POCA property

[GinghamChicken]

A house which is subject to POCA has just come on the market in the area where we want to move. The house itself is ideal for us, but the selling agent has warned us that completion could take much longer than usual.

Our elder daughter is due to start high school in September 2022 and obviously we need to be able to apply for a place at the school in whose catchment this house is. It's a good school and both her cousins attend, so she would have some friendly faces there when she starts.

Has anyone experience of this sort of sale who could give us a vague timeline? If the sale is going to take years rather than months we'll have to look elsewhere, but this house really called to us!

I think you need to speak to your solicitor as you need to know more detail on the status with the courts.

Thanks, Bluntness, I know you're right, but we're a bit reluctant to instruct a solicitor if this is a complete no go. It's right at the top of our budget, so we can't afford to waste any funds. I can't help but think we should pretend we've never seen it. However, there is very little in the area that would suit our specific needs

I would think that's pushing it. Do you need to apply by October this year?

If so that's only 20 weeks max away, and normal house selling/buying time is 12-16 weeks once the chain is in place. Are you selling a house too?

Thanks for your reply Cocoaone. We've already sold to ftb who aren't in any particular rush to move in, but if a huge delay means losing the sale we're prepared to move in with family for a short time if necessary. However I don't think any of us could cope if it was for longer than a couple of months!

Your best bet is to speak to the agent and your solicitor - they'll have a feel for how long these things usually take and what the steps are and how far along things are. It might be that to get it on the market is the biggest hurdle.

I’d be inclined to agree with the PP. presumably someone has signed the contract to get the house on the market, so that same someone can sign the papers for the sale.
Although, the answers to the SPIF etc may not be accurate as it won’t be the owner completing it.
You’re not likely to get visitors looking for the previous owner are you??

Thanks for your help. DH managed to get through to the solicitor today and was told that this could take 18 months as courts and police will all have input as well as the owner!!

Moose DFIL also queried whether there might be unwanted visitors, too, so, as you might expect we have decided not to make an offer.

It's a bloody lovely house, though.