FTB - General Confusion

MissRMB

@firebubble thanks for replying. That's great help. I'll check in with EA first going forward.

& @Surrey_EA thanks for replying. Arhh, that makes sense about it being highlighted to cover the surveyor. Those reports are filled with so much jargon I read it over many a times. 100-150 files is shocking. I have a newfound sympathy for them. 

Sunsaru

I personally think the worst bit of house buying is the waiting around, too much time to let your mind wander when you've never done it before!

Compared to some people's experiences I had an easy ride (from initial offer to keys in hand took 4 months) but yet by the end of it, I promised I would not be moving again for at least the next 10 years!

badger09

MissRMB said:

@firebubble thanks for replying. That's great help. I'll check in with EA first going forward.

& @Surrey_EA thanks for replying. Arhh, that makes sense about it being highlighted to cover the surveyor. Those reports are filled with so much jargon I read it over many a times. 100-150 files is shocking. I have a newfound sympathy for them. 

As has been said, there is no requirement for the vendor to have these done, but a surveyor will always recommend it.

The house we are now living in was freezing cold on both our viewings in November 2020 and our surveyor commented that CH was not on when he visited in December! Our vendor refused to provide up to date service records for CH and gas fire so we arranged our own engineer to visit & confirm all was safe & working. Turns out vendors were simply much hardier (or meaner) than us!

If you're concerned, suggest you do the same.

As far as expectations around speed of the whole process go, you need to manage them. Difficult for FTBs with no prior experience, but you need to accept that much of it is outside your and conveyancer's control. Have a read of some of the other threads for context. & good luck

davilown

It’s a nervous time waiting when buying your first property.  As others have already said though, if you want a gas safety and electrical safety very, then it’s entirely appropriate that you instruct and pay a professional for it to be done.

saajan_12

MissRMB said:

 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?

Were there any issues raised, or just a note stating they they weren't checked in the homebuyers survey (which is standard)? If the latter, you're somewhat lengthening the process yourself by adding enquiries - you could just get the gas / electric / boiler checked yourself or decide whether you're happy taking the risk. Unless recently installed or rented property, they wouldn't usually have certificates for those and its not standard to expect the seller to pay for new ones. 

MissRMB said:

@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.  

Well nice, but entirely pointless. Checking progress and sending that email x 100 files adds a day to their work when they're doing no actual work. You wouldn't want them to wait until the end of the week to send you if they actually send you important things. So at the end of the week, the updates are just repeating things they've already sent you or saying no update on the other things. Plus whatever was going to take 5 days now takes 6 days, or 5 weeks now becomes 6 weeks etc, all while the solicitor is still paid the same.