Help to Buy not answering phone

NatashaC22

Hi all, 

We received the ATC we required after a couple days of active trying (our solicitors started the process a few weeks ago). Just thought I would list a few things that seemed to help - it's unclear which was most effective. We didn't have any luck on the phone line at all.

• We called the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, their number is online and we were provided with contact details of two members of staff working to remedy the situation. 
• We contacted the executive teams for Lenvi and Target, both responded and were helpful. You can find details with a quick Google - we used RocketReach.
• We stressed the time sensitivity and potential financial loss. 

Natasha

wurm_0710

I'm so sorry there are so many of us in the same boat. I am literally on the edge now, we were meant to be exchanging today but having spent HOURS upon hours on hold during the last 3 weeks to try and get the ATC we are getting nowhere.

Legally, can we go ahead and exchange, complete etc and just pay Target afterwards?? I'm at my wits end and don't know what else to do, we cannot lose our buyer again because of this delay :-(

Any help appreciated!

sophiemalin

I managed to get my ATC last night. Have you been on to Twitter? I bombarded them 

silvercar

wurm_0710 said:

I'm so sorry there are so many of us in the same boat. I am literally on the edge now, we were meant to be exchanging today but having spent HOURS upon hours on hold during the last 3 weeks to try and get the ATC we are getting nowhere.

Legally, can we go ahead and exchange, complete etc and just pay Target afterwards?? I'm at my wits end and don't know what else to do, we cannot lose our buyer again because of this delay :-(

Any help appreciated!

Legally you have to give 'clear title' on completion. This means that on exchange you undertake that on completion you will remove (ie pay off) all charges. The only way that can happen is if your solicitor undertakes that the charges will be paid off. He is only going to do that if he has confirmation from the HTB people of what the charge total amount is and is satisfied that you will have the funds to clear it and that Target will remove their charge.
You can't complete and take the HTB charge with you and pay Target later, as the charge needs to be removed from the property you are selling. I don't even know whether you could do so if you had £1m in the bank, so could show that you could clear a large balance as Target would still have to agree to remove their charge.

catdad

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2023/jul/06/homeowners-struggle-to-sell-as-help-to-buy-firm-doesnt-answer-phone

Story now in the Guardian.

hannah11111

wurm_0710 said:

I'm so sorry there are so many of us in the same boat. I am literally on the edge now, we were meant to be exchanging today but having spent HOURS upon hours on hold during the last 3 weeks to try and get the ATC we are getting nowhere.

Legally, can we go ahead and exchange, complete etc and just pay Target afterwards?? I'm at my wits end and don't know what else to do, we cannot lose our buyer again because of this delay :-(

Any help appreciated!

You don’t need the ATC to exchange but you do need the redemption statement and legal pack to be sent to your solicitor so they can send the legal undertaking. Do you have this? 

wurm_0710

hannah11111 said:

wurm_0710 said:

I'm so sorry there are so many of us in the same boat. I am literally on the edge now, we were meant to be exchanging today but having spent HOURS upon hours on hold during the last 3 weeks to try and get the ATC we are getting nowhere.

Legally, can we go ahead and exchange, complete etc and just pay Target afterwards?? I'm at my wits end and don't know what else to do, we cannot lose our buyer again because of this delay :-(

Any help appreciated!

You don’t need the ATC to exchange but you do need the redemption statement and legal pack to be sent to your solicitor so they can send the legal undertaking. Do you have this? 

Our solicitor had sent over the LOU, so we are just waiting for the ATC I believe! I got the redemption statement on Saturday after being on hold for days. 

hannah11111

wurm_0710 said:

hannah11111 said:

wurm_0710 said:

I'm so sorry there are so many of us in the same boat. I am literally on the edge now, we were meant to be exchanging today but having spent HOURS upon hours on hold during the last 3 weeks to try and get the ATC we are getting nowhere.

Legally, can we go ahead and exchange, complete etc and just pay Target afterwards?? I'm at my wits end and don't know what else to do, we cannot lose our buyer again because of this delay :-(

Any help appreciated!

You don’t need the ATC to exchange but you do need the redemption statement and legal pack to be sent to your solicitor so they can send the legal undertaking. Do you have this? 

Our solicitor had sent over the LOU, so we are just waiting for the ATC I believe! I got the redemption statement on Saturday after being on hold for days. 

Sounds like you can go ahead and exchange-our solicitor has advised 15 working days between exchange and completion to allow HTB to provide the ATC 

Grasshopper42

hannah11111 said:

wurm_0710 said:

hannah11111 said:

wurm_0710 said:

I'm so sorry there are so many of us in the same boat. I am literally on the edge now, we were meant to be exchanging today but having spent HOURS upon hours on hold during the last 3 weeks to try and get the ATC we are getting nowhere.

Legally, can we go ahead and exchange, complete etc and just pay Target afterwards?? I'm at my wits end and don't know what else to do, we cannot lose our buyer again because of this delay :-(

Any help appreciated!

You don’t need the ATC to exchange but you do need the redemption statement and legal pack to be sent to your solicitor so they can send the legal undertaking. Do you have this? 

Our solicitor had sent over the LOU, so we are just waiting for the ATC I believe! I got the redemption statement on Saturday after being on hold for days. 

Sounds like you can go ahead and exchange-our solicitor has advised 15 working days between exchange and completion to allow HTB to provide the ATC 

I complained on twitter and got the ATC same day, they sent the LOU

LittleJA04

Nice to hear they have updated the hold information to say the call will drop off after an hour for ‘reasons beyond their control’.