Contract pack - how long?

AlexRh

Hi

We’re in the process of moving home - everything with selling ours is going well so no complaints. The memorandum of sale for the one we’re buying came through a month ago but our solicitor hasn’t heard anything from the sellers’ solicitor yet. They’ve chased a few times as has the estate agent but not heard back. 

Apparently the seller has been on to chase their solicitor too. Trying to manage our expectations and to check when we’re just being impatient or when we should push more - how long does it normally take for the contract pack to come through? 

Wary our solicitor won’t do any of the searches etc until then. 

Any help in managing our expectations would be brilliant. 

Thanks!

fackers_2

AlexRh said:

Hi

We’re in the process of moving home - everything with selling ours is going well so no complaints. The memorandum of sale for the one we’re buying came through a month ago but our solicitor hasn’t heard anything from the sellers’ solicitor yet. They’ve chased a few times as has the estate agent but not heard back. 

Apparently the seller has been on to chase their solicitor too. Trying to manage our expectations and to check when we’re just being impatient or when we should push more - how long does it normally take for the contract pack to come through? 

Wary our solicitor won’t do any of the searches etc until then. 

Any help in managing our expectations would be brilliant. 

Thanks!

Is there anything specific holding up? Could be awaiting documents from a 3rd party, is it a lease hold property? 
Usually it can take up to around a month to come through, you could always ask the EA to set up a chat between yourselves to tie up any doubts and get explanations if needed. Unfortunately, buying a property needs A LOT of patience!

Tiglet2

It does seem odd that the seller's solicitor has not made any contact with your solicitor after a month.  Check that your solicitor has written to the seller's solicitor by way of introduction and to confirm that they are acting for you.
Perhaps the EA could check the following with the sellers to ascertain what has and what hasn't been done so far:
Has the seller formally instructed their solicitor?
Has the seller sent in their ID documents and signed and returned any initial paperwork.
Has the seller put some funds into their solicitor's account to start the ball rolling?  The solicitor will need some monies in order to obtain the Official Copies of the register and plans and any other documents held by Land Registry, such as a Lease or old Conveyance.
Is the property registered at Land Registry?
Has the seller completed, signed and returned the protocol documents (Fixtures & Contents, Property Info Form etc), together with any accompanying certificates.
If the seller has done all of the above, there is no reason that the solicitor cannot send over a draft contract, even if there are some documents still awaited.

kasqueak

I recently waited 6 weeks for the sellers solicitor to make contact with mine with the draft contract papers.