Withdrawing offer

[Fidgety31]

I did ask this on someone else’s thread but thought best to start my own …

I offered on a house a month ago and it was accepted . I instructed conveyancers and paid a deposit . I am also selling so that is moving nicely .

However the vendor of the house I want to buy isn’t doing anything . The estate shavers haven’t sent the memorandum of sale . The vendor hasn’t filled in any house information . I don’t know if they even have a solicitor

If I were to withdraw my offer and find someone / somewhere with more activity - would I have to pay extra fees to my solicitor ? The searches haven’t been done yet . Nothing has been done .

Only your solicitor can answer that but if they really haven't done any work I wouldn't expect a bill (but remember just because searches haven't been completed it doesn't mean the solicitor has done no work)

It depends on your solicitor and the fees that have been incurred - best to ask them.

We used an online firm that allowed us to switch to another property when our purchase fell through for no additional costs, but it depends on the stage in the conveyancing.

What is the status with the buyers moving on? It's pretty common atm to have to wait for the chain to complete before doing anything- could this be the case?

If nothing has been done, there shouldn't be any charges.

Just call your solicitor and ask them.

Very doubtful as they wouldn't have started any work without the memorandum of sale as they'll be waiting on draft contracts to be issued.

Withdraw your offer and move on their clearly not motivated to sell and you'll be hanging on for them and possibly lose your buyer as they'll be fed up also.

What deposit have you paid and to whom? Why did you have to pay one so early in the transaction? Normally no deposit is paid in until exchange of contracts.

By "deposit" do you mean you gave the solicitor funds on account? Most solicitors require you to advance some funds in anticipation of starting work / disbursements for their searches etc. but this will be held and returned to you (depending what fees have been incurred).

Hi . I was asked to pay £325 upfront - assuming for searches / deposit
I haven’t bought before so not sure if this is the correct term ?

I am waiting for my solicitor to call me back to discuss .
she has also emailed the estate agents asking for the memo of sale and not yet has a reply either

The amount you paid to the solicitor would most likely be monies on account in that case for their anticipated work / search fees etc., rather than related to the deposit for the actual purchase. You might be able to get some or all of this money back depending what work has been done to-date. The solicitor will be able to give you this information.

My son paid 250 on account for his flat that he was buying in August last year
they did money laundering check
ID checks
searches
then it fell through in April this year due to a ground rent issue

it just cost my son the 250 he had on account