Is this unreasonable?

roje

Everything regarding my house sale is completed and my buyers are ready, as is the seller of my new property.
My mortgage offer is in and the searches are back (no issues raised). There are no mortgage conditions other than buildings insurance, the valuation survey raised no issues, I commissioned my own private full structural survey which did not bring up major issues.

My conveyancer is now stating that I need to wait until the middle of next week for a 'contract pack' to read and then make an appointment (which is apparently another week long waiting list) to discuss the contract pack and raise any queries etc. She refuses to make the appointment until I've received the contract pack, too. Is it really necessary to waste two weeks waiting for me to go to a sit down appointment? Can she not just tell me over the phone/by email if there are any queries she recommends I raise and do that now? She just keeps saying how busy she is.

I'm in the middle of writing a complaint (not just about this unfortunately) and would appreciate any clever folk who could advise on whether this is standard procedure or not, as the only response I seem to get is 'this is the way conveyancing works, there is no negotiation with the procedure'?

The case is urgent and involves a relocation 180 miles away, my new job starts in 3 weeks and I have children to move with me too. They have known about this from the start of proceedings (I've posted about it before for anyone bored enough to read back).

G_M

Freehold or leasehold?

Mortgage or not?

To be honest, in most cases nowadays this is not a requirement. Sounds like a very thorough old-fashioned firm doing a good job.

Most firms would send through the contract, the Completion Statement (finance overview) and related docs for you to read/approve and then exchange on your instruction.

BJV

So gutted for you. TBH I can not give any practical advice except to say that someone will be a long shortly who I am sure will help. We are buying a property and there where delays. In the end I started to call and email the estate agent and solicitor every day. Things seem to be moving a lot quicker now.

firebird082

Can't see the need for any in-person interaction at all. We never met with our solicitors (although they were relatively local) - everything was posted, communication by email and phone. Sounds a bit old-fashioned and unnecessary to me...

roje

G_M wrote: »

Freehold or leasehold?

Mortgage or not?

To be honest, in most cases nowadays this is not a requirement. Sounds like a very thorough old-fashioned firm doing a good job.

Most firms would send through the contract, the Completion Statement (finance overview) and related docs for you to read/approve and then exchange on your instruction.

Freehold. Yes there is a mortgage, they have the formal offer and there are no conditions other than buildings insurance which is a given.

As the customer I'm assuming that I can refuse to the face to face appt (as this will add at least another week to the proceedings) and just ask to sign next week? I am going to have to escalate matters, however, as my conveyancer will not budge on the issue. In normal circumstances I wouldn't mind the wait but the fact that it will lead to us scrabbling around to find temporary accommodation and paying for that, storage costs, and two lots of removal fees when it can be sorted out in time makes this unacceptable.

G_M

If the mortgage lender is insisting on it as a condition of the loan (I can't see why) then there's not much you can do.

If not and it's just the solicitor wanting to do things this way, then as soon as the Contract Pack arrives, read & check it, then write a letter (email a copy for speed but follow up with post)

* thanking the solicitor for sending it
* confirming you are happy with and agree with all the contents of the pack
* stating you see no need for a meeting
* asking what outstanding issues there are if any and
* instructing the solicitor to Exchange immediately without futher delay

Of course, it may be that the contract pack contains actions you need to undertake, eg signing a document or paying outstanding funds to the solicitor in readiness for Exchange/Completion (eg SDLT etc). In that case make sure you action these immediately and include a list in your letter of the actions you have taken, when, and how.

The tricky bit will be if there is a draft document in the pack, and the solicitor needs you to sign the final version. Then you'll have to either

* persuade them to send it to you
* make the appointment they've requested
* persuade them to leave it with an admin assistant who you can go in and see perhaps faster than a solicitor appointment.

roje

That all makes sense, thanks. The contract states all fees including stamp duty will be taken from the equity on completion so I don't think any monies will be due. It is not a condition of the mortgage, I've checked with the broker and there are no conditions other than obtaining relevant insurances.

G_M

roje wrote: »

The contract states all fees including stamp duty will be taken from the equity on completion so I don't think any monies will be due..

So you are down-sizing? Your sale will generate more than your purchase will cost? And/or your mortgage is increasing?

Hoploz

Oh dear. My buyer's solicitor worked this way. It's the way things used to work years ago, but it's not common these days. It was very annoying to be told everything was ready and in place for exchange, but the seller had to have a meeting with his solicitor and it wouldn't be until x day.

If this is going to put you back two weeks then I wish you the best of luck. Is your the only house in the chain? If not then you're going to have more very frustrated people to deal with.

roje

G_M wrote: »

So you are down-sizing? Your sale will generate more than your purchase will cost? And/or your mortgage is increasing?

No I'm not downsizing but my mortgage is increasing substantially. I know that the fees, SDLT etc. will be payable on completion but I am unsure whether they will require the deposit in cash or not (Part of it will move up the chain from my buyers).

roje

Hoploz wrote: »

Is your the only house in the chain? If not then you're going to have more very frustrated people to deal with.

No, my buyer is the start of the chain and there are four links in total. The end of the chain are buying a new build so their property is empty and they are in rented accommodation, but they needed to complete in two weeks to pay for it! The seller of my new property is ready to go and my buyers have already been waiting for a few weeks I can't see any reason why it can't just move ahead so I am going to follow the suggestions by G_M and decline the sit down appt, instructing them to exchange.