Anyone around to talk me off the property-buying ledge?

[EssentialHummus]

Just venting really.

We're buying our almost-perfect home. Agreed amounts in November. Have been ready to proceed since December. No chain. Not sure if it's relevant, but vendor has a very apparent impairment (being vague) which may skew his functioning.

We have a pile of letters from our solicitors to his solicitors, at weekly intervals, chasing for stuff that's still outstanding - of which there is a lot. It's all gone unanswered.

Today, the vendor has woken up to the fact that if he doesn't complete by X date (which is very near) some catastrophic thing will happen with his kid's school - admissions possibly? No idea. He has today chased his solicitor, who has sent a non-reply to my solicitor, and then called the agent and threatened to pull out unless we complete before X date.

Agent has in turn emailed me to say that she has no idea if he's bluffing or not, but could our solicitor take a view/get an indemnity on some of the zillions of outstanding things?



I have worked with my solicitor on four prior transactions. She is thorough and efficient, and the hold-up is not with us. But we have to move mountains because either the seller or his lawyer has spent the past few months with their fingers up their noses.

I'd be sad to lose this property, but it's a "once in a quarter" rather than "once in a lifetime" place. I'm just livid. This was all perfectly avoidable.

[Allthebestnamesareused]

Now he has the bit between his teeth it will be his solicitor having to get his arse in gear to respond to your queries. Hopefully all the answers will come flooding in and you'll get there (in time).

It always gets a bit angsty but once the lawyers realise who needs to do what it usually gets going again after a lull.

Hang on in there (but have a peep at Rightmove too)>

[Kiroro]

Pass message back that you would love to exchange by x-7 date with completion 7 days after exchange, but that the hold up is with the vendor. an the EA ask him to provide all the relevant documents to his solicitor by COB tomorrow so that your solicitor can review on Monday.

[EssentialHummus]

Right, calming down, thanks both. I'm so not calm/patient, but hoping my quick lawyer and the agent (who is the Kirstie Allsop of south London) can make the right noises to whoever needs it.