When to instruct solicitors

ottermadness

Hi everyone,

We've had an offer accepted on a house but we've had lots of delays with our mortgage as it's a non-standard construction and the PRC certificate needed to get a mortgage was lost and had to be redone. We currently have our solicitors on hold as we've not had our mortgage approved and don't want to lose our money if they start their searches and we find the house is un-mortgageable.

We're now getting harassed by the estate agents as the house is currently tenanted and the tenants are moving out soon, now the vendor is apparently getting 'unsettled' that things aren't progressing. We've tried being polite and have said that we don't want to lose our money if we can't get a mortgage but they are starting to get a bit shirty.

Is it unreasonable to ask the solicitors to hold off until our mortgage is approved? It felt like a sensible decision to me but the estate agents obviously don't think so!

Browntoa

I'd say you were right not to progress until you have a mortgage

PasturesNew

You're doing the right thing, for you. The landlord is getting "edgey" as the tenants will move out and he'll have no income from the house - and so he's panicking that you might pull out and he'll be stuck, with it having cost him thousands in lost rent ... and he's got to start again finding a buyer. If you were him, you'd be worried too.

Just stand firm and don't be pushed into anything.