Question regarding booking in a survey

thermal2844

Last Thursday we paid for a level 2 survey (home buyers report) to be carried out through Halifax. The house was sold through Purple Bricks. I contacted Purple Bricks to ask if an appointment had been made yet to grant access to the surveyor, however I was greeted with "I don't know", told to contact someone else, who is currently on leave, then directed to their generic post sales support, who simply sent me an email with the vendor's contact details (name, phone, email). It seems rather inappropriate for me to be contacting the vendor directly about this, as surely Purple Bricks should be the one setting this up? Or is that incorrect? The vendors do not live at the house as it is vacant. I'm not sure who I should chase up about this, as I've hit a brick wall with Purple Bricks (bad pun intended...). Should I ask the mortgage advisor at Halifax or is that the wrong person to contact? Am I just being impatient or should a survey have at least been scheduled by now?

SG27

This is where purple bricks fails. Anyone can sell out a house by taking a few pictures and sticking it on rightmove. Its post sale that is the difficult part.

Im also buying through them and was basically told to contact the vendor directly. Unfortunately he is too happy about me phoning him. Which I will be doing at least once a week to find out how the chain is (or isnt!) Progressing. If he didnt want buyers ringing him he shouldnt have used PB! :rotfl:

davidmcn

thermal2844 wrote: »

Should I ask the mortgage advisor at Halifax or is that the wrong person to contact? Am I just being impatient or should a survey have at least been scheduled by now?

The surveyors should be the ones arranging the appointment - so have they contacted anyone so far? They won't care whether it's the agent or the vendor who provides access, as long as someone lets them in (or lends them keys).

thermal2844

SG27 wrote: »

This is where purple bricks fails. Anyone can sell out a house by taking a few pictures and sticking it on rightmove. Its post sale that is the difficult part.

Im also buying through them and was basically told to contact the vendor directly. Unfortunately he is too happy about me phoning him. Which I will be doing at least once a week to find out how the chain is (or isnt!) Progressing. If he didnt want buyers ringing him he shouldnt have used PB! :rotfl:

Hmm so seems a common occurrence! Unfortunately...

thermal2844

davidmcn wrote: »

The surveyors should be the ones arranging the appointment - so have they contacted anyone so far? They won't care whether it's the agent or the vendor who provides access, as long as someone lets them in (or lends them keys).

We were asked for the estate agent's contact details to give to the surveyor, and as no one at Purple Bricks has any clue what I am talking about, I assume not! I guess the next step to to get the surveyor's contact details from Halifax and give them the vendor's contact details.

eddddy

This highlights the problems with the low-cost selling/buying model.

• A low-cost EA that doesn't want the hassle of of dealing with valuers, and doesn't have time to chase, sort out problems etc.

• Halifax controlling costs by using a low-cost valuation firm. Their administrator having to phone and book dozens of appointments each day - with a workload that doesn't give them time to chase around after people.

If you add a low-cost conveyancer into the mix, who also doesn't have time to chase or sort out problems...

... and perhaps a buyer and/or seller who doesn't understand the processes very well...

... it can become a very painful process.