FTB - General Confusion

MissRMB

Hi all,

I have lurked on this board since starting my house hunting journey months ago and finally decided to sign up and make a post!

We put in an offer on a property 26th July and was accepted the next day. We are currently in the process of signing the draft contract (tomorrow with a witness) and I'm just generally feeling deflated at the moment.

I think our process is moving at a good speed, but I feel like I'm always in limbo with my solicitor. I'm trying not to be a nuisance as I know I won't be the only person they are dealing with but we are waiting for information regarding if the seller is willing to get gas/electric/boiler certificates and checks done as these were identified on the Homebuyers Survey. This was a week ago, am I being impatient?

The process started with me being so excited, but I am starting to just want it to be finished.

Many thanks,
MissRMB

AFF8879

MissRMB said:

The process started with me being so excited, but I am starting to just want it to be finished.

Welcome to house buying! They say it’s one of the most stressful life experiences you can go through and it doesn’t seem to get much easier the more times you go through it…

I think a week is entirely reasonable given a lot of solicitors will have huge pressure to get transactions over the line before 30th September. That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be keeping you updated though, mine sends a weekly status update which has always been reassuring during the slower periods when it feels like nothing is progressing. Maybe ask your solicitor for that?

Alternatively, given your specific enquiry is related to the seller’s intention, have you thought about asking the estate agent directly? You’ll probably get a faster response even though it might only be indicative.

MissRMB

@AFF8879 many thanks for the response. I guess I shouldn't have been expecting rainbows and butterflies. I've been waiting for this moment for so long and had my head in the clouds once offer was accepted. I like the idea of having a weekly update, I shall call the solicitor (great excuse to also ask for an update) and then request if they could send an email once a week. My colictor has a team of 3 who help so I don't see this posing an issue for them. 

I didn't even think of going through the EA. Strangely I think I was under the assumption they didn't really have a hand in anything now until exhange/completion. This process is more complex then my brain can handle 

bramptonbrew

What AFF8879 says above is true from my experience! We were completing in early July, and towards the end of June our solicitor was really busy with the clients who were trying to get in before the stamp duty holiday ended. You could maybe ask for a quick status update, even if it's just "everything is progressing as expected at the moment", it'll give you a bit of peace of mind?

AdrianC

There's no point in your sol sending you a weekly email if there's nothing to report.

Remember, your queries and requests for certificates go from your sol to their sol to the vendor... who then have to make their mind up, and/or find information, and/or actually book somebody for the tests... then the answer and/or paperwork goes back to their sol to your sol.

You can see why a week is not unreasonable.

MissRMB

@bramptonbrew thank you for your reply. I think it would be nice just to simply have a "nothings moved yet, but we will let you know ASAP" type email as at the moment it feels there is just nothing from them until I ask. 

 & @AdrianC thank you for your reply. I guess maybe if there's nothing to report then it is a waste of their time, but I guess it's just the not knowing anything that's difficult for me (a me issue though, not a them problem). When I just called they told me they had already asked about the boiler check before my email last week and it was agreed the seller would pay that cost. If I had known this much, I may have been happier to offer to pay the cost of gas/electric check etc. But they never told me they were checking about the boiler. I feel a bit left out the loop. 

FreeBear

MissRMB said: we are waiting for information regarding if the seller is willing to get gas/electric/boiler certificates and checks done as these were identified on the Homebuyers Survey. This was a week ago, am I being impatient?

Electricians are very busy at the moment, and it is around this time of year that people start getting their gas boilers serviced. Quite likely that it will take a month or so before the vendors can get anyone in to do the checks for certificates.

MissRMB

@FreeBear thanks for replying. I didn't know that about this time of year. I have a lot to learn! Appreciate the information. 

SmoggyGoose

MissRMB said:

@FreeBear thanks for replying. I didn't know that about this time of year. I have a lot to learn! Appreciate the information. 

It's nerve wracking and stressful buying a property. You'll always be learning new things. Can fully understand how you feel. Just keep thinking about the end goal and the new chapter you'll be opening in your life when you've moved in.

firebubble

As others have said, chase the EA - they can contact the seller directly to chase up, whereas your solicitor has to contact the seller's solicitor, who then has to chase their client (and each solicitor charges for their time). In fact, if you ever need to chase anything, start with the EA. They can also speak to EAs further up the chain, and get useful information of what is happening further up too. If the EA can't help, they'll soon tell you to speak to your solicitor, but the EAs can chase up a lot more than people realise.

Surrey_EA

MissRMB said:

we are waiting for information regarding if the seller is willing to get gas/electric/boiler certificates and checks done as these were identified on the Homebuyers Survey. This was a week ago, am I being impatient?

Every survey I have ever seen has included a reference to checks on electrics and gas/boiler appliances. Essentially this is the surveyor covering their own backs and saying "I'm not an electrician or a GasSafe engineer, if you want to know everything is absolutely fine get a specialist in." It very rarely means there is an issue.

There is no legal requirement on the part of the seller to get such carried out. Some vendors will organise them to be helpful, others will tell you it's up to you to organise if you want them. It's also probably quicker and simpler to discuss points like this with the agent rather than your solicitor.

It is worth understanding that it is likely your solicitor has somewhere between 100 - 150 live files on the go at any one time.