Holding deposit in house sale - help!

[cupsoftea]

Selling a house & the buyer has put down a holding deposit.

Is there a time limit from doing this to signing the contracts?

Any info much appreciated.

I don't think there is a standard time limit - would depend on what you have agreed with buyer?

Depends on any conditions attached to the deposit - is it Scotland as not the norm in England

No he's just made a deposit but signed nothing. It's in england.

We want him to sign the paper giving the date for completion but he's stalling

If he won't sign the purchase contract he probably won't sign anything to do with a deposit which could render it meaningless. What does your solictor say ? Unless he has a specific reason for stalling , I fear you may need to consider remarketing.

We're thinking of going to another agent as have been messed around.

He's paid about £5000 which seems at lot without signing anything

You could build into the contract of exchange that completion must be by a certain date.

When we bought this house, and the vendor kept stalling and playing for time, we finally said that completion must be 'on or before x date (ds1's due date ), or we would pull out, and had that written into the contract.

trying to get him to sign the exchange paper with the completion date.

Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!!