when to instruct solictor

peppapig14

we have had an offer accepted on  property, awaiting outcome of full mortgage application with nationwide ( sent in additional documents and valution on 20/02 )
we have registered with solicitors and they have requested £450 to begin searches- should  pay this now , or wait untill early next week when hopefully we will have a mortgage offer in writing?

Thrugelmir

Solictor will require cleared funds to commence work. They won't commence actual work until you instruct them to. Normally the formal mortgage offer is the trigger. 

SameOldRoundabout

As FTB we waited until the formal mortgage offer to pay up for searches. This time as we’ve had some dragging by the mortgage (but are confident it’ll be okay unless the house is worthless) I paid up when we approved subject to valuation, as I was worried about delaying both sides of our sale. 

MovingForwards

Just tell them you don't want them to do anything yet, you are waiting on the mortgage offer and when that is through, providing it's ok/no issues, then you will pay and tell them to start the conveyancing.

You don't want to spend money now to find out it needs a load or work, or isn't valued at what you have offered.

Sncjw

We are paying for searches before the mortgage application as we are just about there on the application: I don’t suspect any issues with the mortgage application as the amount we want is half of the maximum they would offer on the aip