(FTB) solicitor asking us to send TP1 form again, for completion?

timeandtime

Hi there,

I am in the midst of buying my first home, using HTB, with two weeks to go until completion. We had an email from our solicitors asking us to sign the ‘transfer.’ Which we really didn’t understand, as we are not solicitors! We rang and they said that we need to sign the TP1 form (land registry?) and return it to them. 

I thought this sounded familiar - so upon looking back at emails and receipts, I come to find that we have already sent this. They also asked for signed copy of the plans, which I also sent. I have a receipt for it, as it was sent via recorded delivery. 

I’m even more confused by the fact that our solicitors surely needed the TP1 form in order to exchange contracts? I have a strong suspicion that they have lost our documents. Has anybody else ever had to sign the TP1 form again for completion? I was under the impression there was nothing left to sign. 

babyblade41

Have you actually exchanged contracts with a completion date set in stone ?

user1977

timeandtime said:

I’m even more confused by the fact that our solicitors surely needed the TP1 form in order to exchange contracts?

Why would they? It's a completion item.

If it's lost, it's lost - just sign a duplicate, they will need to have it for completion.

canaldumidi

Assuming you've Exchanged with a Completion date set for 2 weeks, what you could do is decline to sign this TP1 (explaining you've already signed one).

The solicitors could then spend the next 2 weeks a) trying to find the original (which they may or may not have) and/or b) trying topursuade you to sign the duplicate.

If a) and b) are both unsuccessful, you will fail to Compete, be in breach of your contract, and be liable for potentially the (10%?) deposit you paid at Exchange and potentially other costs as well.

Or you could sign and return the new TP1 of course.......

Tiglet2

A Transfer document (TR1/TP1) is needed in order to complete.  It's what transfers the property from the vendor to the purchaser and is the document which is sent to Land Registry to register your purchase and update the title to your name.

It may be that the previous document you signed and returned has since had an amendment, hence they want you to sign another one.  

Did you actually sign the plan(s)?  Clients often send back the plans without a signature on them.

AFF8879

Are you buying a new build? I had received both a draft and final TP1 when buying my house, albeit I only had to sign and return the latter (on completion- it wasn’t required for exchange of contracts)

GDB2222

It is pointless sending the TP1 by recorded delivery. It actually increases the chance of it getting lost. Sign the duplicate and post it first class.

You didn’t forget to have your signature witnessed?

UnderOffer

Our solicitor mislaid our signed documents, we were asked to resign and witness, they emailed over the document. On opening it, we found it was the scanned copy of the version I’d posted complete with ours and neighbours signatures. I pointed this out, they apologised and reattached a blank version 🙄. We just resigned, got it witnessed again and sent over. I was just too desperate to get to the finish line and too exhausted to point out the errors 🤦🏻‍♀️

timeandtime

canaldumidi said:

Assuming you've Exchanged with a Completion date set for 2 weeks, what you could do is decline to sign this TP1 (explaining you've already signed one).

The solicitors could then spend the next 2 weeks a) trying to find the original (which they may or may not have) and/or b) trying topursuade you to sign the duplicate.

If a) and b) are both unsuccessful, you will fail to Compete, be in breach of your contract, and be liable for potentially the (10%?) deposit you paid at Exchange and potentially other costs as well.

Or you could sign and return the new TP1 of course.......

Of course I’ll get it signed and sent regardless - I’m not going to shoot myself in the foot by dragging my heels in the ground, and not sending it! I should have prefaced this by saying our solicitors have been absolutely useless up to this point. We nearly lost our house due to their lack of urgency. I’m just wondering if it is normal to have to send two versions of the same document. Also, they told us that we’ve been needing this since February - we sent it in February. Which makes me think they have misplaced it. I’m definitely going to send whatever is needed, I’d do it three times, if I had to. I’m just frustrated by their lack of care. 

GDB2222

timeandtime said:

canaldumidi said:

Assuming you've Exchanged with a Completion date set for 2 weeks, what you could do is decline to sign this TP1 (explaining you've already signed one).

The solicitors could then spend the next 2 weeks a) trying to find the original (which they may or may not have) and/or b) trying topursuade you to sign the duplicate.

If a) and b) are both unsuccessful, you will fail to Compete, be in breach of your contract, and be liable for potentially the (10%?) deposit you paid at Exchange and potentially other costs as well.

Or you could sign and return the new TP1 of course.......

...  I’m not going to shoot myself in the foot by dragging my heels  ...

Nice juxtaposition of metaphors. Thanks!