Selling house with legal fees and searches included

lm1981

Having a torrid time with our buyers solicitor , though we don’t really want to it’s looking we might have to put house back on market…if we did we are thinking of including the searches all prepaid (running them now so they are Up to date etc) and paying the legal fees on condition it’s a proper local solicitor (this is to ensure that everything is made as smooth as possible) - is this possible to do?

Davesnave

It's possible, but I wouldn't want you having a hand in choosing the person who is going to protect my interests. There's not necessarily any good reason for choosing one close to you if I happen to be buying from a distance.

TBG01

Need more details as to why you're having a "horrid time". It's all well and good paying the fees for a local a solicitor but what's to say they won't face the same difficulties your current buyer is having. 

SpiderLegs

lm1981 said:

Having a torrid time with our buyers solicitor , though we don’t really want to it’s looking we might have to put house back on market…if we did we are thinking of including the searches all prepaid (running them now so they are Up to date etc) and paying the legal fees on condition it’s a proper local solicitor (this is to ensure that everything is made as smooth as possible) - is this possible to do?

Possible - yes
waste of time - also yes

AdrianC

What's that lot coming to, £2k?

Just accept a slightly lower offer.

NameUnavailable

I would wonder why is the vendor offering such an incentive - it would ring alarm bells.........

lm1981

Fair points , yeah I think I will just let the buyer pick who they want but I’d like the EA to vet it first and then only proceeded with a buyer who is going to use a well known local solicitor 

theoretica

Searches might also be an issue - would your buyer (and their solicitor) trust ones they hadn't done themselves?

user1977

lm1981 said:

I’d like the EA to vet it first and then only proceeded with a buyer who is going to use a well known local solicitor 

Why should they be "well-known" or "local"? Will be a PITA for buyers if they've already got a solicitor who doesn't meet your standards (especially if they're also selling).

AnotherJoe

lm1981 said:

Fair points , yeah I think I will just let the buyer pick who they want but I’d like the EA to vet it first and then only proceeded with a buyer who is going to use a well known local solicitor 

And if they are moving from far away and want to use a solicitor local to them or their "family" solicitor they've used for years?

If you tried to control what solicitor i used Id be gone before you even heard the door slamming as i left.

eddddy

lm1981 said:

Having a torrid time with our buyers solicitor , 

What sort of things are they doing?

For example, is that they're making lots of pre-contract enquiries? If so, it could be the buyer that's asking all the questions, and the solicitor is simply passing them on.

An 'old-school' local solicitor might be even more thorough (and so ask more questions, take longer etc) than an online budget solicitor.