Contract

youth_leader

I've just received my purchase documentation from my solicitor - Contract, TRI, Fixtures and Fittings and Contents Form etc.  He has asked me to sign the TR1 before returning to him, I'm going to ask my neighbour to witness.  At the end of the letter he has asked me for an exchange/completion date to forward to the vendor's solicitor.

I have bought a book on house buying and it says I should return the signed contract once all enquiries and investigations are complete.  Shall I keep it until then or sign it and return it now so he can date it when it becomes 'live'? 

Slithery

Sign and return it now, it's then one more thing checked off the big list of 'things that need doing'.

Slinky

Yes, sign and return it now. The solicitor will check with you again on the day of exchange that you are still wanting to go ahead and exchange.

Tiglet2

You can return the signed Contract and TR1 now so the solicitor has them on file in readiness for exchange.  It does not commit you as the solicitor will still need your authorisation to exchange when they are ready to proceed.  

youth_leader

Thank you Slinky, I feel really nervous about it all.

UnderOffer

Return ASAP, they will just hold it until everyone is ready to exchange and will recheck with you that you are happy to exchange. I didn’t put a proposed preferred date as thought it was pointless if the rest of chain couldn’t do it, we were flexible so happy to go with what the rest of chain wanted. 

badger09

Yous solicitor is already back at work? That's great, as most are closed until 4th Jan!

Solicitor should have made it clear that you should not date the contact, he/she will do that once everyone is ready to exchange. The proposed date is just your preferred option. Exchange won't happen until everyone is ready & dates have been agreed. 

youth_leader

He is a neighbour badger09, I'm really lucky, he's helped my family for twenty years and is really dynamic.  The letter is dated 23 December, I've got a box for the postie near the gate to save her legs, he'd put it in the letterbox on the house and I've only just found it.  

Suseka97

We received our selling contract paperwork before Christmas and our solicitor made it clear that we were not to date the contract and that she would contact us, when all were ready, to agree the exchange and completion date.  So we signed and returned everything which, as Slithery has said, simply means that's one more piece of the jigsaw puzzle done and one less thing to think about.

davidmcn

youth_leader said:

He is a neighbour badger09, I'm really lucky, he's helped my family for twenty years and is really dynamic.  The letter is dated 23 December, I've got a box for the postie near the gate to save her legs, he'd put it in the letterbox on the house and I've only just found it.  

Great - so, do what your solicitor advises you to. Whatever you've read in your book does not trump that (and I'm sure your book doesn't actually say "even if your solicitor asks you to return the contract, don't").

Falafels

When I sold my property, the contract arrived in the first lot of bumf from the solicitor. Returning it there and then saved a lot of hassle further down the line; as others have said, nothing will happen without your agreement, and it just makes things run more smoothly.

Remember, nothing is set in stone until contracts have been exchanged, not just signed, and that won't be happening until all the enquiries and investigations are complete.

So, really, nothing to worry about! Good luck with your purchase!