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Original poster

Possible to complete in 6 weeks?

38 replies

RosiePosies · 27/02/2019 14:29

I just wondered if anyone had completed in such a short amount of time?

We had an offer accepted two weeks ago. There is no chain either end, we have our mortgage sorted and searches should be back by March 11th. It's a 25 year old house and we are having a homebuyers report done tomorrow but are pretty certain that nothing will come up.

Our solicitor has only just received the draft pack from the vendors solicitor today so hopefully enquiries will be started soon, but we have no idea how long this would usually take!

We are due a baby in 6 weeks so ideally we would like to move in 4 weeks to get everything ready.

Thanks in advance

OP posts:

AwkwardPaws27 · 27/02/2019 14:32

Potentially but unlikely, if it is freehold.
If it's leasehold then the minimum is usually 8 weeks.
You should tell your solicitor your preferred date and expect to chase them up regularly if you are trying to complete quickly.

Titsywoo · 27/02/2019 14:33

We did it in 6 weeks. Were first time buyers and the people we were buying off agreed to move into rented. Plus we pushed the solicitors pretty much every day!

Gumbo · 27/02/2019 14:36

Yes, it's possible.

We did it in 5 weeks (it was a new build and the builders were desperate for us to be in before the end of the financial year, so gave us huge incentives to make it happen!). However - in order to achieve the timescales I ended up doing a massive amount of phoning/chasing/hounding to get the searches/surveys/reports/mortgages done - much of which I would normally have left to the solicitor. It was worth it though

You just need to be prepared to spend a lot of time on the phone... (and hope your baby does't arrive early )

Tenpole · 27/02/2019 14:53

How long are searches taking in your area?

RiverTam · 27/02/2019 14:55

I think so if you really keep on it.

parietal · 27/02/2019 15:03

6 weeks is about the minimum but it is possible if everything is straightforward.

nrpmum · 27/02/2019 15:05

I'd discuss fast tracking your searches. It will cost more, but will help.

MadisonAvenue · 27/02/2019 15:06

We last moved 8 years ago, into a new build. We weren’t part of a chain as the housebuilders purchased our house as a part exchange and we completed in 24 days.

Spickle · 27/02/2019 19:06

Our solicitor has only just received the draft pack from the vendors solicitor today so hopefully enquiries will be started soon, but we have no idea how long this would usually take!

As far as your solicitor is concerned, the work only starts when the draft pack is received, so their definition of 6 weeks starts from then (i.e. today), not when your offer was accepted.

The solicitor will have to read all the documents within the pack to raise "initial" enquiries. Initial enquiries is just the start - there may be additional enquiries to follow if responses are not satisfactory.

Although having your mortgage offer agreed, survey booked and no chain will help, it is the legal documentation which usually slows down a purchase. Is the property freehold or leasehold? Is the seller the same person named on the deeds? Is there a charge on the property which would need to be redeemed? Are there any rights or easements in the deeds which need clarifying? The searches may be back on March 11th, but the solicitor has to review them. They may raise additional enquiries based on what the searches reveal.

Try to be realistic. It is 6 weeks from today, not 4. It is possible, but there are so many things that could delay it and at the moment it is impossible to predict what, if anything, that might be. Phoning the solicitor every day to hurry them along will only hinder their progress.

Nat6999 · 28/02/2019 02:13

I did on my first house, viewed it on August bank holiday Monday & agreed price with vendor (no estate agent involved) already had mortgage ready as had lost out on another property. Spoke to mortgage advisor on Tuesday who put wheels in motion, engaged solicitor on Wednesday, homebuyer survey done following week, report sent to building society, valuation agreed, saw kitchen planner who did preliminary plans for kitchen so we had a price for mortgage, mortgage was confirmed by end of week 3, surveys were done by end of September, signed contracts 1 October, exchanged on 5th October, completed & got keys 12 October. New kitchen delivered 2 weeks later, moved in 30 October with no kitchen, kitchen finished 5 December, never trust a man who says that the kitchen will be in 3 days, started off DIY & had to get a joiner to get it finished.

jcq17 · 28/02/2019 02:23

Same chain situation and ours still took 14 weeks 🤭 solicitors are crap!

PaulHollywoodsSexGut · 28/02/2019 02:55

Watching with interest as we are in the same boat except we must complete in 7 weeks (Easter) else we won’t be able to consequently move until August (as I’ll be having a CS).

Feel for you. This is the 4th offer we’ve accepted. Previous 3 all fell through. I’m not confident x

Redglitter · 28/02/2019 03:03

I was 5 weeks from offer accepted to getting my keys

StevieHuckle · 28/02/2019 03:20

We have to have one of the fastest move times of anyone I know, 2 weeks from 1st viewing it!

I was determined to sleep in the house for the night of my birthday and we did, just. I pestered the life out of the solicitors and estate agents, constantly on the phone, I think she rushed it just to see the back of me, I must have had her head spinning.

In the end we were given the keys on my birthday but told we couldn't use them until the day after as it wouldn't be legally our house until then. Of course we didn't take any notice and I was sleeping there on my birthday which I was thrilled about.

We payed cash for the house which obviously sped things up as no lenders to rely on and less communications with solicitors and so on but showed it can be done.

NorthernSpirit · 28/02/2019 04:15

6 weeks is extremely optimistic. The average is 12 weeks.

I have completed in 4 weeks (a vacant repossessed property) with a specialist conveyancing solicitor. The timings were extremely tight and I was a cash buyer with no mortgage. I chased daily.

I’d be realistic.

JuniorAsparagus · 28/02/2019 06:20

We had three people in our chain but it still took 5 months, because our buyers kept finding questions to ask. I think it depends on the individuals.

wowfudge · 28/02/2019 07:25

Solicitors are not crap - they have more than one client at a time and often act for the mortgage lender too. Better that they take time and get the information needed before you are committed to probably the most expensive purchase of your life.

willowsmumsy · 28/02/2019 07:38

You can do it in your timescale, but you will need to chase the solicitor and/ or estate agent daily.
If your solicitor says there's a delay on the vendor's side, then chase the estate agent.
You'll make yourself a nuisance, but it will get you what you want!

juleswatford · 28/02/2019 08:29

If anyone in the chain is using an online conveyancing factory.......forget it.

schloss · 28/02/2019 08:43

Yes we did. We ensured the solicitors on both sides used email rather than sending everything by post. Also any documents that needed reviewing and/or signing we went to the solicitors offices so no delays incurred with waiting for post to be delivered.

We were clear with everyone right at the beginning of the process the timescales and pushed for early exchange and then allowed a longer length of time between exchange and completion.

Original poster

RosiePosies · 28/02/2019 10:53

@schloss this is our plan - we just need to get to exchange so we know where we are when the baby is born

@StevieHuckle That is amazing!! Good on you.

My solicitor told me she had received the draft pack yesterday - and she would look at it as 'soon as she can'. It's not too much to chase her again today and ask if she's raised enquiries yet? (Our friend is our conveyancing solicitor - she's gone on holiday for a week and has a lady doing her work in her place. I am going to have to be prepared for my friend to not like me much anymore aren't I)

OP posts:

JuniorAsparagus · 28/02/2019 12:45

Jules Watford I disagree. We had an online conveyancer and the Estate Agent said they were much better to deal with than the local firm our buyers were using.

mummabubs · 28/02/2019 12:49

We did it in 6 weeks, but.... we were first time buyers with no chain, it still required me chasing solicitors on both sides almost daily and it was 6 of some of the most stressful weeks of my life! So yes, theoretically it can be done but if you've got any time to spare then that's no bad thing!

HotChoc10 · 28/02/2019 13:01

Mine was 6.5 weeks from offer to completion but we were first time buyers, and an earlier purchase had already collapsed so we bought the searches they’d already had done from their solicitors

Wildwood6 · 28/02/2019 14:33

We completed in just over four weeks, and we were in chain. Luckily the people above and below us in the chain had a deadline, which definitely helped! We also had a great solicitor. I've also sold a chainless flat and it took 6 months! I think it depends how motivated everyone in the process is to complete in the time frame. Oh, and be prepared to do lots of chasing and ringing around! You'll have to be a bit of a squeaky wheel....

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