Did you raise enquiries?

[Hurraahhnaptime]

I'm buying a house and my solicitor raised some enquiries. We have had them answered and have had more information provided such as the fixtures and fittings report. I have looked through the paperwork and have raised another 10 questions. Is this normal? I thought my solicitor would look through the documents and notice anything that needed checking. So my question is whether you asked any further questions such as about warranties or am I being very picky?

I didn't ask about warranties except on the boiler. do you mean on things like washing machine etc? I wouldn't mind answering them but I would be clear that it would have no possible price reduction attached.

I did raise queries about things I felt were not sufficiently answered. It was a long time ago but I remember there was a lot of vagueness about what was being left and I didn't want to walk in and find they'd removed light fittings and curtain rails and so on. So I checked those and got the answers in writing.

My EA was saying it's very common for people to fill in fixtures and fittings very casually but no one wants to get on the wrong side of that and I had actually heard about people walking in and finding wires hanging from where light fittings had been.

PS also if you can, do check as much as you can check yourself. One friend bought a place with a nice looking fitted kitchen but didn't ask if she could open cupboard doors (which I did).

she found herself faced with cupboard doors that hadn't been fitted properly, slammed shut as a norm, and had the backs exposed in places where the full encasing hadn't been done. She could have lived with that, but all the cupboard doors slamming due to not being fitted correctly was really annoying within 2 days (understandably).

Generally your solicitor will handle any title queries, anything specific about fixtures and fittings etc is better addressed via the estate agent.

What kind of things are you asking?

Age of boiler & last service date - perfectly reasonable,

What time of year the rosebush flowers - not so.

I've asked if they have planning permission for an extension. Also if they have warranties for boiler and other appliances included in the sale, and who has responsibility for the repair of wall boundaries. Is this reasonable?

All of that sounds reasonable except maybe warranties for appliances. I don't think I have ever asked that or been asked that when moving.

All perfectly reasonable - does your solicitor not want to forward your questions?

The solicitor said they will look into it. I just thought that reading through the documents and noticing where there is a lack of information is what the solicitor would do. I have a feeling I'm trying to get far too much. The solicitor and seller seem very relaxed and lots of the property form is ticked 'i don't know'.

You mean planning permission for the extension they have already put up - yes, I think the solicitor should have checked that - and the responsibility for wall boundaries.

the rest of it no. in fact, now I think about it, the boiler warranty was dealt with via EA who asked seller for a copy.

is it fixtures and fittings that's filled in "I don't know" for a lot of categories? I did get my solicitor to get a new form properly filled in - to the best of their knowledge of course - but again, that was to ensure no one removed light fittings etc.

If I got "I don't know" for responsibility for wall repairs etc and they could provide no further answer, I would be put off, but some people wouldn't worry at all. So sometimes I think "I dont' know" is written down because there's always a client who won't care either way.

The Fixtures and Fittings list is sent to you to read through and query anything you're not sure of with your solicitor, who can raise it with the seller's solicitor. The solicitor does not visit the property so it is helpful if you can guide them as to any abnormalities, i.e. what you consider to be fixtures (i.e. white goods) and therefore staying. Also the light fittings question does need to be raised if the seller is saying that they are taking the lights. A ceiling rose/flex/bulb holder would need to be put in place before completion.

Any warranties mentioned in the Property Information Form would be requested by the solicitor, who will also study the Local Authority Search in conjunction with replies to the PIF and raise enquiries if there are any inconsistences.

These forms are sent to you "as is", even though your solicitor may well have queried several points with the seller's solicitor with their initial enquiries.