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Original poster

To pull out from purchase because of vendor's wastage agent?

70 replies

reliahag · 28/06/2022 15:48

We've found our dream house. We're well into the conveyancing process. Our bank is yet to offer us a firm mortgage decision because of them taking on too many applications and my husband being a contractor. We've jumped through all the hoops and our waiting for a mortgage offer. Vendors estate agent has been chasing us relentlessly- two emails a week chasing updates and recently threading to withdraw the property from sale to us and offering it onto the next buyer. I know he can't do this but I'm wondering what he's feeding back to the vendors re: what's happening. Our mortgage advisor and solicitor are fed up of him but give him regular updates too and last week I sent out a strongly worded email saying they weren't to reply to him and leave everything for the solicitors to deal with.

I am fed up of the constant harassment and the threatening tone in the estate agents emails. So much so that we're thinking fuck it, we're done. We've posted a letter to the seller too to contact us directly for updates instead of their estate agent. Are we being dickheads? Should we shut up and put up or go elsewhere?

OP posts:
ImAvingOops · 28/06/2022 16:46

I'd have put my house back on the market. You can't be offering on a house when you have no mortgage offer and expect them to wait for you for months! You need to put a rocket up the arse of your broker/bank because you have no idea when you'll be able to proceed

Original poster
reliahag · 28/06/2022 16:49

Candleabra · 28/06/2022 16:30

March, wow, yes that’s your fault. Your sellers have been very patient.
Presumably no mortgage offer yet means you haven’t instructed a survey or searches? You’re at least two months away from completing, and that’s with a fair wind. No wonder your vendors are chasing.

Our searches have been done. We're going through the enquiries stage at present. Our buyer is the same. Their mortgage was only approved recently. I have no idea why our mortgage is taking so long. We've chased and chased until we're blue in the face. I don't know what lane to do.

OP posts:
gjtage · 28/06/2022 16:50

You can't be offering on a house when you have no mortgage offer and expect them to wait for you for months!

How can you have a mortgage offer with no house to buy?

Original poster
reliahag · 28/06/2022 16:50

What else to do*

OP posts:
gjtage · 28/06/2022 16:51

Do you have a good deposit? If I was selling now I'd be wary of taking an offer from someone with a low deposit.

AmaryIlis · 28/06/2022 16:54

Not sure where you get the idea that the estate agent can't bring in the next person on the list as potential buyer? If you are in England there is nothing to prevent this.

torquewench · 28/06/2022 16:56

Bear in mind the EA's sole concern is getting their fees in. No amount of contact with you is going to make things move any quicker and they are fully aware of that.
Tell your vendor direct what's happening and that you'll keep them updated. They're probably worse than usual due to it being near month end and a quarter day ...

GoldenGorilla · 28/06/2022 17:02

Are you in England? If so, of course they can simply decide not to proceed with you and pass it on to the next buyer. I’m amazed they haven’t yet - they’ve been very patient and you are being awkward and silly. If I was your vendor after that letter I’d have told the agents to go back to market as I’d think you were a loon and not trust you to go ahead.

Original poster
reliahag · 28/06/2022 17:05

The vendor was messed around by a previous buyer who made an offer and then 'ghosted' everyone according to the estate agent so the vendor is extra cautious apparently. The estate agent also sold another property for the vendors family member and was especially recommended to take on the listing so has something to prove- his own words "want to please him so we can sell for him in the future too" but he's causing no amount of grief in the meantime. I'm working away from home atm but will send an email out to our mortgage broker-again this week- asking what's causing delays and if we should go with another lender instead. To those asking, we have a decent deposit, though not £200K!

OP posts:
rodham · 28/06/2022 17:05

If I'd been waiting on buyers to get their mortgage offer since March, and they then had the brass neck to write to me telling me to ask them for updates directly, I'd be putting the house back on the market.

NeedAHoliday2021 · 28/06/2022 17:08

2 times a week after 4 months is nothing. I’m surprised they haven’t gone with the second highest bid.

Original poster
reliahag · 28/06/2022 17:08

GoldenGorilla · 28/06/2022 17:02

Are you in England? If so, of course they can simply decide not to proceed with you and pass it on to the next buyer. I’m amazed they haven’t yet - they’ve been very patient and you are being awkward and silly. If I was your vendor after that letter I’d have told the agents to go back to market as I’d think you were a loon and not trust you to go ahead.

What I meant by comment was that it's not the EA that decides who to go with, it's the vendor. My worry is that the vendor is feeding if the ea's anxiety (like us) and getting frustrated. Even if we were to get a mortgage offer this week, our buyer is still at the enquiries stage like us and our purchase depends on our sale of our current property so there's no knowing how long things will take. Honestly, I wish we were in a position to buy in cold, hard, cash :(

OP posts:
LoudingVoice · 28/06/2022 17:11

rodham · 28/06/2022 17:05

If I'd been waiting on buyers to get their mortgage offer since March, and they then had the brass neck to write to me telling me to ask them for updates directly, I'd be putting the house back on the market.

Absolutely this!! OP where on earth have you got the idea that they can’t remarket the house and take another offer? They most definitely can!

The estate agent is just doing their job, no movement on a mortgage offer since March is madness - and sending the vendors a letter directly is an incredibly bad idea.

Theyre paying the estate agent to do a job, that’s what they’re doing - why on earth would they want to deal with you direct?

I think you’re lucky they haven’t rejected your offer and found a new buyer already.

titchy · 28/06/2022 17:11

To be blunt you're nowhere near being able to exchange. Have you just told them about your mortgage progress or have you also told them that your buyer is months away from being able to complete? I suspect you haven't....

I appreciate circumstances may not be your fault, but think you need to let the vendors know to approach another offeree. Frankly I'd be massively fucked off with you.

In the meantime hope your sale continues and go into rented if necessary.

LoudingVoice · 28/06/2022 17:13

reliahag · 28/06/2022 17:08

What I meant by comment was that it's not the EA that decides who to go with, it's the vendor. My worry is that the vendor is feeding if the ea's anxiety (like us) and getting frustrated. Even if we were to get a mortgage offer this week, our buyer is still at the enquiries stage like us and our purchase depends on our sale of our current property so there's no knowing how long things will take. Honestly, I wish we were in a position to buy in cold, hard, cash :(

Show quote history

But the estate agent can rightly advise the vendor that you’re taking too long, don’t seem like a committed buyer and they’ll know full well what other buyers are looking for right now.

You're not doing yourself and favours here, can you go with a different mortgage advisor?

carefullycourageous · 28/06/2022 17:19

I don't think it is your fault - it is your mortgage lender who are delaying. My solicitor helped a bit with the mortgage company. Get your solicitor to write to their solicitor to explain you are chasing as hard as possible and are committed to the purchase.

The vendor will have an even longer delay if they move to the second highest bidder unless they are a cash buyer.

It does take an age at the moment. I think people who have not bought/sold for the last couple of years are living in a timewarp. We pushed and pushed with ours, no major dramas - it still took seven months from offer to moving day.

But you would be a dick if you pulled out due to an annoying agent.

CheshireCats · 28/06/2022 17:21

I think you are looking at it the wrong way round. It is not the Estate Agent's anxiety feeding down to the vendor, but instead it will be a seriously pissed off vendor asking the estate agent to document heir job and chase up what is happening.
Depending on when in March, it is now 3/4 months later and you don't even have a mortgage in place and don't know when you will have.
You say you will email your mortgage broker "this week " - some urgency would be good before your vendor pulls the sale. He's been messed about once, and it's seems the same is happening to him again.

Doubleraspberry · 28/06/2022 17:25

I've gone cold reading this thread. Our house is currently under offer, and we are very keen to get it done quickly. If they are still waiting for a mortgage offer in three months time I would be jumping up and down with stress. Two emails a week from the estate agent sounds perfectly reasonable to me.

Can you try another broker?

gjtage · 28/06/2022 17:27

When did you apply for the mortgage?

OldTinHat · 28/06/2022 17:30

YABVU.

Estate agents work for their vendors and a decent one will chase and chase to see their client's sale through. Several times a day, not twice a week.

Mine did because my purchasers were faffing about. They literally phoned and chased to push it through - for which I was extremely grateful and happy to pay their fee.

Sounds like you're faffing tbh.

elenacampana · 28/06/2022 17:37

Oooooo dear! I don’t think you’ve handled this well OP. I’d be straight onto the EA asking them to approach other people who’d made offers!

3monkeybars · 28/06/2022 17:37

If I were you I'd be channeling my energy and annoyance into your Mortgage - the EA is just doing their job. When I bought and sold recently I would have been delighted to work with one who was so proactive! How often are you communicating with your mortgage broker? Have you looked at any other options? We worked with L&C who are great with contractors. Our offer took less than 3 weeks.

Doubleraspberry · 28/06/2022 17:38

I genuinely think I'd be remarketing by this stage.

itbemay · 28/06/2022 17:43

Blimey! We offered in March and moved 4 weeks ago. 4 in chain. I feel for you as it was so stressful but it sounds like your EA is quite patient! The EA on all doses were calling us daily towards the end!

SunshineAndFizz · 28/06/2022 17:46

Sorry but you're the dickhead, you can't get annoyed with the EA for doing their job, March is a really long time.

And you'd be really unreasonable to pull out (not to mention shoot yourselves in the foot if it's your dream house).

All you can do is keep chasing your broker, reply promptly to the vendor/EA and keep them updated. I suspect they'll go with someone else soon unfortunately.