Do I leave everything to the solicitors? (Buyer)

[housie]

Hello
FTB here, we’re now in chain complete, drafting papers stage. Waiting for the survey to be done.
Our solicitors seem competent but not having done this before, I’m not sure if I’m meant to do some other checks or enquiries myself or leave it all to them.
They’ve asked me to verify our memory of the property matches the land registry image they sent to me. This really threw me as I thought they are the ones who confirm what the property boundary is
Any pointers from experience?
Further down the process, is there anything I should keep an eye on?

Welcome to the wonderful world of housebuying :)

Pretty much yes let your solicitors get on with it and answer their questions when they ask. Your solicitors don't visit the property so it's not an unreasonable question - you'd be surprised how many don't match especially with older properties or where additions haven't always been made fully above board!

Be prepared for lots of waiting and be patient, things are still a bit crazy in the market.

It's a balance of leaving them to do what you're paying them to do while making sure you've told them what the timescales ideally are so they know whether everyone (not just you) is aiming to exchange in 2 weeks or 6 weeks.

The solicitors won't inspect the property so they send you the title plan for you to have a look at. It's not that you're being expected to measure it but if you're expecting a rectangle but there's a triangle out at the back or the back garden seems much shorter/longer than everyone elses, you can let the solicitor know that it doesn't look right.

If there's a dropped curb on the drive you need to make sure it appears on the paperwork - the solicitor doesn't go and have a look at the house you're buying, so you need to make sure you happy what you've seen is reflected in the docs. Equally they won't know about that loft conversion or the extension on the back so you need to prompt them and then sit back while they request the various sign offs and building control docs etc.

Totally normal to check the boundary against the land registry image, just to see that it does match what you were expecting!

I pulled out of one purchase because the seller said a big portion of garden was included but it didn't match the title plan. I pointed it out to the solicitor who investigated and the land belonged to someone else.

Thank you, all.

It does roughly match but I noticed the garage and the side extension was completely missing from the land registry image. Is this normal? I've pointed this out to the solicitor. I assumed the last time the property was sold (this was after side extension was added) they would have updated the land registry image

As long as the land under the garage and side extension is obviously included within the red line area I wouldn't be surprised the outline of the additional structures aren't on the title, but definitely good to get that clarified with the solicitor :)

Thank you @Fleabagforlife!

Once the survey is back, send it to your solicitor, with anything you want queried that arises from the survey. Any other queries you have. Look carefully at the Property Information Form and Fixtures and Fittings: tell your solicitor anything you want clarified etc. If there are items they want to leave and charge extra for, decide if you want them and tell your solicitor.

Once the queries list is compiled, keep a check in the answers that come in. If no answers within 2 weeks, ask your solicitor to chivvy for them.

Have the searches been commissioned?

I would also ask the EA for regular updates on the state / progress of the chain. Every 2 weeks, say. EAs are good at keeping things moving along, if they are good at their job.

Bear in mind that you will need to have buildings insurance in place ready for completion, once you exchange.

Check with your solicitor about the arrangements for paying the deposit and prepare for that.

Don’t send your whole survey to your solicitor unless it has bits in it they you want them to raise. And tell them what they are.

The Lane Registry don’t update images on the plan unless they have to to update the title itself.

@UpTheJunktion thank you so much for that.
Thanks @MinnieMountain, that makes sense.

Our EA has a Sales Progression team that nudges our solicitors every week, so that's great.

Our solicitors have responded that everything within the red edging in the land registry doc is part of our title, which includes any buildings on that land.

Our survey is yet to be done, hopefully no surprises!

And yes, searches are back and the solicitors have sent enquiries to the sellers' solicitors. (They copied us on it) Env searches have returned with some contamination within 500m/radon issues. I am now googling radon :P

When you say your EA, I assume you mean your vendor's EA. Subtle difference, hooe you don't have to explore the practical implications!

Ah, that is a very good point @Palavah
That is our vendor's EA yes, nudging our solicitors.

Before you exchange your solicitor will write you a report on the contract you are signing and the risks and liabilities you are accepting. Your solicitor should be used to interpreting the search reports and telling you what they mean for any aspect that is of material consideration.

@MinnieMountain why wouldn’t you just forward the survey to the solicitor? Mine used it to raise some queries / make some requests that I wouldn’t have thought of,

Because we’re not trained as surveyors and frankly don’t have the time to trawl through the whole thing @UpTheJunktion.

Mine suggested I send my survey....

I sent my solicitor my survey. There were no issues but it fiorms part of the 'pack'.
The mist fruiting thing is waiting- for enquiries to be returned, for dates to be decided...
I'd advise you don't invest in anything for the property until you have exchanged.