How long should enquiries take

terabyte

I’m selling a shared ownership property the buyer’s solicitors were instructed 21 days ago and have had 14 working days to look at it. They haven’t made any enquiries to my solicitor about the property so far. What’s the normal period that would elapse here without inquiries being made, in the best and worst case. My solicitor already sent them the management pack, lease copy, answers about the property (fittings etc there’s no more paperwork for me to provide). 

princeofpounds

It's a how long is a piece of string type of question. If you genuinely have sent through all the documents, and you've had two weeks of total silence, then maybe it's at the point where a verbal enquiry via the EA and/or your solicitor could be useful.

Have they done a survey, or demonstrated commitment in any other way? If yes, I would still be quite relaxed.

I could easily believe that the solicitor is understaffed due to Covid and not exactly fast-tracking things. Or they are waiting for search information to raise all the enquiries in one go. So it's too early to panic, that's for sure. Personally I'd start to ask more pointed questions at the 4 week point, but that's a matter of personal outlook.

terabyte

princeofpounds said:

It's a how long is a piece of string type of question. If you genuinely have sent through all the documents, and you've had two weeks of total silence, then maybe it's at the point where a verbal enquiry via the EA and/or your solicitor could be useful.

Have they done a survey, or demonstrated commitment in any other way? If yes, I would still be quite relaxed.

I could easily believe that the solicitor is understaffed due to Covid and not exactly fast-tracking things. Or they are waiting for search information to raise all the enquiries in one go. So it's too early to panic, that's for sure. Personally I'd start to ask more pointed questions at the 4 week point, but that's a matter of personal outlook.

Ok great. Is the buyer’s solicitors obliged to notify my solicitor if the buyer chooses not to proceed or is it possible that they’ll leave us wondering?

bravotango

terabyte said:

princeofpounds said:

It's a how long is a piece of string type of question. If you genuinely have sent through all the documents, and you've had two weeks of total silence, then maybe it's at the point where a verbal enquiry via the EA and/or your solicitor could be useful.

Have they done a survey, or demonstrated commitment in any other way? If yes, I would still be quite relaxed.

I could easily believe that the solicitor is understaffed due to Covid and not exactly fast-tracking things. Or they are waiting for search information to raise all the enquiries in one go. So it's too early to panic, that's for sure. Personally I'd start to ask more pointed questions at the 4 week point, but that's a matter of personal outlook.

Ok great. Is the buyer’s solicitors obliged to notify my solicitor if the buyer chooses not to proceed or is it possible that they’ll leave us wondering?

I would have thought it was common courtesy for easier side to tell each other when they wish to not proceed.

Obviously, that is part 'ideal world' scenario, but as someone was saying above, give it about a month and see if you get any news. If you can't wait a full month, then 3 weeks should be a good guideline for time frame to chase up.

trex227

When you say the buyers solicitors were instructed 21 days ago did the buyer complete the solicitors instruction forms or just tell the solicitor “I’m going to use you”? In my previous job at a solicitors people were often referring to the latter but solicitors won’t start work until the forms have been completed.

Also some solicitors won’t start work until they also have ID and payment for searches. And as princeofpounds says some solicitors will wait for searches to be returned to raise all enquiries at the same time rather than in batches.

trex227

terabyte said:

Ok great. Is the buyer’s solicitors obliged to notify my solicitor if the buyer chooses not to proceed or is it possible that they’ll leave us wondering?

They will notify your solicitor but it can take a long time for the messages to get passed along. I would speak to the estate agents to chase it up, see where things are.

Thrugelmir

Have you spoken to your EA to ascertain the buyers status? 

terabyte

Thrugelmir said:

Have you spoken to your EA to ascertain the buyers status? 

I’ve not been able to get through to him.

terabyte

trex227 said:

When you say the buyers solicitors were instructed 21 days ago did the buyer complete the solicitors instruction forms or just tell the solicitor “I’m going to use you”? In my previous job at a solicitors people were often referring to the latter but solicitors won’t start work until the forms have been completed.

Also some solicitors won’t start work until they also have ID and payment for searches. And as princeofpounds says some solicitors will wait for searches to be returned to raise all enquiries at the same time rather than in batches.

ok this sounds reassuring. Maybe the buyers are just slow