Help to Buy authority to proceed taking ages!

Tatsman

Hi All, 
Anyone recently submitted a help to buy application (PIF) and still waiting for the authority to proceed? We submitted the help to buy application on 18 August 2020 but we are still waiting for a response from the agent. This is one of the remaining pieces of the puzzle and running out of time before our reservation deadline is up. Just wanted to see if anyone out there are in a similar scenario and how you are dealing with this. 

Cheers

Brandylover88

Depending on your location they have a back log of cases. Agent 3 has a 11-12 working days turnaround for ATP at the moment.

Tatsman

Brandylover88 said:

Depending on your location they have a back log of cases. Agent 3 has a 11-12 working days turnaround for ATP at the moment.

I think we fall under Agent 3 as well. Today is the 13th working day since applying. 

tim_london

New build reservation deadline are generally not sensible and it is just there to protect the developer against buyer with no intention or ability to buy.  They are aware of HTB delays and as long as you give them frequent updates they will be ok.  Don't stress it!   

Things you can do if you really want to speed things up:

• Don't wait for ATP and submit mortgage application now.  It can be done even if HTB advises otherwise.  
• The main thing is to book the valuation appointment date in because that is 2-3 week lead time as well.
• Order the searches now, again local authority searches can take up to 3 weeks to come back so order earlier rather than later.  Solicitor usually leave this to last because it is a cost that can be avoided if everything else fail.  You can tell them that you are happy to take the risk.

After ATP comes back the solicitor will need a week or 2 to sort out all other documents then apply for Authority to Exchange, which is currently 2 weeks as well with agent3.  

Remember, once you exchange the developer has all the advantages.  New build contracts are generally open ended 10(wish) days notice to move in and long stop dates are very easy to wiggle out (i.e using regulation compliance as excuse to cover up delays).  Use this time before exchange to find out where the development is really at.

Tatsman

tim_london said:

New build reservation deadline are generally not sensible and it is just there to protect the developer against buyer with no intention or ability to buy.  They are aware of HTB delays and as long as you give them frequent updates they will be ok.  Don't stress it!   

Things you can do if you really want to speed things up:

• Don't wait for ATP and submit mortgage application now.  It can be done even if HTB advises otherwise.  
• The main thing is to book the valuation appointment date in because that is 2-3 week lead time as well.
• Order the searches now, again local authority searches can take up to 3 weeks to come back so order earlier rather than later.  Solicitor usually leave this to last because it is a cost that can be avoided if everything else fail.  You can tell them that you are happy to take the risk.

After ATP comes back the solicitor will need a week or 2 to sort out all other documents then apply for Authority to Exchange, which is currently 2 weeks as well with agent3.  

Remember, once you exchange the developer has all the advantages.  New build contracts are generally open ended 10(wish) days notice to move in and long stop dates are very easy to wiggle out (i.e using regulation compliance as excuse to cover up delays).  Use this time before exchange to find out where the development is really at.

Many thanks Tim_london. Really helpful and detailed response. We have an awesome MA and we have already applied for the mortgage and have received the offer. We have also instructed the solicitors and ordered the searches (who haven't been great in communication but that's another topic) so the main outstanding point really at this point is the ATP. You raise a really good point that once the exchange takes the place the developer has the advantage and i will check in on how they doing in terms of development. 

Bex_27

We are applying for HTB too and my mortgage is at valuation stage. We had some delays due to my partner being on another mortgage that has been a LONNGGGGGGG legal battle. He’s still on it but we have been advised to proceed and hopefully when it comes to complete it should all be sorted (he just needs to send some forms off once they arrive). We have kept our sales advisor in the loop every time, I message them all the time to tell them where we are at. We were advised at the beginning that these timescales they set out are unlikely to be achieved due to COVID but as long as we don’t go off the radar then they are happy. However, we now have a new sales person who was on furlough before and she is a lot more pressurising and saying her director is chasing. The house is not even built so I don’t understand why!

mortgagetakingages

Bex_27 said:

We are applying for HTB too and my mortgage is at valuation stage. We had some delays due to my partner being on another mortgage that has been a LONNGGGGGGG legal battle. He’s still on it but we have been advised to proceed and hopefully when it comes to complete it should all be sorted (he just needs to send some forms off once they arrive). We have kept our sales advisor in the loop every time, I message them all the time to tell them where we are at. We were advised at the beginning that these timescales they set out are unlikely to be achieved due to COVID but as long as we don’t go off the radar then they are happy. However, we now have a new sales person who was on furlough before and she is a lot more pressurising and saying her director is chasing. The house is not even built so I don’t understand why!

Remember that you are the person spending hundreds of thousands of pounds. Tell the sales lady to stop pressuring you and wait like everyone else has to. 

Bex_27

mortgagetakingages said:

Bex_27 said:

We are applying for HTB too and my mortgage is at valuation stage. We had some delays due to my partner being on another mortgage that has been a LONNGGGGGGG legal battle. He’s still on it but we have been advised to proceed and hopefully when it comes to complete it should all be sorted (he just needs to send some forms off once they arrive). We have kept our sales advisor in the loop every time, I message them all the time to tell them where we are at. We were advised at the beginning that these timescales they set out are unlikely to be achieved due to COVID but as long as we don’t go off the radar then they are happy. However, we now have a new sales person who was on furlough before and she is a lot more pressurising and saying her director is chasing. The house is not even built so I don’t understand why!

Remember that you are the person spending hundreds of thousands of pounds. Tell the sales lady to stop pressuring you and wait like everyone else has to. 

This is what I don't understand, she was quite rude to my other half last week. I wish we were still working with the previous salesperson, she was really understanding and considerate, ironically, she sold my other half his property 10 years ago with a completely different developer! 

mortgagetakingages

Bex_27 said:

mortgagetakingages said:

Bex_27 said:

We are applying for HTB too and my mortgage is at valuation stage. We had some delays due to my partner being on another mortgage that has been a LONNGGGGGGG legal battle. He’s still on it but we have been advised to proceed and hopefully when it comes to complete it should all be sorted (he just needs to send some forms off once they arrive). We have kept our sales advisor in the loop every time, I message them all the time to tell them where we are at. We were advised at the beginning that these timescales they set out are unlikely to be achieved due to COVID but as long as we don’t go off the radar then they are happy. However, we now have a new sales person who was on furlough before and she is a lot more pressurising and saying her director is chasing. The house is not even built so I don’t understand why!

Remember that you are the person spending hundreds of thousands of pounds. Tell the sales lady to stop pressuring you and wait like everyone else has to. 

This is what I don't understand, she was quite rude to my other half last week. I wish we were still working with the previous salesperson, she was really understanding and considerate, ironically, she sold my other half his property 10 years ago with a completely different developer! 

Call her bluff. Ask to speak to the director so you can discuss the issue and her attitude.

Bex_27

mortgagetakingages said:

Bex_27 said:

mortgagetakingages said:

Bex_27 said:

We are applying for HTB too and my mortgage is at valuation stage. We had some delays due to my partner being on another mortgage that has been a LONNGGGGGGG legal battle. He’s still on it but we have been advised to proceed and hopefully when it comes to complete it should all be sorted (he just needs to send some forms off once they arrive). We have kept our sales advisor in the loop every time, I message them all the time to tell them where we are at. We were advised at the beginning that these timescales they set out are unlikely to be achieved due to COVID but as long as we don’t go off the radar then they are happy. However, we now have a new sales person who was on furlough before and she is a lot more pressurising and saying her director is chasing. The house is not even built so I don’t understand why!

Remember that you are the person spending hundreds of thousands of pounds. Tell the sales lady to stop pressuring you and wait like everyone else has to. 

This is what I don't understand, she was quite rude to my other half last week. I wish we were still working with the previous salesperson, she was really understanding and considerate, ironically, she sold my other half his property 10 years ago with a completely different developer! 

Call her bluff. Ask to speak to the director so you can discuss the issue and her attitude.

I will do if it continues! My MA thinks it might be something to do with commission or something, the property isn't due to be built until late November to end of December!

mortgagetakingages

Bex_27 said:

mortgagetakingages said:

Bex_27 said:

mortgagetakingages said:

Bex_27 said:

We are applying for HTB too and my mortgage is at valuation stage. We had some delays due to my partner being on another mortgage that has been a LONNGGGGGGG legal battle. He’s still on it but we have been advised to proceed and hopefully when it comes to complete it should all be sorted (he just needs to send some forms off once they arrive). We have kept our sales advisor in the loop every time, I message them all the time to tell them where we are at. We were advised at the beginning that these timescales they set out are unlikely to be achieved due to COVID but as long as we don’t go off the radar then they are happy. However, we now have a new sales person who was on furlough before and she is a lot more pressurising and saying her director is chasing. The house is not even built so I don’t understand why!

Remember that you are the person spending hundreds of thousands of pounds. Tell the sales lady to stop pressuring you and wait like everyone else has to. 

This is what I don't understand, she was quite rude to my other half last week. I wish we were still working with the previous salesperson, she was really understanding and considerate, ironically, she sold my other half his property 10 years ago with a completely different developer! 

Call her bluff. Ask to speak to the director so you can discuss the issue and her attitude.

I will do if it continues! My MA thinks it might be something to do with commission or something, the property isn't due to be built until late November to end of December!

3rd quarter ends this month so it prob is. Also might be trying to steal the sale from her colleague.