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Original poster

Head spinning

16 replies

Shallow07 · 30/08/2019 16:48

Name changed for this as pretty outing if you know me or my DH Sad

I'm 21 weeks pregnant with DD1, and we put an offer in on a house we loved in March. Long story short, the purchase has been a total nightmare. Freehold property with a leasehold parking space (not that the estate agent told us this in the first instance Hmm).

Our solicitors and the vendor's have been going back and forth and we've been getting more worried and cross as we've been kept in the dark about what's going on, the progress of the transaction. We've repeatedly asked why it's taken so long and had no answers. Our solicitors are terrible at responding to emails and are cagey over the phone. We've not exchanged, luckily.

Today we found out the management company who owns the parking space has been found. They are seemingly impossible to contact with no contact details online so have been sent a letter by registered post to the business address- a business park some 100 miles away. They appear to be foreign investors with many different companies, all run from the same place with no websites or other contact details. This all seems weird to us, and we are considering pulling out. After all, how would we sell the property with this situation, with this management company who don't seem to want to talk to anybody...

Our tenancy agreement ended, so we're living at my parent's house. Our furniture is being stored by family and our pets are being looked after by BIL, who won't be able to have them forever. It's been an awful pregnancy so far (HG) and am so stressed by what's happening.

What would you do- wait to see if these people respond to the letter or pull out now, and try to purchase another property? It's turned into a nightmare and I don't know what to do Sad

OP posts:
crazylady7 · 30/08/2019 17:06

I suppose it depends how much you really love the home and whether its worth the fuss and stress. If you can love another home and are not getting any answers then i'd look elsewhere. But maybe give it a little while longer if you really love the place and there isnt any other major issues?
Id say if you dont get answers within next few weeks, to leave it. Its not worth the stress.

Soola · 30/08/2019 17:47

I absolutely would not be involved in a leasehold parking space regardless of ability to contact them.

If you do buy the hose and find a neighbour keeps parking in your space then it’s the leaseholder who has to take action not you, I believe.

Please correct me if I’m wrong.

I would not want that hassle if so.

BeBraveAndBeKind · 30/08/2019 18:06

I'd give them a short deadline (end of next week) to respond and tell them you will pull out if you don't hear anything. Start looking around in case you need a fallback.

I've had the same situation of having to live with relatives while pregnant having sold a house with next one dragging it's heels and it was so stressful. You have my sympathy. Flowers

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Original poster
Shallow07 · 30/08/2019 19:43

We've told them that unless they come up with an explanation as to who these people are and what the agreement with them is pretty quickly we'll be pulling out. But I think it's soured now, whatever they come back and say. There's no chain and this has been going on for nearly 6 months, so this has gone on too long already and all my 'something is dodgy here' alarm bells are ringing.

Having a bit of a self-pity evening with a Domino's before we have to go to a wedding tomorrow and plaster on smiles (last thing I feel like doing, with this happening and still feeling nauseous most of the day 🤢). I can't see anything on the market we would want to buy that doesn't stretch our budget to its limits Sad we could go back to renting but it feels like a step back. Last thing I want to be doing but very little choice.

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Original poster
Shallow07 · 30/08/2019 19:47

We've been saving for our first house for 11 years, since university Sad moved abroad for several years to try and save more as we live in the SE and DH's job is very much tied to London. Am trying to bear in mind many have it far worse than us and at least we have somewhere to stay but still feel totally shit tonight

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BeBraveAndBeKind · 30/08/2019 20:09

You're entitled to feel really pissed off with it all. Moving is horribly stressful without complications.

You never know what's going to happen though. We moved last year, didn't even have an appointment to see this house as the estate agent just added it in since we were already seeing another in the street. It had gone back on the market the day before after a sale had fallen through. We offered on it pretty much as soon as we saw. Classic case of right time, right place and you're in a good position of not having a chain.

Original poster
Shallow07 · 03/09/2019 15:36

So we've pretty much come to the conclusion that we have no choice but to pull out- our solicitors are being really unhelpful and we are no closer to having any answers. In fact, DH has done some further research and it seems that the land the parking spaces are on are part of a planning application by yet another company to build 5 more houses... something very weird is going on here.

I've been looking at houses to buy and to rent in the area- don't know what to do. Renting seems a step back, and we'd be looking to move again in a year. We've already moved 3 times in the past year (back from the US where we worked for a few years, into a rented house and back into my parent's house where we are now). The advantage is we'd definitely have a place on our own when our DD arrives in less than 4 months time.

Or, we buy something else- and run the risk of still being in my parent's spare room when she arrives. Nowhere near ideal, but at least we do have a roof over our heads here. The thought of moving either heavily pregnant or with a newborn is one I don't relish.

What would you do in our shoes? I'm so overwhelmed I'm not thinking clearly. Not helped by hyperemesis Envy.

OP posts:
marvellousnightforamooncup · 03/09/2019 15:50

I'd get house hunting fast. A similar thing happened to is in that we were homeless after our vendor pulled out. We lived with my mum with our stuff in friends' garages for 3 months with a toddler ds. Stressful.

We bought a house in the end and things kind of worked out.

Grimbles · 03/09/2019 15:55

I would look at renting a 1 bed place for 6 months and giving the market a chance to renew.

I think it's important to have your own space with a new baby.

Original poster
Shallow07 · 03/09/2019 18:27

Oh God marvellousnight that must have been so stressful. We're looking, but there's not much around. I do think DH is being too picky about areas, which I need to talk to him about but then again he'll be the one commuting and not me.

Grimbles I would do that- but we have 2 cats, which complicates things a bit. They might be able to stay with BIL a few more months but he won't want to have them long term, which is totally understandable.

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BeBraveAndBeKind · 03/09/2019 20:20

I'd stay put until you find somewhere as long as you feel settled there. Renting until you do would mean yet another move and money out of your pocket.

We moved when my youngest was 4 weeks old, having spent the delivery period living at my mum's, and it was okay. Just make sure you have a good moving firm/people to help.

BeBraveAndBeKind · 03/09/2019 20:22

Oh, with what you found out about the other house, sounds absolutely the right decision to pull out! Shocking what's not mentioned during a house sale!

averythinline · 03/09/2019 20:25

I would pull out..... possibly wait and house hunt.. re DH pickiness with areas - is it length of commute or just based on places he knows/has heard of etc... there is a good site that tells you places within x commute...
If you put whre he need sto commute to and where you are looking maybe people can suggest areas....

averythinline · 03/09/2019 20:27

sorry meant to say I wouldnt rent unless had to will be a pain with the cats and money but - is your dh alright with staying at your parents?

Original poster
Shallow07 · 04/09/2019 00:28

DH needs to get to Canary Wharf and his ideal commute would be under 1 hour. We can stretch to £350k max. Not fussed about everything brand new but can't face a big project house, which unfortunately a lot in our budget seem to be.

We're somewhat restricted by me not being able to drive so have to be within a mile of a station (something I'll address at some point in the medium term, but have a real fear of driving and enough going on right now!)

It's good to hear others would also pull out- sometimes doubt my instincts so this is reassuring, thank you.

OP posts:
Original poster
Shallow07 · 04/09/2019 00:31

DH has a really good relationship with my parents but obviously wants us to have our own space asap, as do I. Parents are on holiday for a while so this does at least give us space/time on our own for now. DH often works away too, so doesn't have to see them 24/7.

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