Why is it taking so long??

[Bumpandus]

Hi I’m a FTB in no chain. Everything’s signed but local search isn’t back yet but solicitor said it is due to arrive ‘shortly’ and they are still waiting for replies to enquires which were sent out on 24th July so they have chased that up and sent them again..

Seriously how much longer is this gonna take? I just wanna exchange!

They work in their own sweet way. 8 weeks is quite good these days, 12 not unheard of.

We're in almost the exact same situation. Late last week the local searches came back, so it's just enquiries left. We offered at the start of June. We're cash buyers, buying an empty, chain free property!

I'm trying not to pull my hair out, but it really is taking sooo long. I know there's a pandemic and solicitors have backlogs, so it's to be expected I suppose. We really need to move before schools go back but it's not looking likely now!

Are the council doing the search?
Someone told me the other day that their local council was taking people from other teams to do Corona Virus grants and whatever else needs doing, leaving other departments very short staffed and busy.
Maybe it could be that?

I've no idea why it takes so long, but found chasing our solicitors every single day by phone or email seemed to help speed things up. MIL used to work as a conveyancer's assistant and left because of the pressure. It's very much a "he who shouts the loudest" type industry, according to her.

@NotQuiteUsual that’s exactly what I wasn’t just to be in before school but can’t see it happening now. I mean I only offered on 24th June so it has only been like 7 weeks but everything was sorted by 24th July bar searches and enquires. Searches were back on 3rd August but now solicitor is saying local one is still outstanding and vendor hasn’t replied since 24th July.., so annoyed. I would even exchange now and complete when everything back I want to be able to put notice in on my rented house.

We've long given up on the idea of using our notice period on our rental. If it gets us in before schools are back, we'll exchange and complete within days of enquiries coming back(if we can). We pay a grand a month and were hoping to make use of the two months notice, but our solicitor is saying as long as enquiries are satisfactory it should move quickly. But if they're not, who knows how long it will take!

So we're acting like we're moving imminently, got rid of old furniture, cleared everything away, touching up the decor where needed. It's all I can do to keep my anxiety in check. It's so frustrating having no certain dates isn't it?

Whatever you do, do not give notice to your landlord until you have exchanged. Check your paperwork, most tenants on a rolling tenancy only have to give one month's notice.

You cannot exchange and then wait for everything to come back. The whole point of exchange is that everything is done, apart from completion procedures. Once you have exchanged, the seller's solicitor is under no obligation to answer any more enquiries or provide any more paperwork.

Like a PP's MIL, I am a conveyancing assistant. I can categorically confirm that clients chasing our tails every day to speed up the process has the exact opposite effect. If clients didn't constantly telephone and email, I might actually be able to do the work a lot quicker.

@Bumpandus we are in a very similar position. 7 weeks since we offered and moving from rented into an empty house. Everything seems to be going at a snail's pace. It is so frustrating. We wanted to be in before schools go back too.

It took our sellers' solicitor 4 weeks to get the draft contract to ours. Currently waiting for searches to come back - 3 weeks since we requested them, plus more paperwork from the sellers.

I feel your frustration.

@Zebrahooves omg this sounds exactly like me took 4 weeks for our draft contracts to come through too!!

I think everything is taking ages.

We aren't buying a house, but we are sorting student finance and it's taking forever. They keep asking for the same stuff over and over.

I think it's just a sign of the times.

It sounds like it's mainly the seller or their solicitor holding things up then. Get the estate agent to chase them.

If the enquiries were submitted on 24th July, it is likely that the local search was submitted at the same time. Your solicitor can't speed up the search, but you can ask them to confirm when it was submitted, and you an also check with the local council what their turnaround time is. You can probably even google that.
I don't see how everything can possibly signed if the search isn't back yet and the replies to enquiries haven't been received yet.
Have you paid the deposit to the solicitor yet? If you are getting a mortgage, has the offer been received yet? You could make sure that those are in place by doing a bit of chasing.

As far as the search is concerned, as an example, Greenwich is currently saying on its website that searches are taking 15-20 working days. Not all searches come back clear, some require more detailed clarification, or might necessitate additional contract terms to be agreed .

@DelphiniumBlue searches were ordered on 22nd July. When I googled the council it said it would take 5 working days but must be delays due to covid? It’s now been 3 weeks.
I have signed the mortgage deed (so yes offer was received, contract, transfer deed and gifted deposit form. All is signed.

@MinnieMountain I will wait til the search is back then contact them. I keep emailing to update that I have done everything my end and they just ignore me lol

In that case, maybe it's worth ringing the council to check it is all in hand, and to get an estimated eta. If they'll answer the phone, that is.

In that case, maybe it's worth ringing the council to check it is all in hand, and to get an estimated eta. If they'll answer the phone, that is.

OP, we were FTB in no chain - buying an empty property. It took nearly six months for no reason other than slow solicitors (mine!). Both us and the vendor were pulling our hair out with frustration!

We had our offer accepted last August and completed at the end of Feb this year - getting in by the skin of our teeth, in terms of lockdown.

@GorgeousLadyofWrestling when were your searches back?

I can’t remember the exact details but they competed those fairly quickly in terms of them coming back from the council.

Our local council has such a back log for searches (60 days) that solicitors are taking indemnity insurance rather than waiting for a search. It has significantly sped up the sales process (next door neighbour sold, exchanged and completed in 7 weeks post lock-down.

I'm in the same position. Offer accepted a month ago, searches back, mortgage deed signed. Half cash buyer and no chain, empty property. Apparently I'm waiting on responses to enquiries and the contract to be amended (my full name). Argh!!

Well update my last local search came back yesterday so fingers crossed the vendor hurries and replies to enquires

I'm feeling this frustration today. On our own part, we've had the searches back, survey complete and the mortgage approved. Our buyers are yet to book a survey and I can't get any feedback about if they've began searches or if they have a mortgage yet. No one is returning my calls...I'm starting to panic a bit that there's something wrong!

I’m hoping to exchange next week

Argh!! After panicking that my paperwork isn't with the solicitors yet it turns out the vendors aren't even ready to complete anyway! So it'll be the beginning of the month, which means I'll have very little time to dedicate to the work needing doing. Sigh.