AIP, Offer accepted, What next?

Manchester-Man

Hi all. I've been a member on here a while and try to follow posts 're buying a house as were first time buyers and find some of it a bit worrying that we might forget something. But we have finally had an offer accepted after viewing about 30 potential homes.
The offer accepted is 120k and we have an AIP from our Bank Natwest via the Help to buy scheme (we have 5% so £6,000 deposit). On Tuesday we have our mortgage appointment over the phone and I am told at the end of it we will have a decision that it's either gone through or hasn't.

My question is what should I be doing now? When getting the AIP today the fella on the phone told me what I'll need for the phone appointment on Tuesday, and one of them was solicitors details. I said do I need to get one now and he said no you can tell them your going to do it afterwards, will that go against me? Obviously the reason is I don't want to hire a solicitor and it not got through. I have been looking at getting some quotations had one back from a local firm £840 total (that includes an extra £300 for using the Help to buy scheme, I presume it's more paper work for them?). Should I just get someone lined up and wait till it goes through (hopefully goes through)?

Also, he told me today that Natwest will be doing a survey should it go ahead which will cost £248. I asked if I need to also do my own, he said no you don't we'll do the survey. Am I right in thinking most people do their own as well? And what reason is that, I'm thinking if it's not worth the money or falling down surely the bank will tell us so as they won't be prepared to borrow us the money for it?

Any advice greatly appreciated by us both.

Thanks.

dc197

You can engage a solicitor but tell them not to do anything just yet.
The survey natwest will do is just to see if it's any good as security for your mortgage. Yes it will be as basic as the house is not falling down. It won't go into any detail. By all means get one if you have specific worries or want a report about what will need fixing when you buy.

SmlSave

The Help to Buy is lots more paperwork hence the extra fee. Lots of small firms have stopped taking on clients using it.

The main problem with not instructing a solicitor now is that the local land search won't get ordered. Depending on the council it can take 2-9 weeks. It's worth checking how long yours could take as your seller may wish to move quickly.