Vendor and estate agent want me to complete in 2 days or in 10 weeks?!

dani_mc001

Hi Everyone,

we are buying our first property, everything was going smoothly and we were just waiting on some building regulations enquiries to come. When all of a sudden, the estate agent called me to let me know I had to complete this Friday or not until 10, telling me there was no in between. The vendor is away on business, I suggested why no give the keys to the agent and contact remotely but I was told that I didn't understand how the process works.

They are in a chain, which I was informed the sale of his current house was not necessary to complete. And if the sale of his house didn't go through, he would have to transfer funds and pay stamp duty. I questioned whether the chain they were in would wait 10 weeks and I did not get a response.

My solicitor tell me they had mentioned this date prior, but no urgency was attached to it and he was still waiting on responses to his enquiries from their solicitor. The date we had in mind was 2 weeks later, but apparently that is not an option. 2 days is not enough time for my solicitor to complete anyway, but I can't wait 10 weeks. What can i do?

hazyjo

How many weeks are you actually into the process? Are we talking 10 or so, or two? It makes a big difference as on average it'll take 12 weeks anyway.


Jx

ElsieMonkey

Hard to understand what's going on here. But you say you are waiting for enquiries about building regulations. What do you mean by this? Has structural works been done to the house (does it have an extension for instance) that you solicitor has asked for evidence that it meets building regs/have planning permission for etc.? And now, with that outstanding, the EA/vendor is trying to rush you into completing (have you exchanged yet...do you mean exchange?) by Friday?

Sounds odd to me. Why this Friday? What's suddenly happening which means it all has to be done and dusted by Friday? Do they not have the answers to the enquiries perhaps so are trying to rush you ahead to cover up for something that's wrong in the property?

Did you get a building survey done?

Hoploz

I hope the seller will be contactable by his solicitor/EA during the 10 weeks he is away! Otherwise you may find you don't get the answers to these queries until he gets back so you still won't be ready to go ahead.

Idiot seller.

Perhaps you will find another property to buy and on his return in 10 weeks' time he will find you've already exchanged and completed on another property and he is back to square one.

eddddy

TBH, it sounds like a bluff to me. An EA tried a similar bluff with me some years ago.

It would be very, very, very unusual for somebody to get 2 days notice of a 10 week business trip.

September is probably end of quarter for the EA. Perhaps he/she wants the sale to go through to boost his/her quarterly bonus.


If you can't exchange in 2 days, just say so. And perhaps say that if it's going to be 10 weeks, you're worried about the chain collapsing, so maybe you'll start looking at other properties.

kingstreet

When all paperwork in the chain is complete, each solicitor will canvass his client for preferred completion dates. Once one has been agreed by all parties in the chain contracts can be exchanged and that date becomes binding.

Suggest ignoring ex-parte contact from agent who is representing only his paymaster and work only with your solicitor/conveyancer who is representing you alone.