8 months, FTB, no chain, sellers solicitor not responding

pinkandblue1

Hi,

I am currently 8 months into buying a leasehold flat as a FTB. 

We have just yesterday sent our signed contracts back as guided by our solicitor in readiness for when the last remaining enquiry is fulfilled. 

This enquiry is on the deed of variation + an annexed rider to the document, as the management company haven’t signed the DoV so our sol is asking if they aren’t signing the DoV, will the rider will be signed and agreed. 

Essentially, I chase my solicitor and everytime she tells me “sellers solicitors are not responding”. And they also aren’t responding to the estate agents. It has been like this the whole 8 months and they also have lied several times about ordering documents. I tried to call the company myself and they said we can’t obviously speak to you but if your solicitor calls this number we can help, but she doesn’t as they are probably not paid for that. 

We go away on holiday at the start of June for 2 weeks and then our solicitor is off when we get back for a week. That’s June gone. We NEED to exchange in the next 2 weeks. 

Please can someone help me with what to do to get the sellers solicitor to respond, the seller clearly isn’t fussed at the time it’s taking (we don’t have their details) but we are. I just want to scream at someone to just do their job 

ReadingTim

The timetable for leasehold flats has more of a potential for delays due to the management company - another 3rd party over which you have no control, but even so, 8 months is a long time for a chain free transaction.  

Sadly, the only real leverage you have is the threat of pulling out, so maybe it's time to suggest to the EA that if the seller and his solicitors don't get a move on, you won't be continuing with the purchase.  However, as with any ultimatum, it'll only work if you're willing to go through with your threat - which means you may have to start looking again, delaying your further, and with no chance of recouping any of the money you've spent in connection with this property.  

Fingers crossed that this will provide the seller with the motivation they're currently lacking, but if you're not willing to carry out your threat, then you have little choice but to sit back and chill out, as you're not going to meet your deadline of a fortnight.  

penners324

And I thought 5 months was far too long.

Threaten to pull out. That might cause some movement 

Mutton_Geoff

As Tim suggests, a threat to withdraw often works wonders. In my opinion, the best way to achieve this is to ask the selling agent to arrange a viewing on another similar property they have listed. It's much more effective than a hollow threat as it shows you are actively seeking alternatives.

pinkandblue1

Thank you all. We did tell them we were looking at pulling out in march as our deed of variation hadn’t even been started (raised in Feb) and it’s costing us £1500+VAT to be dealt with, but they sold us a dream that the seller had paid for it and it’s with her solicitors. Roll on mid may and it’s still not ready so I don’t know if they’ll believe us again  we’re also so far in now we’re just exhausted, no one seems to care about our sale

Myci85

I would explicitly ask you solicitor to call their solicitor to chase. The general way it goes is they send an email, and wait endlessly for a response. At this point they need to pick up the phone and actually have a conversation, and you'll be paying a lot in legal fees so I think you're perfectly entitled to ask them to make a phone call.