Background: We are buying our first place with the help of Bank of Mum and Dad (basically DH is getting his inheritance now while we can use it rather than in however many years time...I LOVE MY IN-LAWS!), so cash purchase, no mortgage. It's a probate sale and literally NOTHING done to it since the 70s - downstairs loo is green, upstairs bathroom is pink, still single glazed, kitchen is a single unit and sink with freestanding cooker. It has the World's Ugliest Carpets. It's a stone built, 4 bed, 3 reception room, 2 bathroom semi with a cellar, 3 garages and a workshop. The house was built in 1887 and we will be the FOURTH owners (1887 - 1955, 1955 - 1970, 1970 - present) and I don't care that I won't be able to live in it for about six months because of all the work that needs doing, because I knew from about three paces into the hall (green swirly carpet and everything) that this was going to be my Forever House.
Timeline:
17 November - Offer accepted
20 November - Solicitors and surveyor instructed
25 November - Survey carried out
27 November - Survey came back, wet rot, major damp, active woodworm infestation (amongst other things that we expected like the boiler isn't worth it and it needs a full rewire)
9 December - Specialist damp/timber survey carried out
17 December - Revised offer 1 made following specialist survey (to take account of extra works that needed doing)
24 December - Revised offer 2 accepted
2 February - Contract signed and deposit paid
I am starting to get Really Pi$$£d Off with this whole process.
We still haven't exchanged
Apparently we are now waiting for a certified copy of the probate documents from the vendors (who are selling their late mother's house). Surely the vendors' solicitors should have seen this WHEN THEY FIRST TOOK INSTRUCTIONS TO SELL THE BLOODY HOUSE.
It has been three months since our offer was accepted. I am getting to the point where I'm going to say if we don't exchange by the end of the month and complete two weeks' thereafter I'm pulling out - sod the £1500 I've spent on surveys (and solicitor's fees) - and buying a house just up the road that we viewed at the same time, that is still on the market (more expensive but it's entirely done and we could move in and not have to do A THING - and no more expensive than the cost of the house we've offered on plus building works).
Am I being unreasonable?