Rentcharge Deed of Variation

hodaw

Hi all,

We are in the process of buying a house on a relatively new estate, finished in 2014. We are 2 months into the conveyancing process and our solicitor has advised that our lender requires a deed of variation to be agreed with the estate management company and the lender. Having done some research, it seems this can be a lengthy process as the management companies don't have great reputations and are often very slow at responding. We are already 3 weeks into sorting the DoV and don't seem any further than where we started. I am just wondering if anyone else has been through the same process and advise how long this took to complete? 

eddddy

hodaw said:

I am just wondering if anyone else has been through the same process and advise how long this took to complete? 

It's a little bit like asking how long your neighbour will take to repair their fence.

If you have a really competent, efficient neighbour who isn't too busy at the moment - they might do it in a few days.

If you have an incompetent, inefficient, indifferent neighbour - they might take a month, or 6 months, or never get round to it.



One option is to ask the seller to phone their management company, and ask for a timescale - and generally 'chase the management company along'. And maybe phone a few more times to keep chasing them, until it's done.

You could try phoning the management company yourself to ask for a timescale and to chase them - but most management companies wouldn't speak to prospective buyers.

hodaw

eddddy said:

hodaw said:

I am just wondering if anyone else has been through the same process and advise how long this took to complete? 

It's a little bit like asking how long your neighbour will take to repair their fence.

If you have a really competent, efficient neighbour who isn't too busy at the moment - they might do it in a few days.

If you have an incompetent, inefficient, indifferent neighbour - they might take a month, or 6 months, or never get round to it.



One option is to ask the seller to phone their management company, and ask for a timescale - and generally 'chase the management company along'. And maybe phone a few more times to keep chasing them, until it's done.

You could try phoning the management company yourself to ask for a timescale and to chase them - but most management companies wouldn't speak to prospective buyers.

Thank you! It’s a tricky one, as a first time buyer I am not sure what constitutes as too much chasing. I have been touching base with my solicitor once a week as they don’t seem to understand the “keep me updated” email haha!

The solicitor and EA hasn’t advised who the management company is but perhaps I can find out and call! 

eddddy

hodaw said:

Thank you! It’s a tricky one, as a first time buyer I am not sure what constitutes as too much chasing. I have been touching base with my solicitor once a week as they don’t seem to understand the “keep me updated” email haha!

The solicitor and EA hasn’t advised who the management company is but perhaps I can find out and call! 

Solicitors don't really do 'chasing' - and in this case it would almost certainly be the seller's solicitor who is dealing with the management company, and not your solicitor.

It might still be sensible to check with the seller what's happened so far - for example...

• Has the seller requested a deed of variation from the management company yet?
• Has the management company replied and/or agreed?
• Has the seller's solicitor drafted a deed of variation and sent it to the management company? Or is the management company's solicitor drafting it?