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Original poster

How long is conveyancing taking you?

27 replies

ThatDreamSheep · 19/06/2022 18:18

It's a bit like a piece of string at the moment.. But interested to hear people's stories.

Our offer was accepted 14th April and we were told 12 to 16 weeks, a month ago the solicitor said they were sending out initial searches and enquiries and have heard nothing else (I know she had a weeks holiday in this time as well). Surveyor had a 5 week backlog so that's still waiting as well.

I'm holding out hope for August but wondering if I'm being realistic! Our first purchase back in 2013 was 6 weeks!

OP posts:
Bubbles456 · 19/06/2022 18:28

We are almost at 20 weeks in a short chain of three properties and still have no completion date set! The whole thing seems to move at a glacial pace, it really is ridiculous.

Original poster
ThatDreamSheep · 19/06/2022 18:50

Bubbles456 · 19/06/2022 18:28

We are almost at 20 weeks in a short chain of three properties and still have no completion date set! The whole thing seems to move at a glacial pace, it really is ridiculous.

Oh my gosh! We are a chain of 3 properties as well... 😭😭 I just want to know when to start packing

OP posts:
anotherneutralname · 19/06/2022 19:04

Only two weeks into it here so I am getting comfy for a long wait. So far surveys are happening this week, and searches were sent off last week and solicitor says they’re taking 5 weeks to come back at the moment.

I’m estimating mid/late July to start resolving queries related to searches?? Theoretically exchange and complete in August but am fully prepared for something completely different!

Zoeslatesttrope · 19/06/2022 19:47

About 14 weeks for chain of 3 but onward purchase dropped out 5 weeks in so had to start that again.

katcatkat · 19/06/2022 19:50

Took us 6-7 months recently in a reasonably simple chain of 3 properties with a delay over a leasehold. So I would suggest your looking at the autumn.

Catface11 · 19/06/2022 20:40

Chain of 3, sold ours end of feb and offered on our onward purchase 1st April. We’ve got a completion date for mid July, so about 4 months after we found our onward purchase (although it feels much much longer)

Original poster
ThatDreamSheep · 19/06/2022 21:05

Oh god.. I'll put down the boxes then. Was hoping to be in before the new school year started but that's looking doubtful.
Who is the person to go to for updates, the estate agent or the solicitor?

OP posts:
Notmyyearthisyear · 20/06/2022 07:47

If it wasn’t for a couple of issues we could have looked at exchanging and completing within 10 weeks (chain of 3). My solicitor is great through!

BookwormButNoTime · 20/06/2022 10:57

Two weeks, but the structural survey had been done several months beforehand, and there was no chain - we were a cash buyer and it was a probate sale.

We also bought a house last year, again no chain, but with a mortgage involved and that took almost three months. It was the processing of the mortgage that took the time.

mumofone1980 · 20/06/2022 12:43

Were onto month 5 now 🙄

Notclosenow · 20/06/2022 13:36

Chain of 3. Chain completed in March.
Supposed to exchange today. Sat here waiting......

Innocenta · 20/06/2022 15:05

No chain, offer accepted start of May so we are a few weeks in, but don't have completion date yet Confused

Original poster
ThatDreamSheep · 20/06/2022 16:16

Our mortgage offer is all sorted thankfully. My solicitor today told me she wants to think we will be complete end of July 😱

OP posts:
Mildura · 20/06/2022 16:52

A housing transaction only moves at the pace of its slowest element. Normally it's not until a you're a fair way through the process that it becomes obvious what the slow component in your specific transaction is, and how long it will take to deal with.

To complete by the end of July is only a little over 5 weeks away, and assuming you ideally want 2 weeks between exchange and completion (although it is possible to have less, 1 week works for some people, longer is generally always preferable as it gives more time to organise things) there is quite a bit to do, but certainly achievable.

RidingMyBike · 20/06/2022 18:25

We sold last year with 30 days between exchange and completion (we'd already moved out into rental, sold to chain-free cash buyers).

We're in the middle of buying now - should be straightforward as chain-free although it later emerged our seller then needed to wait for probate on the purchase he was making. It took 13.5 weeks to get to exchange. We'd initially expected about 6-8 weeks. Completion will be at about 16 weeks from offer.

RidingMyBike · 20/06/2022 18:26

I mean 30 days between offer accepted and completion! Exchange that time was 3 days before completion.

Notclosenow · 20/06/2022 19:38

The Exchange didn't happen 😕. Fingers crossed for tomorrow

Original poster
ThatDreamSheep · 20/06/2022 19:47

Notclosenow · 20/06/2022 19:38

The Exchange didn't happen 😕. Fingers crossed for tomorrow

Oh no, how gutting. Fingers crossed for you! 🤞🤞

OP posts:
Ireolu · 20/06/2022 21:32

Took 6 months! We were chain free our seller was technically chain free although she suddenly developed a chain right at the end. We threatened to pull out and eventually we completed, a few days before the mortgage offer expired. Our lawyer was pretty crap too. DH lost hair and sleep. The most stressful thing we have ever done.

mrsed1987 · 20/06/2022 21:40

We are in a chain with 3 others. We had offer accepted 3rd march, no date yet...our buyers getting a bit antsy as their mortgage offer expires end of July and may not be quite there...

Our solicitor is so painfully slow with everything

WimbyAce · 20/06/2022 21:43

Ireolu · 20/06/2022 21:32

Took 6 months! We were chain free our seller was technically chain free although she suddenly developed a chain right at the end. We threatened to pull out and eventually we completed, a few days before the mortgage offer expired. Our lawyer was pretty crap too. DH lost hair and sleep. The most stressful thing we have ever done.

This sounds like us. Should have exchanged and completed then suddenly the chain has doubled. I have told them it needs to be done by the time our mortgage offer expires so we will see!

TheOriginalPhantomflanflinger · 20/06/2022 22:39

Why oh why are house purchases/sales taking so long?
Used to be so much faster years ago without IT and only ye olde snail mail to rely on.

MinnieMountain · 21/06/2022 06:08

Much bigger caseloads and searches taking longer I'd say.

mumofone1980 · 21/06/2022 08:48

Notclosenow · 20/06/2022 19:38

The Exchange didn't happen 😕. Fingers crossed for tomorrow

Weve been waiting to exchange since end of May we was supposed to exchange again last friday, now again this Friday. Its so stressful isnt it I feel your pain x

Notclosenow · 21/06/2022 19:33

@mumofone1980
Thank you, yes so stressful. Didn't happen again today and we are supposed to complete next Tuesday!
It seems our buyers signed contract has gone astray so we go through it all again tomorrow 😣.

Good luck for Friday

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