Saffron BS Mortgage

laura_lau

Sadly not. A massive mess, all because of Saffron. I HATE them! 
This morning my solicitor called me, and she said that Saffron require my partner requests legal advise before signing the occupant form, which is a condition they posed for the mortgage offer. Note that my solicitor sent them the form more than a month ago. Yesterday they wrote to my solicitor they were not going to release the funds, unless my partner could demonstrate he had seeked independent legal advice (which can't be provided by my solicitor's firm) about the form. They want this solicitor to witness him signing the form. So after a good old cry, I went on the phone, so I've been on the phone since 9:25 this morning. Quite obviously, everyone is super busy. Local and not local alike. (I even called your solicitor, which you recommended a few posts ago!) So from another poster here on the forum I got the link for an online service, and they are happy to do it but they can't "witness" the signature via zoom. So now I had to go back to my solicitor and to ask Saffron if they are ok with an independent witness witnessing him signing a form, then an additional certificate can be added by them to say that he was advised by them on the matter before signing. This is absolutely crazy! I could sign my own mortgage deed, where I am basically doing a binding contract with them, with just a witness and no solicitor present, and him who just has to sign to say he is aware that he can't claim any financial interest in the property as long as I have the mortgage, has to have a solicitor confirming it?? This is crazy!!!!! 
On top of it being crazy, they had plenty of time and plenty of occasions to raise the issue!! They could have said a month ago when we sent the form. They could have said a week ago, when my solicitor requested release of funds for exchange yesterday and completion tomorrow. No, they replied only yesterday, and my solicitor has been chasing them for a whole week!

Nervouslywaiting

Oh my goodness, so sorry you're going through this. This is absolutely crazy! Crap service on Saffron's part - like you say, they've had plenty of time to request this!!!

I bet you are so frustrated right now 😡 hopefully this is the last hurdle you'll face 🤦‍♀️

kennedy1989

Nervouslywaiting said:

kennedy1989 said:

laura_lau said:

wow, that's great news!!! Less than one month to go!!!! At this pace, I might complete not much earlier than you, or even pretty much the same week, who knows!!! Keep me updated!!! When are you exchanging?

Thank you, I've taken a note of the solicitor, if in the future I upgrade property I'll definitely contact them!

From my side, I finally managed to know why we weren't able to exchange last week, had to know from the agent, because my solicitor refuses to ever tell me details! So basically, after I compiled that form about building insurance, the solicitor never replied to my question if that was all ok, and they reached out to the vendor's solicitor to request details. Obviously they had then to ask the details about insurance from the property management, and that's where we are. According to the agent, they will send the info today and then we will be able to exchange, but I'm not holding my breath. Honestly, even if they send the info today, knowing how slow the seller's solicitor is, how slow my solicitor is, and how slow Saffron is, I will consider it a success if we manage to exchange before Friday!

Please please please tell me you have exchanged and completed! Or at least exchanged. I’m so sorry it’s been so slow for you. Saffron moved very quick for us on releasing funds, they have a week notice and sent us a text when they had released it too. They also sent an amazing welcome hamper a week after we got the keys! Got some yummy goodies in there to enjoy! 

Hi again Kennedy, great to hear you're all in and settled. We are nearly at the point of exchange, completion date set for less than 3 weeks from now. Just a quick question  - did Saffron run any further credit checks before releasing the funds? I don't know why I'm worrying about this as our circumstances haven't changed at all... think I just always need something to worry about 🤣

No no more checks!!! 

kennedy1989

Omg just caught up! So sorry you are going through this. Did they get back to you? 

laura_lau

Thank you both. Yes I was (and still am) frustrated, angry, outraged, cried quite a bit yesterday, it was a very stressful day. Today I've made peace with the fact that I will not be completing this week, and most probably not even exchanging.

Yes, they replied to say that they were not ok with a normal witness plus solicitor separate papers. They want a solicitor witnessing it in person because it's a "legal binding document". Very funny that this is considered more "legal binding" than my own mortgage deed, which I could sign without any solicitor present!!
Anyway, we managed to find a solicitor who is willing to do it on Friday, but they live in North London, which is not exactly round the corner, it's more of a 45minutes-1 hour car journey. My boyfriend is willing to do it, so he now has the appointment on Friday after lunch. Hopefully everything goes well, and if I get the document over to my solicitor quickly enough, she thinks she might still be able to exchange on Friday and complete Monday or Tuesday.

Nervouslywaiting

kennedy1989 said:

Nervouslywaiting said:

kennedy1989 said:

laura_lau said:

wow, that's great news!!! Less than one month to go!!!! At this pace, I might complete not much earlier than you, or even pretty much the same week, who knows!!! Keep me updated!!! When are you exchanging?

Thank you, I've taken a note of the solicitor, if in the future I upgrade property I'll definitely contact them!

From my side, I finally managed to know why we weren't able to exchange last week, had to know from the agent, because my solicitor refuses to ever tell me details! So basically, after I compiled that form about building insurance, the solicitor never replied to my question if that was all ok, and they reached out to the vendor's solicitor to request details. Obviously they had then to ask the details about insurance from the property management, and that's where we are. According to the agent, they will send the info today and then we will be able to exchange, but I'm not holding my breath. Honestly, even if they send the info today, knowing how slow the seller's solicitor is, how slow my solicitor is, and how slow Saffron is, I will consider it a success if we manage to exchange before Friday!

Please please please tell me you have exchanged and completed! Or at least exchanged. I’m so sorry it’s been so slow for you. Saffron moved very quick for us on releasing funds, they have a week notice and sent us a text when they had released it too. They also sent an amazing welcome hamper a week after we got the keys! Got some yummy goodies in there to enjoy! 

Hi again Kennedy, great to hear you're all in and settled. We are nearly at the point of exchange, completion date set for less than 3 weeks from now. Just a quick question  - did Saffron run any further credit checks before releasing the funds? I don't know why I'm worrying about this as our circumstances haven't changed at all... think I just always need something to worry about 🤣

No no more checks!!! 

Oh that is reassuring. Just want it all done and dusted now 😫🤣

Nervouslywaiting

Goodness @laura_lau. What a complete mess. So sorry you're going through this! Keep us updated, we're with you in spirit! 

Nervouslywaiting

Update for us! We got the firm notice that our vendors new build is ready to move into 2 weeks today, so completion is set for Friday 16th! My solicitor rang me to say they will be exchanging contracts next week but he will give me a call again to let me know exactly when. 

So excited now! Time to get packing! ✨

laura_lau

Nervouslywaiting said:

Update for us! We got the firm notice that our vendors new build is ready to move into 2 weeks today, so completion is set for Friday 16th! My solicitor rang me to say they will be exchanging contracts next week but he will give me a call again to let me know exactly when. 

So excited now! Time to get packing! ✨

That's is SO exciting! And the 16th is my moving date too, I've booked the removal company for that day! 
I've got good news this morning, got a message from Saffron at 9 saying they had released funds for my mortgage and created my mortgage account! A quick email to my solicitor, and she replied quickly saying they received the funds already and were aiming to exchange and complete today! I gave them authority and am now waiting for some news! I can barely sit still!! 
I'm so happy also you will be completing soon! Will update you later today when I (hopefully) get my keys!!!

laura_lau

We completed today! I didn't dare to hope, I thought we would only exchange today! I've already been to the flat twice, I'm so excited!!! Thank you for your support, and good luck for your completion @Nervouslywaiting!! I'll bee thinking of you on the 16th, also my moving date!