English buyers in Scotland

jaxjax123

canaldumidi said:

jaxjax123 said:

canaldumidi said:

jaxjax123 said:

....Their response was that Scottish sellers don’t accept offers from English buyers. 

The Scottish buying process is very different and I believe you need a solicitor to make the offer on your behalf (happy to be corrected). So perhaps they mean they only accept offers from a (Scottish) conveyancing solicitor on behalf of an English buyer.

If they genuinely won't sell to anyone English, that would be illegal.

She said that they had been stung too many times due to the English process taking too long creating chain failures. 

Then that sounds like illegal discrimination.

I’ve got to say it did feel like that at the time but it seems it practical now. 

It means we may need to rent short term before we complete in Scotland. 

jaxjax123

theoretica said:

canaldumidi said:

jaxjax123 said:

canaldumidi said:

jaxjax123 said:

....Their response was that Scottish sellers don’t accept offers from English buyers. 

The Scottish buying process is very different and I believe you need a solicitor to make the offer on your behalf (happy to be corrected). So perhaps they mean they only accept offers from a (Scottish) conveyancing solicitor on behalf of an English buyer.

If they genuinely won't sell to anyone English, that would be illegal.

She said that they had been stung too many times due to the English process taking too long creating chain failures. 

Then that sounds like illegal discrimination.

I don't think so, it sounds like accepting proceedable buyers only. 

I felt it was as discrimination but now I’ve been on here I realise it’s just a practicality. What they see as proceedable and what they do is different. 

I’m really pleased I posted up here. 

user1977

It can be done, but it's just much more tricky given the imbalance in normal timescales. If you have a patient seller and little competition it might be fine, but if you're competing against other buyers who have "sold" in Scotland then I can see why you might get this sort of reaction.

Caz3121

there is a guide here that helps explain the process in Scotland https://espc.com/useful-info/buying-a-property#1

zagubov

Caz3121 said:

there is a guide here that helps explain the process in Scotland https://espc.com/useful-info/buying-a-property#1

There are about half a dozen Solicitors Property Centres which collectively cover the whole country.

The Highlands, Aberdeen, Perth, Fife and Dundee have their own; I think Glasgow and the Borders share the Edinburgh one.

rexmedorum

jaxjax123 said:

theoretica said:

Hmm - could have been simple anti-Sassenach, but assuming it was not they could have meant that Scottish purchases don't fit into a chain with English sales at all well. I have seen advice that English home sellers should have exchanged contracts before offering on Scottish properties.

To put in a formal offer in Scotland you would need a solicitor to do it for you, and they could advise if you ar ein a position to do so.

We have decided we’ll wait until we have exchanged contracts then look at the houses available again. Things are selling so quickly. 

are you moving into rented / with frieds / family?

Pixie5740

Even if the estate agent was out of order it’s not down to them as offers are not made through the estate agent. You need to make a written offer through your solicitor (who practices Scots Law) who then sends the offer to the seller’s solicitor, not the estate agent. 

If you are dependent on the sale of your property in England to buy one in Scotland it’s too soon to start making offers as you’ll find the whole process is a lot quicker. 

You mention finding a short term rental but again that’s something different in Scotland. If you rent privately you will have a Private Rental Tenancy. PRT do not have fixed terms. When you want to leave you simply serve 28 days notice and if the landlord wishes the tenancy to end (s)he needs a ground to evict you, none of that no-fault-notice like the old Section 33 that could be used to end a Short Assured Tenancy. 

ccbrowning

We’re in a similar position and found a Scottish solicitor for our potential purchase. You can put an offer forward at any time, it doesn’t have to be after exchanging of contracts. But, people do dislike how much can go wrong down here so I’d not blame wanting you to be pretty much a done deal. 

Greymug

canaldumidi said:

jaxjax123 said:

canaldumidi said:

jaxjax123 said:

....Their response was that Scottish sellers don’t accept offers from English buyers. 

The Scottish buying process is very different and I believe you need a solicitor to make the offer on your behalf (happy to be corrected). So perhaps they mean they only accept offers from a (Scottish) conveyancing solicitor on behalf of an English buyer.

If they genuinely won't sell to anyone English, that would be illegal.

She said that they had been stung too many times due to the English process taking too long creating chain failures. 

Then that sounds like illegal discrimination.

No it's not. If anything it is an act of kindness from the Scottish sellers.

They don't want to waste English buyers' time and have them make an offer that will not be accepted anyways.

theartfullodger

Get a Scottish solicitor, read and learn about the different legalities of Scotland and England, then get offer put in by your Scottish solicitor.

I have found the Scots property buying/selling system easier and more sensible, on balance, than England. And the people nicer.

Artful, sadly English, sold two Scots properties in last 3 years, currently selling late brother's house in England.

Both systems could be improved.