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Original poster

About to put our house up for sale...anyone else? Part Two!

973 replies

InTheCludgie · 13/09/2022 14:58

Hi everyone here is the new thread for those of us who are about to, or are currently trying to, sell our homes!

So we are now back on the market and have a viewing tomorrow morning, plus one for early next week. This week is a bit tricky as it's DS's birthday so have had to say no to a couple of suggested times for viewings.

How is everyone else getting on?

OP posts:
JesusInTheCabbageVan · 03/01/2023 12:08

WE HAVE EXCHANGED, thank god.

JesusInTheCabbageVan · 03/01/2023 12:23

Sending good luck vibes to everyone. Completion hopefully on Monday, so we'd better get cracking.

RidingMyBike · 03/01/2023 12:53

That doesn't sound normal @thunderouslug - ours would occasionally be out of office for a couple of days but even then there was an alternative contact number if we had any queries and someone else we could check in with.

RidingMyBike · 03/01/2023 12:55

Good luck @manateeandcake - we've just had a steel put in for an unsupported load bearing wall upstairs where one had been removed downstairs without building control being involved. The person we bought from is very lucky the house didn't fall down around them... They then went and did a loft conversion on top of that Confused

RidingMyBike · 03/01/2023 12:55

Congratulations @JesusInTheCabbageVan!

Karmatime · 03/01/2023 13:00

Congratulations @JesusInTheCabbageVan it is great to see people getting over the line!
We are supposed to exchange next week, Friday 13th at the latest. We are moving into a rental 250 miles away the week after so I’m praying we exchange so that I can move lock stock and barrel as if we don’t I’ll have to leave a lot here just in case we have to start over ….. 🙏🙏🤞🤞.

manateeandcake · 03/01/2023 13:01

Congratulations @JesusInTheCabbageVan ! Good luck with completion and move.

@RidingMyBike Can I ask how you knew you needed to put in the support? Was this an issue that arose at all when you bought the house?
In the case of the house we are buying, we have no evidence the work hasn't been done to spec, the sellers just don't have the relevant certificate.

Doubleraspberry · 03/01/2023 13:08

Congratulations, @JesusInTheCabbageVan !

@manateeandcake please don't let this one pass. There's no excuse at all for such recent work not to have a completion certificate and no decent builder would do the work without involving building control. Which would make me worry a lot. Like @RidingMyBike we bought a house that turned out to be actively dangerous because of work done badly that had no building regs - we discovered it by accident while having work done to put right some of the more visible issues, but it could have been really serious.

manateeandcake · 03/01/2023 13:39

Thanks @Doubleraspberry , we definitely don't plan to let it pass. It's just very frustrating as it's taken a long time to come to light (for various reasons), we thought we were close to exchange, we've already pulled out of one purchase because of a planning issue and we thought that one of the advantages of this one was that they had all the paperwork!

RidingMyBike · 03/01/2023 14:29

Hi @manateeandcake it came up in the survey - we had a more detailed one done and the surveyor highlighted it as something that needed further investigation. The house needed a lot of work anyway (expected) so we just made sure our builder checked it and the structural engineer did the calculations - we were already using him for a new staircase.

RidingMyBike · 03/01/2023 14:32

It also felt like a lower risk as we weren't planning to move in until after renovation completed, we're currently in rental. So we wouldn't be living in a house with an unsupported wall at all.

manateeandcake · 03/01/2023 15:59

Thanks @RidingMyBike In our case we would be moving straight in. The vendors initially told us that the removal of the load bearing wall was covered by the same completion cert as the kitchen extension and loft, which were done around the same time (4 years ago). Our lawyer seemed satisfied by this and it was only our surveyor who pointed out that the description on the cert made no mention of the wall removal. Today I called the building inspection company and they confirmed that it was not covered. We have gone back to the vendors to ask if they can shed light and perhaps provide calculations and photos from when the work was done.

Melminiani · 03/01/2023 16:31

Fantastic news @JesusInTheCabbageVan congratulations! As @Karmatime said, it really is nice to hear that people are actually making it to the sunlight flooded plains of actually selling their houses! Also, good luck @Karmatime, keeping everything crossed for you (and anyone else waiting to exchange) 🤞🏼

ChristmasCakeAndStilton · 03/01/2023 17:27

Congratulations @JesusInTheCabbageVan
It's a great relief, isn't it!

@thunderouslug if there is anyone else in the firm, get them to progress the file in your named Solicitors absence. Ours had a weeks holiday just before the Xmas shutdown (they stopped completions from 21 Dec) so I questioned if we could exchange and/or complete in her absence, and it was fine - one of her colleagues could pick up the file.

JesusInTheCabbageVan · 03/01/2023 19:46

@ChristmasCakeAndStilton Massive relief, especially as we've already packed a ton of stuff so would have been screwed if it had fallen through!

RM2013 · 03/01/2023 20:20

@JesusInTheCabbageVan congrats on the exchange what a relief

@thunderouslug id be really annoyed - the work should at least be at least covered by a colleague. I was annoyed enough that our solicitor was unavailable from 22nd Dec until today!

we were hoping to exchange this week and move next week but the transfer form still hasn’t been signed by the previous owner (I have posted on another thread) but we have called EA and threatened to pull out if not resolved by Friday as this has been going on weeks and weeks and weeks and we only need 1 form signed

thunderouslug · 04/01/2023 07:44

Thanks everyone! Have emailed the assistant to ask what's going on and who's covering. If I don't hear back today I'll call.

@RM2013 That's so strange. Just fill in the form and post it. Why do you think they're dragging their feet?

RM2013 · 04/01/2023 08:23

@thunderouslug its not the correct owners that need to fill out the form but previous owners due to a mess up with forms when they sold the house so they have no incentive to fill the form
out quickly. Let’s hope estate agents realise we will pull out if not sorted

hope you get some news about who is going to be dealing with your case today

Original poster
InTheCludgie · 05/01/2023 10:51

Happy New Year to everyone, nice to hear that there's been some movement for a few of you! It was quite quiet here for us, but have two viewers tonight (one is the man before Christmas who turned up half an hour late, so it's positive that he's come back) plus another viewer on Sunday. Please let one of them be the one who loves the house and wants it!

OP posts:
manateeandcake · 05/01/2023 11:09

Happy New Year @InTheCludgie It is good news that the viewer from before Christmas is still keen. Fingers crossed for both viewings.

We have been chasing our estate agent and solicitor to find out how close our buyers are to being able to exchange. Just had a reply from EA saying they say they are "almost ready" to exchange but that their solicitor has advised them to visit the house again first and they want to do this on Monday. I have no problem with them visiting again (though would rather not have to tidy!) to measure or whatever, as although they viewed twice they haven't been in the house since we accepted their offer in late September. But the bit about the solicitor advising them to visit seems strange to me and is making me anxious that they are gearing up to gazunder again. Anyone heard of this or know why a solicitor would advise it?

thunderouslug · 05/01/2023 11:16

@RM2013 I see. That does seem like they wouldn't have much motivation to get it done. Crazy that they can just hold your transaction hostage essentially. Let's hope signing and sending the form is their New Year's resolution...

@InTheCludgie Crossing my fingers that you finally get someone who falls in love with your house.

@manateeandcake I've not heard of this either. Maybe the solicitor recently had a case where something big went wrong in a house just before exchange that their clients got left with but would have known about had they viewed again?

Our house is being surveyed today. Still cross that they left it so late but whatever. Can't think of anything major that'll come up other than some new render on one wall. Better than the damp period property we're buying for sure.

RM2013 · 05/01/2023 19:52

@InTheCludgie fingers crossed for you and really hope one of your viewers puts a good offer in.

@manateeandcake I don’t think it’s necessarily common practice for Solicitors to advise another viewing before exchange. We certainly haven’t been advised nor have our buyers but I have read a couple of articles that suggest solicitors may encourage people to view before exchange.! Hopefully it’s just a pre exchange visit and nothing sinister like a gazunder

@thunderouslug hope the survey went well. Fingers crossed everything starts moving along nicely

we’ve had a bit of movement today and I am hoping that my rant and threat to pull out has worked!! Phone call from EA this morning to say that one of the previous owners (it’s a couple that have since split up) came into the office with the signed transfer form first thing and they had arranged to visit the other previous owner this evening to get his signature on the form and then they were going to hand deliver the signed form to my solicitor.

ive asked solicitor if completion would be possible on 18th - she said it would be ok but doesn’t want to set the date in stone until she has the form in her possession!!!

hopefully will hear tomorrow for
certain. I’ve provisionally reserved our removal
firm as they were getting quite booked up

keep everything crossed!!!!!

Original poster
InTheCludgie · 05/01/2023 20:02

Thanks @RM2013 but the viewings didn't go to plan! One changed their mind earlier today and the other (guy who was half an hour late first time) never even bothered to show. There was me thinking 2023 might be more positive in this regard...

OP posts:
manateeandcake · 05/01/2023 20:15

@InTheCludgie How frustrating! I hope some more serious interest comes along very soon.

@RM2013 Sounds very promising -- fingers crossed!

We're feeling less worried about the thing about the solicitor advising a visit as our EA says it has become more common as solicitors want to try and protect their clients against sellers who may have made major changes to the property.

LionessesRules · 05/01/2023 20:25

@manateeandcake whilst I've never heard of a solicitor advising a viewing prior to exchange, it is good practice to do so. You basically accept the house in the condition at exchange.
We viewed again as we ere getting close to exchange (indeed our vendors asked if we wanted a second viewing at thst point), but surprisingly our very picky buyers (estate agent described them as very naive with some of the stuff they were asking) did 2 viewings very close together, then nothing.

I'm sorry the viewings haven't worked out Cludgie