Seller in Hospital

lottie3000

So here I am at the 11th hour and I find out that my vendor is in hospital, I am being understanding about the situation, But?? Everyone in the chain is ready to exchange but the solicitors have put a halt on it because the property that she is buying is a leasehold and they wont push it through without having a meeting with the vendor in person to go through the lease. She is in her 80's and appeared confused when we viewed the property.

What would people advise me to do, i've rang both estate agents this morning and no one can tell me what is wrong with her but that her sale and purchase is still progressing, we are at the 8th week of my offer being accepted am I just being impatient!

Surrey_EA

I can understand your frustration, but seemingly not everyone in the chain is ready to exchange are they? The vendor of the property you wish to buy is in the chain and she's not ready to exchange as her solicitors haven't gone through the lease yet.

I think you've just got to be patient, it's not fair to pressurise a lady in her 80's who is obviously not well.

G_M

Well, either

* you are patient and just wait for progress or
* you pull out. She might be in hospital (and then a care home?) for a long time. And if she dies, then Probate etc could take months. Or
* you quietly start looking at other properties and see what happens first: find another property or she recovers and Exchanges

comeandgo

Why on earth should you be entitled to know what is wrong with someone. That is their business but I would look for other properties and let the EA know you are looking.

lottie3000

I agree that it is none of my business what is actually wrong with her but it is my business if she isn't going to proceed with the sale. She has been in hospital at least two weeks now and it's not until I started to query why we can't exchange that I have been told she's in hospital.

Guest101

No-one might know.


It's her information, the hospital wont tell anyone whats wrong with her, least of all some impatient buyer.

DandelionPatrol

lottie3000 wrote: »

So here I am at the 11th hour and I find out that my vendor is in hospital, I am being understanding about the situation, But?? Everyone in the chain is ready to exchange but the solicitors have put a halt on it because the property that she is buying is a leasehold and they wont push it through without having a meeting with the vendor in person to go through the lease. She is in her 80's and appeared confused when we viewed the property.

What would people advise me to do, i've rang both estate agents this morning and no one can tell me what is wrong with her but that her sale and purchase is still progressing, we are at the 8th week of my offer being accepted am I just being impatient!

Quite rightly, the solicitor will not discuss the lease with her if she is not up for it. I have seen a solicitor brought into a hospital to get an elderly person to sign a will and walk straight back out when they discovered that the person was not fully with it.

Unfortunately, because of the complexity of leasehold, the threshold for being competent to sign for it is probably much higher than for most other regular solicitor business. As she seemed confused when you visited, now she is in hospital, I would say that there is a long wait for her to become fit - which she may never do.

The only avenue to explore is whether there is some relative or other person who has power of attorney who may sort this out.

Bear in mind that if she is not well, even if she does sign to sell, she may not have the strength to actually complete a move.

PasturesNew

Is she dealing with it herself? Or does she have a friend/family who is helping her with the process etc?

Johnnytwostep

find out what hospital she is in and get down there.

moneyistooshorttomention

G_M wrote: »

Well, either

* you are patient and just wait for progress or
* you pull out. She might be in hospital (and then a care home?) for a long time. And if she dies, then Probate etc could take months. Or
* you quietly start looking at other properties and see what happens first: find another property or she recovers and Exchanges

Personally - I'd go for option 3 out of that. "in her 80s" and "confused" and now she is in hospital. Add all that together and the way her solicitor wants to go through the lease with her (which I've translated into "Wonder if he/she thinks vendor is confused too....").

So - yep...keep fingers crossed but quietly start looking..

moneyistooshorttomention

comeandgo wrote: »

Why on earth should you be entitled to know what is wrong with someone. That is their business but I would look for other properties and let the EA know you are looking.

I would disagree with that. If someone else's life impacts on your life - then...yes..you are entitled to at least have a reasonable idea of their state of health (ie so you can evaluate whether you need to change plans accordingly - in order to minimise impact of THEIR health on YOUR life).

In the vendors position - I would be taking pains to explain/apologise to my buyer - so that they knew where they stood (ie in order to try and "keep them on board"). I am rather inclined to think the fact that she hasn't done so (or anyone else on her behalf) does not augur well of itself (and that's before you add in she is "confused").

I hope I'm wrong in thinking you don't look likely to get this place I'm afraid.

Its a fine line to walk in these circumstances - ie knowing enough of "whats what" to protect yourself on the one hand whilst not being unduly intrusive on the other hand.