Is it bad news?

SianlikesF1

We recently had an offer accepted on a property and started going through all of the processes. We're first time buyers so it's all been new to us. We found a surveyor and they contacted the estate agent to arrange to see the property. 
We then had a missed call from the estate agent late yesterday afternoon from the estate agent saying that the vendor doesn't want to do the survey yet and doesn't want us to spend our money on the survey and to call the estate agent back. Our surveyor has tried to rearrange with the estate agent but hasn't had a response yet. This has really stressed us out as now we have no idea what's going on. Has anyone had a similar experience?
(Apologies if this question is the wrong place. I'm a newbie on here)

rik111

Sounds like they might be having second thoughts about moving.
Quite good of them not to let you have a survey done.
Start looking elsewhere

hazyjo

Is the chain complete? Might be that. Very unwise to spend money or start the conveyancing process until there's a complete chain.

SianlikesF1

rik111 said:

Sounds like they might be having second thoughts about moving.
Quite good of them not to let you have a survey done.
Start looking elsewhere

Ah, that's what I was afraid of. It's a shame as we looked at two other nice properties that have since sold. There aren't any other similar properties on the local market currently so it all feels very doom and gloom now. We've already spent about £700 on the checks and other fees too. :-( We might have to leave it a few months and see what becomes available. 

SianlikesF1

hazyjo said:

Is the chain complete? Might be that. Very unwise to spend money or start the conveyancing process until there's a complete chain.

As in have they found somewhere? I have no idea tbh. We haven't had any contact with the actual seller. I'm new to this so we have just been following the process and setting up things on our end. I didn't realise that we might need to wait because of the chain. 

rik111

SianlikesF1 said:

rik111 said:

Sounds like they might be having second thoughts about moving.
Quite good of them not to let you have a survey done.
Start looking elsewhere

Ah, that's what I was afraid of. It's a shame as we looked at two other nice properties that have since sold. There aren't any other similar properties on the local market currently so it all feels very doom and gloom now. We've already spent about £700 on the checks and other fees too. :-( We might have to leave it a few months and see what becomes available. 

If it does fall through, make sure you write them a letter explaining how much they have cost you !

SianlikesF1

rik111 said:

SianlikesF1 said:

rik111 said:

Sounds like they might be having second thoughts about moving.
Quite good of them not to let you have a survey done.
Start looking elsewhere

Ah, that's what I was afraid of. It's a shame as we looked at two other nice properties that have since sold. There aren't any other similar properties on the local market currently so it all feels very doom and gloom now. We've already spent about £700 on the checks and other fees too. :-( We might have to leave it a few months and see what becomes available. 

If it does fall through, make sure you write them a letter explaining how much they have cost you !

Yeah. That's a good idea. 

deannagone

Bit of a waste of effort though.  Won't change a thing if they have decided to not sell, they might just be putting a hold on things for now and a letter like that could put the final kibbosh on things.  Just don't pay out any money until a chain is complete next time.  Bear in mind that most of the time when things like this happen we have buyers coming on a few months later saying they found something even better.  Doesn't help right now, today.., but in time you might have a different feeling.

SianlikesF1

deannagone said:

Bit of a waste of effort though.  Won't change a thing if they have decided to not sell, they might just be putting a hold on things for now and a letter like that could put the final kibbosh on things.  Just don't pay out any money until a chain is complete next time.  Bear in mind that most of the time when things like this happen we have buyers coming on a few months later saying they found something even better.  Doesn't help right now, today.., but in time you might have a different feeling.

That's true. We definitely will be a lot more cautious of spending money next time. Being new to this. I guess we just didn't want to hold anyone up but actually didn't realise we should have waited. It's an expensive learning process. Hopefully it's all for the best in the end.

UnderOffer

Contact the Estate Agent and ask them if the vendors have found an onward purchase? Yes, it does sound like they are getting cold feet, but it could be that they haven’t yet found a new home for themselves. Don’t write it off just yet. 

Redwino222

What information were you given about the vendor?

For every house I have viewed I have been told whether they are sale agreed on another property, actively looking or moving into rented accommodation (or in a few cases a home).

speak to the estate agent on Tuesday and get the full picture.  My parents lots a house once when aDivorcing  couple Reconciled.