mortgage, both of which are material transactions in their own right.

If it was critical for you to not complete before October, this could have been a condition of exchanging contracts with Barratt. If they'd refused to accept this, you'd only have lost your £99.

ixwood

If you're happy to live there, that's the main thing.

I was just trying to see what you're getting for your money. What area is it? What's available on rightmove for around the same price?

An apartment on top on your house? Sounds a bit weird to me, but I've not seen many townhouse type things. Wouldn't they overlook you?

And I think 2 storeys = more than 15 foot.

[Deleted User]

There's no flat on top of my house, as you can see my close is in a horseshoe shape and my house is at the bottom left.

There is a small road to get access to the car park with a 1 bed flat over each one (you can see on the diagram the cream coloured properties opposite eachother on the left and right sides of the close). The cars actually drive under these poor people's living rooms! Wonder how long before some pillock tries to get under in something that won't fit?

They link to my house but only by a small hallway at groundfloor level that hosts the stairs for the flat owner to get access to their property. Theres no shared access or flats on top of my house thankfully!!

From the front end my house is concealed and you only see a front door and a small window, all my windows are mainly at the back of my house looking onto the garden. It's really private which is what I like about it!

Your right, 2 storeys is bigger than 15 foot but also bear in mind I will have a 10 foot wall at the bottom of my garden too so I might just catch their roof!!

Rounding up to £120k in Widnes I could've got an ex-council house which I don't have any objections to but of the ones on Righmove they are all in pretty rough areas and I've had my share of that living with my Mum in housing association properties.

Realistically, I wouldn't get a mortgages for £120,000 just on my own earnings (well I probably could but I don't want one!!). Things got to a point here where I had to move out and Barratt offer 5% deposit paid, I'm saving 5% and with the bonus of not having to decorate or buy new kitchens it made more sense for me to buy that than buy somewhere for say £120,000 in an area which I'd never have stayed in long-term that needed work doing to it!

ixwood

Ah, I see. Sounds reasonably priced and quite nice to me. You obviously want to live there, so go for it.

Any update from barrets?

Epiphone

What does your contract say? If it doesn't have a specific time for completion then point out you had a verbal agreement with the sales rep and you plan to stick to that agreement.

It's your word against theirs but if it says a specific month/time period in the contract you'll be bound by that.

ZZZZZZ_2

If you are happy to live there, and comfortable with the cost, then the only issue appears to be that of date of completion. From my own experiences, I know that Barratts can be reasonable on this point. I suggest you make it clear to them that you need to complete in October, and an earlier completion is not possible. It's not worth their while to get into a confrontational position even if there are potential fees on your side. Remain calm and polite, but insist on an October completion.

Good luck

[Deleted User]

Rang the solicitor again today he said he hasn't heard back yet but that he doesn't think they will have any objections to an October completion.

The sales rep insisted they wouldn't budge with it being end of Q3 but I'm more inclined to take my solicitors word for it!

Clive_Woody

Worst case scenario could you not speak with your bank manager and arrange a temporary short term overdraft facility to cover any shortfall in your deposit and pay this back by October?

If you are currently renting you could tell Barratts you need to give notice and that you are not prepared to complete until the rental notice period ends.