Estate Agent won't give us details on chain

Mary_Muddled

Hi All,

Would it be reasonable to expect the estate agent who is representing your vendors to disclose the length of the chain to you? We are in the process of buying a property and it turns out that our vendor changed the property he was buying a few weeks ago (we weren't told and found out by accident), thus creating a 'large chain' when previously it was just 3 of us.

We were originally looking at a 6-8 week completion timescale on the chain of 3 and whilst the estate agent has given us a date to 'aim for, but no guarantees', we asked about the exact length of the chain so we could assess how likely meeting this would be, but they will not answer. We have work commitments to work around and really need to be able to have tentative dates to put in the calendar and they are making it very difficult.

So, is my question to the estate agent a reasonable one?

Thanks!

Hoploz

The length of the chain does not indicate the length of time. If everyone is motivated and raring to go it can be done quickly whatever the length.

The problem with a long chain is there are more people who may or may not drop out for one reason or another.

The EA is never in a position to give dates, they can only guess. They would not normally know too much about the ends of the chain if they are not dealing with them, so it might just be that he simply doesn't know, rather than he is being awkward or evasive.

Unfortunately it is not really possible to give dates until everyone is almost at exchange, so however tentative, it's really best if you don't worry about dates too much but just bear things in mind. People can often get too hung up on dates, too early on in the process, when all this does is cause anxiety when they are missed.

My buyer once pulled out the day before exchange because the date he himself decided on for completion (the day after exchange) was not going to be met ... due to his own buyer not being ready. It's really best not to even pencil dates in until later on.

david1951

We have work commitments to work around and really need to be able to have tentative dates to put in the calendar and they are making it very difficult.

What sort of commitments? Until you exchange you can't guarantee anything so I wouldn't go making any important decisions until this happens.

It is a reasonable question, and I can't see why they would withold the information. However, the answer to this question won't really affect the certainty of the date you've been given.

hazyjo

Your solicitor can find out.


Eight weeks?! You'll be lucky! I aimed for four once and it took five months! Quickest I did (first purchase) was five weeks. Average is 12 weeks.


If some are pretty much starting from day one, I would allow 12 weeks from when their offer was accepted.


Is the chain definitely complete now?


Good luck!


Jx

Mary_Muddled

The estate agent is proposing a completion date of 3 weeks time. Whilst we are able to meet this, we don't know if anyone else in the chain is able to. We have asked how ready the other sellers/buyers are but have not been given any answers. If they wanted to push completion to a more realistic date that rather than tell us what they think we wanted to hear, we'd be happy.

Regarding work commitments, there are some major project dates and overseas travel that my partner has to be available for over the next few months. Given enough notice he could possibly get cover but we aren't able to say anything to work at this point.

G_M

Mary_Muddled wrote: »

Hi All,

Would it be reasonable to expect the estate agent who is representing your vendors to disclose the length of the chain to you?


We have work commitments to work around and really need to be able to have tentative dates to put in the calendar and they are making it very difficult.

Yes - perfectly reasonable. Unfortunately if the agent/seller does not provide the information there are only two things you can do:
* carry on blind
* withdraw from the purchase

Your 'tentative dates' are not worth putting in the calender (or even your diary). However long, or short, the chain, or even if there is no chain at all, there are just too many potential hicoughs.

As for

The estate agent is proposing a completion date of

that is even more absurd. EAs do not know what's going on with the conveyancing. Ignore.

hazyjo

Say to them, 'Seeing the average purchase takes 12 weeks - which you as an EA must surely be aware of - why are you proposing we attempt to do it in three?'


Numpties lol.


Jx

Thrugelmir

hazyjo wrote: »

Say to them, 'Seeing the average purchase takes 12 weeks - which you as an EA must surely be aware of - why are you proposing we attempt to do it in three?'


Numpties lol.


Jx

Sellers may be hoping to achieve this. Agent is simply relaying information.

david1951

Given that the vendor only changed properties a few weeks ago, a completion date of 3 weeks seems hugely optimistic, even if there wasn't a chain.

You should press the estate agent to do some chasing on your behalf. Say you are concerned about the chain and don't want to be placed in a position where you are forced to withdraw your offer. Tell him to at least confirm that the chain is complete.

I might be tempted to give them firm dates for your overseas travel/major projects and say that you will be unable to complete around this time. Just so they know where you stand.

harz99

Mary_Muddled wrote: »

The estate agent is proposing a completion date of 3 weeks time. Whilst we are able to meet this, we don't know if anyone else in the chain is able to. We have asked how ready the other sellers/buyers are but have not been given any answers. If they wanted to push completion to a more realistic date that rather than tell us what they think we wanted to hear, we'd be happy.

Regarding work commitments, there are some major project dates and overseas travel that my partner has to be available for over the next few months. Given enough notice he could possibly get cover but we aren't able to say anything to work at this point.

Unless your in Scotland the Estate Agent isn't in a position to "propose" anything! You aren't in Scotland are you?

ReadingTim

Don't think of it as a length of chain, think of it as a piece of string....

...you're asking an estate agent to tell you how long a piece of string is.

How reasonable do you think this is?!?