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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Would you be annoyed?

49 replies

Cocolocooo · 09/09/2021 17:46

In the process of buying my own property. Luckily for me it's empty as the seller has moved in with her partner. I'm in rented accommodation so no chain either. It should be a fairly straightforward purchase I believe. I completely understand that solicitors are up the wall at the minute. I know I'm not their only customer (before anyone saids!). I do understand that everything, including the searches are slower than usual due to covid etc, but AIBU in thinking this is taking the mick?

My solicitor received all the necessary documents from the other side on the 24th of August and all searches had come back by the 27th. I know it took him over a week just to look at the paperwork as I phoned the secretary on the 1st and was told that the solicitor had only just picked it up and started work. He has still not completed the report. I was led to believe that I would receive it this week, however when I phoned up today I was told it would (probably) be towards the end of next week that he would be finished with it. As far as I'm aware there are no further enquiries apart from one piece of information that was missing from the documents which he received on the 3rd of September after requesting it. Why has it taken nearly 4 weeks just for him to finish the paperwork? I understand all the boxes need to be ticked and all information needs to be correct etc, but seriously, this long?

Am I being impatient or has this not been done in a timely manner so to speak? Would you be annoyed to? I now have to wait another week and it still might not be ready. Feeling extremely fed up at this point.

OP posts:
Original poster
Cocolocooo · 09/09/2021 17:49

It doesn't make a difference if I phone up or show my face in the office, before other people suggest. There's literally nothing that I can do to try and speed them up.

OP posts:
isseys4xmastinselcats · 09/09/2021 17:53

things are really taking a long time at the moment we accepted an offer on my mother in laws empty flat ( she died last year) in February and one thing and another we still havent got to exchange yet it is really dragging on and still costing fees to the company now they are trying to get info from the freeholders and my OH needs this done so he can share out the inheritance

Aprilx · 09/09/2021 17:57

I thought you were going to mention much longer delays than that.

Original poster
Cocolocooo · 09/09/2021 18:00

Terribly sorry to hear about your MIL @isseys4xmastinselcats

Would you say the process has dragged on because there are enquiries or because the solicitor is slow? I just feel that my solicitor is extremely slow and it's so frustrating. I've been in the office around 5 times now and he's never there, which explains why it's taking so long! I understand he's in court but surely he should be spending a fair amount of time on each case.

OP posts:
Original poster
Cocolocooo · 09/09/2021 18:01

Perhaps I am being impatient then @Aprilx
It does feel long to me Blush

OP posts:
loopylindi · 09/09/2021 18:01

I don't know what you can do or say (apart from I'm finding another solicitor) but when we bought our house the sale was conditional on it all being completed within a month. It was - so they can do it when under pressure

Original poster
Cocolocooo · 09/09/2021 18:07

I know @loopylindi
There is literally nothing that I can say or do to speed them up. I've stressed to them that I need a completion date soon, mainly because I have to give notice on my current rental and unless I want to pay rent and a mortgage all in the same month, which I really can't afford to do. It doesn't seem to help. It's just so frustrating sitting around, week after week and feeling like there's no progress.

OP posts:
Palavah · 09/09/2021 18:13

27th August was a Friday. The next working day was Tuesday 31st August, he picked it up the next day, identified an item missing which didnt come through til friday 3rd.

We're now at the end of the 4th working day after September 3rd.

Where do you get 4 weeks from?

It's not unusual to have some overlap of rent and mortgage.

isseys4xmastinselcats · 09/09/2021 18:15

combination of one slow solicitor the flat is over 55s and the buyers buggered off on holiday just as their passports were need to prove age and now the freeholder is holding things up we even took £20000 off the price for a so called quick sale its very frustating

Bluntness100 · 09/09/2021 18:16

Generally it takes four months to get through this, you need to calm down.

Original poster
Cocolocooo · 09/09/2021 18:17

@Palavah solicitor received all paperwork on Tuesday 24th of August and didn't look at it until Wednesday the 1st of September

OP posts:
Bobsyer · 09/09/2021 18:17

YANBU but I am also trying to move - despite my vendor’s solicitors having had her file since APRIL they only requested a charge against the property be removed last week. They haven’t sent certified or original copies of required docs to my sols so they’re having to chase them.

I get that we’re not a priority as the stamp duty deadline will not impact us, but my mum is also buying and it will impact her - and she just found out today there is not only an outstanding document but they chased once in June and then again at the end of August.

Mind you our offer took six weeks because our lender was being a twat Hmm.

Frustrating I know OP but I actually think you’ve been quite lucky!

SunbathingDragon · 09/09/2021 18:18

I thought you were going to say the 24th April not August! Whilst I don’t agree with how long solicitors take, unfortunately YABU because what you are describing is fairly standard (if not on the efficient side).

Original poster
Cocolocooo · 09/09/2021 18:19

@Bluntness100 I was given a timescale of 8 weeks. Solicitor was extremely confident it would be done in that time as the property is empty and no chain

OP posts:
SunbathingDragon · 09/09/2021 18:20

[quote Cocolocooo]@Bluntness100 I was given a timescale of 8 weeks. Solicitor was extremely confident it would be done in that time as the property is empty and no chain[/quote]
Let me guess, after they said that, you believed them and signed up to them?

Original poster
Cocolocooo · 09/09/2021 18:22

@SunbathingDragon yes, unfortunately I did, but I am a first time buyer so obviously very naive of me to believe them.

OP posts:
Original poster
Cocolocooo · 09/09/2021 18:25

I have also been offered a different job earning a higher wage but the broker said if I change jobs it will throw a spanner in the works on the mortgage side of things. The company will wait but I have no idea how long for. Seems like such a good opportunity to pass up but I can jeopardise the house. The timing is shit.

OP posts:
Original poster
Cocolocooo · 09/09/2021 18:27

**can't jeopardise the house I meant to say. It would be helpful if I could at least give them a time scale of how long before I can change jobs!

OP posts:
Jangle33 · 09/09/2021 18:28

Welcome to the world of conveyancing solicitors. That actually sounds really quite quick to me. There is a long list and you are on it. I think you need to be far more patient. It’s not been very long yet at all…

Charmtaste · 09/09/2021 18:28

We had our offer accepted in March. We still haven’t exchanged even though we are in rental and ready to go. Our solicitors have been glacial. These things take a stupidly long time. I really don’t understand why searches cannot be online. With the technology available all searches should take an hour not weeks.

Lemonlemon88 · 09/09/2021 18:32

It's insane. We live in another country where you get 10-15 days to go unconditional (exchange). It takes the council 3-5 working days to supply our version of searches for example. So your solicitor turns everything around very quickly!

Original poster
Cocolocooo · 09/09/2021 18:34

I agree, it does seem daft @Charmtaste

Clearly I need to be more patient then! Good luck to all of you house buying/selling. I hope it all goes smoothly and quickly for you...

OP posts:
Original poster
Cocolocooo · 09/09/2021 18:35

Wow, what country is that @Lemonlemon88?

OP posts:
Luzina · 09/09/2021 18:39

You can ask to have a month between exchange and completion to ensure you’re not paying rent and mortgage at the same time.

The best way to get your solicitor to speed up is to send regular emails asking for an update. In my experience turning up without an appointment is not helpful (if that’s what you’re doing).

Palavah · 09/09/2021 18:44

[quote Cocolocooo]@Palavah solicitor received all paperwork on Tuesday 24th of August and didn't look at it until Wednesday the 1st of September [/quote]
You said all the searches came back on 27th. I can understand why he didn't look at the docs from the vendor's solicitors until the searches were also back. As you say, you're not the only client.

8 weeks sounds pretty good (too good to be true this year!) How far are you through that?

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