The NEW waiting to exchange thread...

waitingforsomething

A hopeful update for me today... Looks like everyone has agreed 29th for completion. I've asked for an update on exchange as will need to send deposit / sort buildings insurance and apparently my file is being prepared for completion and they will be in contact.

I hope they hurry up, I don't want to book anything until exchange, especially after reading about some of the exchange nightmares people are having on here. 

waitingforsomething

GeenBeen said:

Hello! FTB here and feeling very out of my depth.

House viewing: 21/09/21
Offer made: 24/9/21
Best & Final: 30/9/21
Offer accepted: 4/10/21 
Meeting with mortgage broker: 5/10/21
Docs send to mortgage broker: 13/10/21
Solicitors instructed and docs returned: 13/10/21
Solicitors received papers: 14/10/21
Application submitted to Barclays: 14/10/21
Mortgage offer (awaiting valuation): 19/10/21

We've heard literally nothing from the solicitors since returning all our documents, even getting confirmation of receipt of email was a pain when I called their office. Now wondering if we've made a mistake, eek! Is this normal? How long from returning all documents would you expect to hear from the solicitor about the next steps? I've sent a few questions regarding when we need to pay for searches, and whether we'd be tenants in common but I've had nothing back. Am I worrying for no reason? I'm trying to be realistic about their work load!

Is your chain complete? Solicitors often won't start searches etc until this happens. Mine didn't start searches until I had my mortgage offer.

greensalad

Debating whether or not I should chase the sales progressor this week. Feels like it's all out of my hands at the moment as it's all slowed down due to the solicitors for my vendor's vendor having to split a title deed in two (land sale and house sale separate). It sounds like it's slow progress on that and isn't being done as quickly as it could... but I just don't want our vendors to think I'm a massive nag but equally don't want to wait around for ever for their solicitors to get round to it!

I'm thinking maybe next week... as then it'll be two weeks since I got the news about it. I still really want to move in before Christmas if we can.

Waunakee

greensalad said:

Debating whether or not I should chase the sales progressor this week. Feels like it's all out of my hands at the moment as it's all slowed down due to the solicitors for my vendor's vendor having to split a title deed in two (land sale and house sale separate). It sounds like it's slow progress on that and isn't being done as quickly as it could... but I just don't want our vendors to think I'm a massive nag but equally don't want to wait around for ever for their solicitors to get round to it!

I'm thinking maybe next week... as then it'll be two weeks since I got the news about it. I still really want to move in before Christmas if we can.

 Splitting title deeds can be quite a slow process currently made much worse by the horrendous backlogs at the Land Registry.

 I would be asking your sales progressor to clarify whether the application has been lodged with HMLR and enquiring if a case could be made for expedition.

 The Land Registry rep who posts regularly on here may be able to give you more clarity.

nicolanickynic

novelle said:

nicolanickynic said:

nrowlands95 said:

Hey guys, we’re hopefully nearing the end of our process so thought I’d share our timelines so far 

27/07/20 - Offer accepted 
30/07/20 - Mortgage application submitted
02/08/20 - Search’s requested & returned on the same day
04/08/20 - Memorandum of sale received 
04/08/20 - Our solicitor requested the draft of contract 
17/08/20 - Valuation completed & mortgage offer received 
19/10/20 - Draft of contract, TR1 and a number of other docs sent to us to sign 

Our solicitor is pushing for a simultaneous exchange and completion so we’re just waiting on a date before closing our HTB ISAs as they’ve said they’ll give us 14 days notice. 

As you can see…radio silence for over a month so our nerves were going but all
seems to be moving now so hopefully gives some of you hope ☺️ the stamp duty deadline really did delay things for us, the house has been empty since August!! 

Hopefully you'll be there soon!

Same, got my mortgage offer Sept 9th.
Solicitor confirm all searches returned Sept 14th.  Stamp duty hols delayed my case also.  

Now seems to be moving. Got my draft contract on Friday.  Just waiting for a couple of minor enquiries to be answered.  

Fingers crossed for completion within the next 4 weeks.

Good luck to you

so you can sign a contract BEFORE receiving all answers from enquiries ?

I've not actually signed yet to be fair. It doesn't actually become legally binding until you exchange contracts, so even if I sign it, something can be changed and an amended version can be sent.  

The remaining enquiries are absolutely minor and I can't see any answer for them having an impact on the detail in the contracts.

I think she just sent them to me to be ahead of the game when the time comes.

nicolanickynic

GeenBeen said:

Hello! FTB here and feeling very out of my depth.

House viewing: 21/09/21
Offer made: 24/9/21
Best & Final: 30/9/21
Offer accepted: 4/10/21 
Meeting with mortgage broker: 5/10/21
Docs send to mortgage broker: 13/10/21
Solicitors instructed and docs returned: 13/10/21
Solicitors received papers: 14/10/21
Application submitted to Barclays: 14/10/21
Mortgage offer (awaiting valuation): 19/10/21

We've heard literally nothing from the solicitors since returning all our documents, even getting confirmation of receipt of email was a pain when I called their office. Now wondering if we've made a mistake, eek! Is this normal? How long from returning all documents would you expect to hear from the solicitor about the next steps? I've sent a few questions regarding when we need to pay for searches, and whether we'd be tenants in common but I've had nothing back. Am I worrying for no reason? I'm trying to be realistic about their work load!

Silent solicitors are just a way of life I'm afraid.  

I've been quite lucky that my solicitor will answer emails, however, she has definitely sat on my case for longer than she should have.  My searches all were returned 14th Sept and she only sent the enquiries 15th Oct (because the EA hounded her for them).

She had some annual leave and of course stamp duty holiday clients which has bumped my case to the back of the pile.  

Whenever I email her, I add a little sweet message thanking her for everything so far and acknowledging her workload. May not be deserved  but you get more flies with honey than with vinegar .  She seems to respond quite well to that.

My EA is the one who sends her the sour emails basically asking her to get a move on! Saves me a job!

greensalad

Waunakee said:

greensalad said:

Debating whether or not I should chase the sales progressor this week. Feels like it's all out of my hands at the moment as it's all slowed down due to the solicitors for my vendor's vendor having to split a title deed in two (land sale and house sale separate). It sounds like it's slow progress on that and isn't being done as quickly as it could... but I just don't want our vendors to think I'm a massive nag but equally don't want to wait around for ever for their solicitors to get round to it!

I'm thinking maybe next week... as then it'll be two weeks since I got the news about it. I still really want to move in before Christmas if we can.

 Splitting title deeds can be quite a slow process currently made much worse by the horrendous backlogs at the Land Registry.

 I would be asking your sales progressor to clarify whether the application has been lodged with HMLR and enquiring if a case could be made for expedition.

 The Land Registry rep who posts regularly on here may be able to give you more clarity.

Thanks, that's some interesting information. This was all new to me so I wasn't sure if it was just a thing that needed to sit and wait to happen or not. 

If it's not marked for expedition how long can it take... are we talking like 6 months plus? I think I'll chat to her next week and find out. I already told her I'd like to be in for Christmas, or at least exchanged before Christmas which doesn't seem like an unreasonable request considering we offered on the 2nd July!

Faodail

Just had a call with our solicitor to explain what would be happening tomorrow and Friday, really can not fault him he’s been amazing throughout! We will be leaving a glowing review for him that’s for sure! 

I do hope everyone’s problems get ironed out before the weekend if not soon...

charlotteo1988

Hi,

sorry can I ask a question? 

my house was sold in July and we had a offer accepted on August had a few issues and the seller has found a property 28th September and the people moving out of that house is going into a new build but not ready yet so willing to go into rented accommodation. 

Obviously this has been dragging on now and the seller is a cash buyer so been almost 4 weeks since she had her offer accepted. 

Who do I speak to to try and push for her solicitors to exchange and complete asap? I’ve asked my solicitors they seem to be quite slow and was wondering whether my estate agents could chase the sellers solicitors as she keeps chasing me asking if I had an update? 

Thanks
Charlotte 

TheScone

A little update from me! 

We completed on our first house purchase yesterday!! Thankfully we have our rental until the second week of November so the move doesn't need to be a massive panic. I do however want to get fully moved over by the end of this weekend so we have plenty of time to clean the rental properly in an attempt to get our deposit back. We are both still working full time so can only move/clean in the evenings.

It still doesn't feel real that I own a house. I just want to get to painting now and making it feel like home (at the moment, everything is magnolia... god help me).

Being on this thread has been a massive help with this process, even when I've mostly been reading other people's experience's. I'm rooting for you all, it really can feel like you are just waiting around praying nothing goes wrong, but everyone seems to get there eventually, and seeing that on here has been a massive help. Also, being a FTB who had no clue what I was doing, the thread has been invaluable.

I wish you all the best of luck!