am I being unreasonable?

newcook

My ex and I sold our house in March and had requested to our solicitor that if possible we we would like to complete at the beginning of May - due to paperwork (apparently) this did not happen so I had to pull out of the contract with the letting agents of the flat I was going to rent.

We have now requested that we complete at the end of this month - I couldnt see why it would be a problem as the solicitor has our signed contract but I have just had an email from solicitors stating that the buyers solicitors want some of the plans in colour(!)

I have since found a fab flat (better than the original one!) and I do not want to be in the position where I may have to pull out (I am meant to get my keys next Friday)

Am I being unreasonable to be wanting this completed for the end of the month?!

Tozer

You haven't actually said what caused the delay previously? That could be fundamental.

Is there a chain? If so, then everyone in the chain has to be ready to complete. If not, it all comes crashing down.

We completed our purchase last week. Our conveyancer said that it was just about the smoothest that she had had as there was no mortgages involved, fairly new house, etc. Her view was that MOST transactions are now a nightmare if a chain.

PasturesNew

The solicitor's job on both sides is to make sure that everything is in order, including all issues raised by the survey and the lender. Until every question has been answered to the satisfaction of the lender - and the solicitor has double-checked that all's in order - the solicitor can't proceed.

There's a lot more that goes on than you think.

You aren't unreasonable wanting this to be completed, but, suppose the lender is really having to think hard about lending the money to the buyer! Or there are legal issues and problems (perhaps that weren't highlighted to you when you bought it) that the lender or the solicitor have picked up on.

It takes as long as it takes.

newcook

thanks for replies

there is no chain - me and ex split up and have sold house to first time buyers. the original delay was the buyers solicitor asking questions which had already been answered so we had to answer them again...

the house itself is only 2 years old!

it just seemed to me that the buyers solicitors were dragging their feet by wanting the plans in colour when they could have asked this 4 weeks ago

PasturesNew

newcook wrote: »

it just seemed to me that the buyers solicitors were dragging their feet by wanting the plans in colour when they could have asked this 4 weeks ago

Maybe the lenders only just asked them for it
Maybe there was something in the survey/valuation that made them think "Oh, let's have a look at that then"

SunnySusie

In my experience it is next to impossible to time everything exactly. Ive always ended up taking a small hit, eg paying rent in two places for a short overlap. It sucks and can be expensive but you weigh that up against moving on with your life...

GL

Richard_Webster

Although it is very frustrating in the present market you aren't really in a position to say to the buyers that if they don't get a move on you will pull out and sell to someone else because that someone else will probably offer you less!

newcook

Richard_Webster wrote: »

Although it is very frustrating in the present market you aren't really in a position to say to the buyers that if they don't get a move on you will pull out and sell to someone else because that someone else will probably offer you less!

sorry - I meant pull out of the new flat not the sale of my house - that would be a headache and a half not to mention having to put up with ex for even longer!!!!

Tozer

Simple solution is to simply ask your conveyancer "whats the delay and how long till we get round it?". Does your buyer have a chain? If not, it may be funding for the buyers which is causing the delay.

Some things you can take a hit on - e.g. problematic restrictive covenants can often be dealt with by a restrictive covenant indemnity policy for less than £200.

minigirl

Without knowing what plans your solicitor is referring to I can't really comment but at the beginning of a transaction any plans referred to in the title should be provided and always in colour. It could be that it is a plan that has only just been brought to the buyer's solicitors attention and sometimes getting colour copies of old plans can be a pain. It shouldn't have anything to do with the buyer's lender requesting copies of the plans, just the buyer's solicitor.

I would ask your solicitor to find out from the buyer's solicitors a reasonable timescale for exchange and completion and request that (if possible) there is an early exchange of Contracts, that way once exchange has taken place you can arrange your alternative accommodation with a set date in mind.

zappahey

PasturesNew wrote: »

The solicitor's job on both sides is to make sure that everything is in order, including all issues raised by the survey and the lender. Until every question has been answered to the satisfaction of the lender - and the solicitor has double-checked that all's in order - the solicitor can't proceed.

Sometimes the questions can appear to be a bit pointless, our buyers' solicitor has just asked us to confirm if the double glazing was installed before 2002. Which, given that the house was built in 2004, seems a bit of an odd question.