Buying a house: online conveyancer has sent me contract to sign. Worried I don't know enough to sign it.

[Howow]

Hi,
Buying my first home and the online conveyancer has sent me a 20 page "contract" to sign via e-mail with regards to buying the house (after doing searches, enquiries etc.). I feel a bit overwhelmed and worried about if it's all OK to sign? It's my first experience so I won't know if there's anything obvious missing, any unusual terms and conditions, clauses, etc.

How have you done this if you've got an online conveyancer?

It will be a standard contract. You would have no hope of understanding it, unless you are a solicitor yourself. I have bought a few houses, I have always just signed the contract. Remember, the conveyencer is acting on your behalf.

Very gently, if you are this worried perhaps a regular solicitor might have been an idea?

Do you have a mortgage broker? We help clients fill in and understand the paperwork as it phases a lot of people.

What sort of place are you buying? Flat, new build etc?

Have you read through the searches, vendor's responses to queries, surveyor's report, mortgage terms, deeds ?

Thanks for the responses so far. It is an old freehold house.

You cannot contract out of statute law - if they’ve missed something, they’ve missed it. I always sign these things ‘subject to uk legislation’.

If it's an old freehold, there shouldn't be anything unusual in contract that you sign BUT your conveyancer should have pointed out anything that is.

For example, some firms charge an extra fee of around £150 if you're late completing.

The report letter itself will highlight things you need to be aware of.

Unfortunately, there's a lot we have to tell clients about in general, so that letter will be the best summary they can do.

Remember that you're not tied into buying when you sign. Your conveyancer will ring you to get your permission to exchange contracts for whatever completion date you agree.