Houses

[Leicester_Loyal]

1 hour ago, Leicester_Loyal said:

2 weeks since my completion date was put forward and I've heard absolutely nothing back.

 

Solicitors haven't responded to my emails for over a week and everytime I ring I just get they're not at their desks. I get they're busy but come on ffs, I need an update if I've meant to be moving in 15 days time

Completion date of 21st according to my Estate Agent, but my solicitors are unaware of this and nothing has been said to me

 

Hopefully it'll all sort itself out tomorrow, as that date is fine for me.

[FoyleFox]

6 hours ago, DB11 said:

Probably not. Although when I was selling one of the viewers was a bit of a snob Middle Aged woman who, amongst other comments, said “you’ve really let the garden go a bit haven’t you” and so I rejected her offer of £2.5k over asking price and sold to someone much nicer for asking price  I just assumed she’d be too much hassle and stress to deal with during the process and I didn’t like her

This is why I hated going to viewings where the vendors were conducting it. You want to be able to speak freely without fear of upsetting them. We really struggled discussing  during the viewing with the house we've bought as they'd let everything go! 

[Sly]

The house we’re buying has been put back until February.

 

Obviously our buyer won’t accept that, as we were both pushing for a an end of July move:
 

So we’re still selling and putting everything into storage / having a mass fire sale on eBay. We’re then moving into an AirBnB for 6 months as the builder has offered to contribute towards it. 

I just hope everything still goes through now, as we’ve spent weeks sorting this all out!  

[Leicester_Loyal]

On 08/07/2021 at 15:31, Leicester_Loyal said:

Completion date of 21st according to my Estate Agent, but my solicitors are unaware of this and nothing has been said to me

 

Hopefully it'll all sort itself out tomorrow, as that date is fine for me.

Absolute shambles this.

 

Solicitors have no information regarding the 21st date, said they have no idea where that has come from. I've spend 5 days on the phone asking them to ring the other solicitors and sort it out only to be told it'll be sorted tomorrow or that the person dealing with it isn't in, how can they expect me to move house in 8 days time when I have no idea if it's going to happen or not FFS.

 

They said they've contacted the other solicitors but aren't hearing anything back, what kind of communication is occurring if it's taking days to get a response? I'm bloody livid.

 

I feel sorry for the people higher up the chain, they're meant to be moving to Scotland in 8 days time and it's probably not going to happen because of the lack of communication from the solicitors.

 

EDIT: They've just rang back and said it looks like the 21st is going ahead, but they need to get the ball rolling ASAP.

Edited 13 July 2021 by Leicester_Loyal

[danny.]

1 hour ago, Leicester_Loyal said:

Absolute shambles this.

 

Solicitors have no information regarding the 21st date, said they have no idea where that has come from. I've spend 5 days on the phone asking them to ring the other solicitors and sort it out only to be told it'll be sorted tomorrow or that the person dealing with it isn't in, how can they expect me to move house in 8 days time when I have no idea if it's going to happen or not FFS.

 

They said they've contacted the other solicitors but aren't hearing anything back, what kind of communication is occurring if it's taking days to get a response? I'm bloody livid.

 

I feel sorry for the people higher up the chain, they're meant to be moving to Scotland in 8 days time and it's probably not going to happen because of the lack of communication from the solicitors.

 

EDIT: They've just rang back and said it looks like the 21st is going ahead, but they need to get the ball rolling ASAP.

Solicitors are, generally, shit. My cousin is a solicitor and did all mine for me and did a great job, he did the non-council searches almost instantly - it’s just an online platform so when people say it takes 3-4 weeks it’s just nonsense to justify the fee. He’s done an entire move in less than a week before, it can

be done, but then it’s hard to justify £2k because there really isn’t that much work most of the time. 

[KrefelderFox666]

15 minutes ago, danny. said:

Solicitors are, generally, shit. My cousin is a solicitor and did all mine for me and did a great job, he did the non-council searches almost instantly - it’s just an online platform so when people say it takes 3-4 weeks it’s just nonsense to justify the fee. He’s done an entire move in less than a week before, it can

be done, but then it’s hard to justify £2k because there really isn’t that much work most of the time. 

Good solicitors are as rare as unicorns.

[Mickyblueeyes]

1 hour ago, Leicester_Loyal said:

Absolute shambles this.

 

Solicitors have no information regarding the 21st date, said they have no idea where that has come from. I've spend 5 days on the phone asking them to ring the other solicitors and sort it out only to be told it'll be sorted tomorrow or that the person dealing with it isn't in, how can they expect me to move house in 8 days time when I have no idea if it's going to happen or not FFS.

 

They said they've contacted the other solicitors but aren't hearing anything back, what kind of communication is occurring if it's taking days to get a response? I'm bloody livid.

 

I feel sorry for the people higher up the chain, they're meant to be moving to Scotland in 8 days time and it's probably not going to happen because of the lack of communication from the solicitors.

 

EDIT: They've just rang back and said it looks like the 21st is going ahead, but they need to get the ball rolling ASAP.

That's atrocious service mate, from both sides. A, you shouldnt be having to chase your own matter; and b, the advice you're receiving leaves you uncertain. The solicitors should be controlling it. 

 

Hope it sorts itself out. 

[Kopic]

Made an offer on a house today. Bloody hope we get it, it's perfect. But they already had some offers and we've maxed out our budget with ours so just fingers crossed really.

[Mickyblueeyes]

3 hours ago, danny. said:

Solicitors are, generally, shit. My cousin is a solicitor and did all mine for me and did a great job, he did the non-council searches almost instantly - it’s just an online platform so when people say it takes 3-4 weeks it’s just nonsense to justify the fee. He’s done an entire move in less than a week before, it can

be done, but then it’s hard to justify £2k because there really isn’t that much work most of the time. 

 

3 hours ago, KrefelderFox666 said:

Good solicitors are as rare as unicorns.

High street conveyancing is a horrible side to the profession. The most talented of lawyers do not work in high street conveyancing. High street firms are usually owned/ran by mediocre members of the profession who would struggle in the big firms. They usually think it’s a get rich scheme and claim the big boys won’t promote/hire them because of a conspiracy - they then get hit with the £350k per year indemnity insurance premium and realise they need to take on a ridiculous amount of work. Good but very poorly trained people are hired and thrown into the lions cage. 
 

Ive met enough high street “Partners” to know that’s true. 
 

If one area of the profession needs to embrace tech, it’s conveyancing. 
 

 

[grth2004]

1 hour ago, Mickyblueeyes said:

 

High street conveyancing is a horrible side to the profession. The most talented of lawyers do not work in high street conveyancing. High street firms are usually owned/ran by mediocre members of the profession who would struggle in the big firms. They usually think it’s a get rich scheme and claim the big boys won’t promote/hire them because of a conspiracy - they then get hit with the £350k per year indemnity insurance premium and realise they need to take on a ridiculous amount of work. Good but very poorly trained people are hired and thrown into the lions cage. 
 

Ive met enough high street “Partners” to know that’s true. 
 

If one area of the profession needs to embrace tech, it’s conveyancing. 
 

 

Nice info , I’m in the middle of a house sale and dealing with solicitors is horrendous. The only company that can get away with saying to everyone sorry were too busy then taking on another load of cases but as you explained if there paying £350k it no wonder , the whole profession needs looking at and regulating better as the service they give you just couldn’t get away with in any other industry. 

[Mickyblueeyes]

11 minutes ago, grth2004 said:

Nice info , I’m in the middle of a house sale and dealing with solicitors is horrendous. The only company that can get away with saying to everyone sorry were too busy then taking on another load of cases but as you explained if there paying £350k it no wonder , the whole profession needs looking at and regulating better as the service they give you just couldn’t get away with in any other industry. 

Get your buyer to call the agent and pretend to threaten to pull out. Ask the agent to call both solicitors and set a false deadline. Pick up the phone to your solicitor and tell them you want the last chain of correspondence to work out where the delay is. Say if you lose the property you’ll have no alternative but to report the delaying firm to the SRA. 
 

You don’t need to report anyone but they’ll move heaven and earth to get you over the line 😂

[KrefelderFox666]

12 hours ago, Mickyblueeyes said:

 

High street conveyancing is a horrible side to the profession. The most talented of lawyers do not work in high street conveyancing. High street firms are usually owned/ran by mediocre members of the profession who would struggle in the big firms. They usually think it’s a get rich scheme and claim the big boys won’t promote/hire them because of a conspiracy - they then get hit with the £350k per year indemnity insurance premium and realise they need to take on a ridiculous amount of work. Good but very poorly trained people are hired and thrown into the lions cage. 
 

Ive met enough high street “Partners” to know that’s true. 
 

If one area of the profession needs to embrace tech, it’s conveyancing. 
 

 

I work in financial services software and as much as a lot of our clients and ourselves want to make the customer journey smooth from start to finish, conveyancing is always the stumbling block because no matter how good the application process is with lenders, conveyancing will slow everything down. And they are so behind the times, it will take a lot of work to try and streamline it. Unfortunately, most of their work has to be done in person and relies on so many parties working together (local authorities etc.).

[Christoph]

I used Myhomemove conveyancer and the person I had was really good and the website gave you good little portal to see where things are at and what was required. It's always better to get a solicitor but i rolled the dice on this one and worked out fine lol. 

[Mickyblueeyes]

6 hours ago, KrefelderFox666 said:

I work in financial services software and as much as a lot of our clients and ourselves want to make the customer journey smooth from start to finish, conveyancing is always the stumbling block because no matter how good the application process is with lenders, conveyancing will slow everything down. And they are so behind the times, it will take a lot of work to try and streamline it. Unfortunately, most of their work has to be done in person and relies on so many parties working together (local authorities etc.).

Its actually not that hard a process to "tech up". A standard residential contract is mainly in standard precedent. Very rarely will a conveyancer amend a resi contract. The local authorities are always delayed because they have one, maybe two people dealing with the searches. Your drainage and environmental searches come back within days - far more complicated searches but the automated system of the agencies who deal with these are far more advanced. You could effectively have the buyer and seller sign up to an app, enter their details, provide their ID and contracts generated. Searches issued and standard enquiries raised. It eradicates the need for human effort to deal with the paperwork. 

 

I'd also have the searches issued at point where the lender undertakes its survey - most of the time its the lender requirement for searches/the COT that slows things down. You'll see some cash buyers mention they completed in days because they're the only party taking the risk. The game changes when the lender is involved. 

 

There is a business in there for somewhere. However, the biggest issue is that you need to get every firm in the country signed up to work in that way. That is the hard part. 

 

When I was working at a big firm, a colleague in our Real Estate team was representing someone from China. There was a change in stamp duty rules (the surcharge coming in effect). He got instructions to act at 8am in the morning and exchanged at 3am the next morning. Cash buyer, with an amended contract (i.e. caveats to pull out in case the searches were an issue). 

 

There are savy ways to streamline the process but you need lawyers who have been about for a while to know what to do and secure your position. Like I said previously, the "Partners" on the high street most if not all of the time have never experienced "big law" and see it as a process. Most of the time it is but sometimes you need to apply law. Reservation agreements, conditional contracts, longstop dates etc. This is what you should be paying for not for a report that tells you there was a planning permission in 93 that doesnt apply anymore. 

[KrefelderFox666]

5 minutes ago, Mickyblueeyes said:

Its actually not that hard a process to "tech up". A standard residential contract is mainly in standard precedent. Very rarely will a conveyancer amend a resi contract. The local authorities are always delayed because they have one, maybe two people dealing with the searches. Your drainage and environmental searches come back within days - far more complicated searches but the automated system of the agencies who deal with these are far more advanced. You could effectively have the buyer and seller sign up to an app, enter their details, provide their ID and contracts generated. Searches issued and standard enquiries raised. It eradicates the need for human effort to deal with the paperwork. 

 

I'd also have the searches issued at point where the lender undertakes its survey - most of the time its the lender requirement for searches/the COT that slows things down. You'll see some cash buyers mention they completed in days because they're the only party taking the risk. The game changes when the lender is involved. 

 

There is a business in there for somewhere. However, the biggest issue is that you need to get every firm in the country signed up to work in that way. That is the hard part. 

 

When I was working at a big firm, a colleague in our Real Estate team was representing someone from China. There was a change in stamp duty rules (the surcharge coming in effect). He got instructions to act at 8am in the morning and exchanged at 3am the next morning. Cash buyer, with an amended contract (i.e. caveats to pull out in case the searches were an issue). 

 

There are savy ways to streamline the process but you need lawyers who have been about for a while to know what to do and secure your position. Like I said previously, the "Partners" on the high street most if not all of the time have never experienced "big law" and see it as a process. Most of the time it is but sometimes you need to apply law. Reservation agreements, conditional contracts, longstop dates etc. This is what you should be paying for not for a report that tells you there was a planning permission in 93 that doesnt apply anymore. 

Pretty sure a lot of it is also conveyancers protecting their jobs. If technology came in and sped the process up, there would be less "work" for conveyancers to do and therefore less of a requirement for positions. There are certainly some easy wins with technology. When we moved about a year ago, we used solicitors who used an online portal where tasks were created and we would do them in our own time when they came up. Much smoother process but of course you have less of a personal connection with the solicitor. The biggest issue is usually when multiple firms are involved, they just don't seem to communicate well with each other.

[Guest bennytwohats]

I'm so over our house buying experience. This weekend will mark a year since we started seriously looking. Had an offer accepted on somewhere (after 7 offers rejected, most of which were over asking) mid April and they had their offer on onwards property accepted shortly after, was supposed to be a chain of 3 with the top of the chain going into rented. Two months later they decide the don't want to rent anymore and have been looking (unsuccessfully since). I'm getting completely fed up of it but the only real thing that's in our power to do is pull out and offer on something else, which is difficult because there is very little coming on to the market where we are looking, and what has is relatively more expensive than the place we've offered on (even without factoring the money we'd lose on surveys, searches etc). Really is a miserable process.

[Mickyblueeyes]

4 hours ago, KrefelderFox666 said:

Pretty sure a lot of it is also conveyancers protecting their jobs. If technology came in and sped the process up, there would be less "work" for conveyancers to do and therefore less of a requirement for positions. There are certainly some easy wins with technology. When we moved about a year ago, we used solicitors who used an online portal where tasks were created and we would do them in our own time when they came up. Much smoother process but of course you have less of a personal connection with the solicitor. The biggest issue is usually when multiple firms are involved, they just don't seem to communicate well with each other.

And that’s it, in a nutshell. Conveyancer 1 emails Conveyancer 2 for an update. Conveyancer 2  emails Conveyancer 1 a week later to say they need to check with Conveyancer 3. Conveyancer 3 responds to Conveyancer 2 a week later saying they’ll need to check with Conveyancer 4 and so on. In the meantime, the clients (all four of them) are pulling their hair out. 
 

It’s ridiculous.

[Wolfox]

4 hours ago, bennytwohats said:

I'm so over our house buying experience. This weekend will mark a year since we started seriously looking. Had an offer accepted on somewhere (after 7 offers rejected, most of which were over asking) mid April and they had their offer on onwards property accepted shortly after, was supposed to be a chain of 3 with the top of the chain going into rented. Two months later they decide the don't want to rent anymore and have been looking (unsuccessfully since). I'm getting completely fed up of it but the only real thing that's in our power to do is pull out and offer on something else, which is difficult because there is very little coming on to the market where we are looking, and what has is relatively more expensive than the place we've offered on (even without factoring the money we'd lose on surveys, searches etc). Really is a miserable process.

Takes the top of the chain to break it…. Need estate agents to apply a bit of pressure?

 

I can understand why they would want to avoid renting but equally it may lead to the chain collapsing…. They have a decision to make and that needs to be impressed upon them 

Edited 14 July 2021 by Wolfox

[Guest bennytwohats]

16 minutes ago, Wolfox said:

Takes the top of the chain to break it…. Need estate agents to apply a bit of pressure?

 

I can understand why they would want to avoid renting but equally it may lead to the chain collapsing…. They have a decision to make and that needs to be impressed upon them 

Top of the chain aren’t budging. Our sellers even went back to them with a higher offer last week if it could mean them going into rented but they said no.

 

We’ve played our hand with our sellers this evening to see if we can get them to move into rented. Let’s see what happens.

[Wolfox]

10 hours ago, bennytwohats said:

Top of the chain aren’t budging. Our sellers even went back to them with a higher offer last week if it could mean them going into rented but they said no.

 

We’ve played our hand with our sellers this evening to see if we can get them to move into rented. Let’s see what happens.

Best of luck…. Hope things shift for you…

[Footballwipe]

Market really is mental.

 

The house in New Lubbesthorpe we were very close to buying before the owners decided not to go into rental and stay put, causing all manner of issues and heartache (and moans from me in this thread) has gone back on the market.

 

It was £325k literally this time last year, now it's on for £375k. Baffling.

[Nalis]

Long story cut short - Buyers want a pre completion inspection, we cant as we're living in the other side of the country and they've viewed the place /surveyed etc about a month ago anyway.  Is it likely they'll accept our response? Fvck all we can do but dont want things to fall apart at this stage.

 

 

[FoyleFox]

22 hours ago, Footballwipe said:

Market really is mental.

 

The house in New Lubbesthorpe we were very close to buying before the owners decided not to go into rental and stay put, causing all manner of issues and heartache (and moans from me in this thread) has gone back on the market.

 

It was £325k literally this time last year, now it's on for £375k. Baffling.

 

I think Zoopla sent me the details of this today - Beauly Place? That's an astonishing amount of money for very little house and a tiny garden, compared to others in the same price range. At £300k - £325k it's a nice starter family house, at £375k it's shocking value for money.  Although there's a good number coming onto the market now similar.

Edited 16 July 2021 by FoyleFox

[Footballwipe]

25 minutes ago, FoyleFox said:

 

I think Zoopla sent me the details of this today - Beauly Place? That's an astonishing amount of money for very little house and a tiny garden, compared to others in the same price range. At £300k - £325k it's a nice starter family house, at £375k it's shocking value for money.  Although there's a good number coming onto the market now similar.

That's the one  

 

It's still on my Saved Properties on PB so I got a ping that it had been relisted. Could not believe it for £375k. Seriously, it's a lovely house. Good size kitchen, living room, master bed. But the garden is VERY overlooked, Beauly Place itself is just houses facing houses.

 

I know I'm doing down a house I came within weeks of buying  but it was good value at £325k (especially as it had 18 months of builder warranty and was the right location). For £375k I'd be expecting FAR more house than that in this part of Leicestershire.

 

I genuinely don't know if that's "the market" of if the owners are trying to cash in by forcing the PB agent to list so high. Either way, as it's still saved on my PB I can see two viewings were arranged yesterday alone...!

[Sly]

Well ….. what a few weeks we’ve had. 
 

We’re sold, looking to move out around the end of July. 
 

The house we’re buying got pushed back   into Feb 2022. He asked if we wanted to wait, or we could have our 2% deposit back. So we had a mad rush around to try and sort storage and moving into parents / Air BnB for the duration.

On Friday, the goalposts were moved again, so we’ve basically pulled the plug and asked for our deposit back. He’s now gone quiet and we’ve heard nothing since. Which is pretty much how he’s been throughout. 
 

Yesterday we spent all day looking at houses to find something else …..

 

Great fun!