In a chain support thread Sept 2017

[Gizlotsmum]

Hope it's ok to start another one! So we have a week of waiting for surveys etc...

Oh perhaps. Fx it’s a simple scanning error not a true missing page. I’m on another day of chasing to see if our buyers mortgage offer has materialised.

I suspect my hopes of exchange next week are fruitless so will push for exchange before 20th and complete ASAP afterwards. Not sure how that will work with removals as everywhere seems busy in half term!

Crikey RichardThomas, he is keen! Was your house built above an oil well/gold mine/Aladdin's cave?? At least you've got his offer in your back pocket should anything go wrong with your buyer. Sounds like you could name your price!

Whatthe FX your buyer finds someone else soon. We debated whether to pull out of our sale (our so-called cash buyer doesn't have the cash to exchange/complete at the mo!) but our EA said we'd have to knock 30k off our asking price so it sounds like your buyer really is committed to selling fast. Good luck!

To everyone else, I hope you have some better news/progress today. I was saying to my OH last night that I'm amazed more people don't campaign for a change in the way houses are sold/bought in England because it's so fraught and chains collapse far too often. We decided it's because it's a bit like childbirth - horrendously painful when you're doing it, but once it's over the endorphins kick in and you forget so quickly that you tell yourself it wasn't that bad… until you do it again!

Just wanted to say a quick thanks to everyone who has kept me sane through this process so far. We literally thought we would lose the house of our dreams pretty much on a daily basis until the day we actually exchanged. The system needs to be reformed!!

Our lovely vendors invited us over at the weekend to show us how everything in the house worked.

Our FTB from hell on the other hand want to turn up at midday on completion day to be shown things. In the middle of removals/ toddlers running around. With the stunts they pulled up to exchange I would gladly not see ever again.

I hope you're saying no to your buyers MightyMunki! No way would I agree to giving them a guided tour on moving day. Tell them you'll write everything down and leave the instructions out.

Congratulations to everyone who has exchanged, how exciting!
I am a little jealous.

AnnPerkins, it is surprising that your solicitor will not countenance t=a contract to cover the kerb. Sounds strange to me. Plus the liability will not be with them, it will be with the seller.

RichardThomas, are you sure you don't want the investor seller? The difference with the upped offer seem too good an offer to refuse. That is university fees paid off for one one child, or a down payment on a mortgage for 2 children. And it is cash that is tax free (in the main). I appreciate that you know the buyers and they are related to your NDN(? I think), but surely even your NDN would appreciate that that is too good an offer to say no to? If I were in your shoes I would be seriously considering the offer though.

Whatthesausage, it sucks! I am now in the same position as you.
We were ready to exchange next week. But my buyer's cash buyer has now pulled out (one family reason or the other). My buyer now has a few viewings scheduled for next week but this means that we will now probably not be able to move before Xmas. .

This house buying and selling malarkey sucks!

Same position here fialor and whatthesausage - seriously sucky We've now dropped our asking price a further £15k in the hope of finding a buyer but there just doesn't seem to be anyone out there! I hope your buyer's buyers find new sales soon

ThomasRichard whilst I think your integrity is amazing I think it is perhaps worth going back to your purchaser and making them aware of the much higher offer to see if they can increase their offer. I appreciate you don't want to sell to the developer but that is a huge amount of money to refuse. And definitely check out the attic to look for long lost old masters Excellent news about your offer being accepted though!

Ann I'm surprised at your solicitors not being willing to write it into your contract, how strange. There is no liability for them, only on your vendor.

OliviaPope you'd think the combined might of the EA's of England and Wales might be onto it as it must add to their costs and volume of work. Perhaps MNHQ could have a campaign!

MightMunki I hope you laughed in their faces - honestly, they are seriously delusional if they think you'd have either the time or inclination on completion day.

Fingers crossed they can get it to the solcs quickly perhaps, could still happen today hopefully.

Been explaining to friends today it isn't the extra week as such that's a problem, it's the variables and the vendors' lack of concern. What if they can't extend, what if their offer isn't accepted, what if the builder says they can extend but it will cost way more than planned. To have no acknowledgement of these risk factors and not appearing to care at all how it affects us and the rest of the chain, no upfront offer of a plan B from them, no - 'really sorry, please hold on and then we'll go into rented if this doesn't work' no assurances etc just seems dreadfully shoddy. Especially when we were so delighted when initially told they wanted to move asap - what an unfunny joke that has become!

You'd think they would have some awareness of this instead of appearing to bumble along without a care. Or maybe they genuinely are that self-centered and/or unable to think ahead...

I really want to get their EA to get their agreement now that if for any reason this purchase of theirs doesn't immediately progress, they will then accept that they have to break the chain. If they said no we could just bloody pull out now

Dp stopping me phoning as he says as they can't think forward they will just ask us to wait and see, so no point in asking now. I think he kind of has a point

So frustrating though... very nearly took up smoking again the other day. I need a new vice. Maybe gin?

In other news, I have now found probably 10 houses that could be acceptable and at least three of those look very promising so any further bollocks or implosion... I just don't care anymore. Fuck it. We'll rent if need be and there are plenty of options to keep us occupied.

What do the vendors EA's say to you Lubey? Surely they can see how unreasonable their client is being?

Good for you! Go and see all 10 and make sure the vendors EA is aware that you are actively looking for a different property to purchase.

So our buyers mortgage offer has been sent out. Once they get and return the mortgage deed we will be good to go. So exchange by 20th is possible. Whether we can get a removals company for the 27th I don’t know. The ones due to quote tonight have cancelled.

Yeah they do agree Yoga that it's crap and recognise there is no compromise or favour coming from them when we've done them at least four... but at the same time haven't offered any assurances. But then DP was the last person to speak to them and he didn't ask for any assurances or what the EA's general feeling was on 'have they got a plan B at all'

I don't trust them really. But bah... whatever will be will be

DP and I have had a good time looking through the other houses found today

Hello all, I’ve been reading this thread for a while - congratulations Ness and commiserations to everyone whose had problems thrown up. I’m a FTB, offer was accepted Wednesday and mortgage app completed Thursday so that’s all going on. I’ve now had the solicitor paperwork which says that I might want to wait for he mortgage to be accepted before paying them and instructing searches. That sounds to me like it could cause delays but on he other hand would save money if mortgage declined. What would you advise?

Also, has anyone booked a home buyer survey with Nationwide or should I find a private surveyor?

Vendors are moving to a vacant property so hoping to be in by xmas. Probably very naive.

We waited until we got our mortgage offer to get searched done. Our buyers did searches and then got mortgage offer

Hello, I hope you don't mind me joining you. We've been on this roller-coaster since putting our house on the market in March. After having to accept a 36k reduction on our original asking price, (partly due to our crap agents & partly our neighbours & their constant unfinished DIY work & eyesore extensions) Its been one bombshell after another.

We finally kicked off end of July & we managed to negotiate a decent price on the perfect house for us. Then our buyers lost their buyer before we could agree a sale. Luckily our dream home was still for sale when the buyers found a new buyer. All going well & everyone in the chain was agreeing a completion of week 20th November, when it transpired buyers buyer had a previous defaulted payment & was turned down by their lender so had to find a new one.

While this was being sorted we discovered that our seller had lied to us & there were 2 further links to the chain that she had kept quiet about. Cue me throwing my toys out of the pram much earlier than usual & saying that our buyers seller should do as they had said & not link their ongoing purchase with our chain. They agreed, but im sure they will try & tie it in still if they can.

Had confirmation that buyers buyer had agreement in principle from a new lender a week ago, but they are yet to have a survey booked. All work completed on the sale of our house now & ready to exchange, but still loads outstanding on our purchase. Think our buyers solicitor is very lax & ours is super vigilant. (Online conveyancing company. Bloody brilliant. ) No idea about the rest of the chain.

Fingers crossed buyers buyer get their survey next week & everything continues to plan. loads of time still till 20th Nov isn't there?

Hello pixie that sounds stressful but yes plenty of time till 20th :)

Fab news giz - FX for a speedy exchange and hope that you get to complete by the 27th - presumably you mean in half term (and not Nov 27th)?

I booked our removals only yesterday for 26th Oct move date, the firms I've received quotes from all said they still had availability that day so perhaps half term isn't as busy as we thought. I would've liked to move at the beginning of half term so we could settle in over the holidays - I wonder if the Thurs/Fri of the week prior to half term is more busy than half term itself?

Gosh that sounds epic Pixie - hope everything now runs smoothly for you - like giz says, still time for a 20th November completion date.

Yoga I am rooting for you to find a new buyer. FX (and everything crossed)

Knitted - basically no words but it sounds awful. I hope your chain is now intact and FX that you have a speedy completion.

Ann that's annoying. However if you have paperwork showing it's been booked in and you'd be happy to give them the money towards it, then I don't see any reason why they shouldn't go ahead on that basis?

Thomas sooo tempting, but I'd be very nervous about him offering so much money and then pulling a fast one the day before exchange and dropping his offer. Good for you for sticking with your buyers - it might be worth dropping this news to your EA and asking them to pass it on, basically to say that you are sticking with them but that they need to do everything possible to expedite their legal process (i.e. keep the pressure up on their solicitor so that it all goes through quickly).

Sausage how stressful - last thing you want to happen! However a £35k reduction sounds serious so hopefully it will be snapped up quickly and the chain will be intact again soon.

Perhaps aaarrgghh!! How frustrating! Why it is the simplest tasks seem to take ages to sort? FX they get it scanned across ASAP.

Giz glad to hear mortgage offer now sorted. We've approached 3x removals firms for quotes on the basis that if our preferred firm isn't available when we - finally! - have a date, then we have another 2 as back-up if necessary. Hopefully one of them will have some availability...

Munki Oooh I'd have zero problem at all telling them to fuck off! They have the internet, YouTube and a brain - figure it out yourself! After the way they've behaved I wouldn't be leaving a single instruction booklet behind either

Fialor It's awful, isn't it? The whole system is a complete shit-show. FX your chain gets reinstated ASAP.

Lubey I'm pissed off for you - what a horrible situation. And the powerlessness as well. How can people be so thoughtless? Is the house an absolute dream house or could you walk away from it? If you could, and there are other houses you're seeing which might be suitable, then I would seriously think about walking away. Even once they have found somewhere the whole process relies upon people being proactive and moving things forward. Honestly, they do not sound like the kind of people I'd want to be in a chain with - I'd be very nervous about them causing problems during the legal process. If it is a dream house then if you can go into rented to wait it out, then that would at least remove the stress of worrying about losing your buyer.

Puss welcome! Welcome to the land of unbelievable stress!! However the good news is that if you are only buying then it's not quite as bad as selling at the same time - I'm not joking when I say that the rate of greys coming through in my hair has tripled over the last 6 months!! Searches at the moment are coming through quite quickly so I would wait and get your mortgage offer done first, as the search pack usually costs £200-300 so no point in spending that money if you have an issue that comes up with the mortgage lender.

Pixie bloody hell! (Welcome BTW). I think I'd be lying down in a dark room clutching my gin bottle after that

Phew - think I have caught up!! All OK with us. Hoping to exchange on Monday. I am currently - obsessively - checking the bank details for the deposit transfer...

I know the investor has made a good offer but he seems to be trying to find the price of my integrity, which is making me dig my heels in a bit. Probably stupid but I’d prefer to move with a clean conscience.

I’m taking the DC to see the new house this morning. DS is unimpressed because he thinks it would be a better use of money to take him on holiday to the rainforest. DD cried because the house isn’t made of straw like in the 3 Little Pigs Hopefully they will appreciate the investment in their safety and quality of life by the time they’re my age!

lubey when are your viewings on the 3 promising houses? Your buyers sound like dipsticks.

Pixie hopefully your chain uncomplicates itself a bit!

Morning all.

Lazy that was quite a comprehensive round-up, well done!

Our sellers are paying for the work. I’m starting to feel persuaded that our position won’t be as risky as I was imagining, but I’ll take a view next week when we find out the date for the works.

Munki there’s no way I would do anything beyond the absolute minimum for those buyers. They lost the last ounce of goodwill long ago.

Thomas, if your current deal works for you I would stick with it. If the investor pulls a fast one you could end up far worse off. And, yes, it is like he’s trying to put a price on your integrity.

Hi Puss and Pixie. Hope things become more straightforward for you both from now on.

DH made a start on removing things from walls and making good yesterday. We’ve got boxes and bubble wrap arriving today so we can start packing non-essential stuff. Had a removals guy round who's going to send a quote on Monday. All we need now is a moving date!

Here’s hoping next week sees some exchanges happening for some of us.

Thomas I agree. And people like that would have no compunction in messing you about or pulling a fast one at the last possible moment. I'm amused by your kids' reaction to the house though - I'm sure they will love it when you've moved

Fx for Monday Lazy.

I’m waiting till Wed when I will be checking if our buyers solicitors have the mortgage deed, once that is signed and returned we are good to go. Apparently we need 5 working days between exchange and completion unless we can get everyone to agree to draw down on mortgages etc before exchange is finalised...

Happy Saturday all - sorry for the radio silence. I am going to attempt to go back and read all your updates, both good and bad.

Like Lazy, we should be exchanging on Monday and moving on the 19/20th. I can't quite wrap my head around the fact that two weeks today we will be in the new house, seems surreal...!

Welcome Puss & Pixie - best of luck to you both.

We got our mortgage offer and then did searches and survey, but we were fairly sure we'd be agreed as we have a reasonably low LTV.

Sorry, not much time to reply but I have read all your updates. We have agreed to make another substantial reduction on our place and then split the reduction 50/50 with our vendor. I was wary of proposing this (seems cheeky) but vendor seems fine with it and is actually pleased that we are still actively trying to find a purchaser quickly. So, here's hoping the reduction drums up some viewings!

Fingers crossed for exchange on Monday for you both Lazy and DragonMamma

Ooh ann you’ve reminded me - is it standard practice to remove everything from walls then make good before you move out? Only I mentioned it to DH this afternoon (we have quite a few kids shelves plus other wall fixed items we’re taking) & I said we’d need to remove them then make good the walls & he looked at me like I had 2 heads . Said he’s never heard of that before (I thought it was pretty standard). We’ve lived here for 12 years (& got married & had 3 kids in the meantime) so have absolutely no memory of the process.

I'm not sure to what extent you should make good really. I would appreciate it if our sellers at least filled any holes. And if they had some left over matching paint they could touch it up. DH has done that on most but he has left the fixings in place from where he removed a TV bracket from the kitchen wall because it would have looked worse not better to try and remove them.

FX Yoga that sounds like a good plan.

Ahhh the great 'making good' debate!! We've spent a significant amount of time this weekend doing just that. Opinion varies - some say that it's unrealistic to expect to move into somewhere perfect unless it's brand new. Others say that you should make good because it's the right thing to do...

We've gone for the latter - so have taken pictures down and filled the holes and painted over. I've also gone round with a paintbrush this weekend and touched up a few dings and bumps. DH has fixed some bits and bobs that needed attention. I'm not so naive as to expect that we will be so lucky - I'm also not a believer in karma etc., but I like to think that if I 'pay it forward' then it will come good in the end (hopefully!)

I am utterly sick to death of boxes and disorder everywhere. I've got a really busy day at work tomorrow but am going to ring my solicitor - and the agents - as often as I can to push this forward. I want to exchange tomorrow and I will be monumentally pissed off if we can't. I'm fed up of being told that everything is good to go and that everyone has what they need, only to find out an hour later that there are more queries