Fed up with stress of selling

[elsieandthepooch]

We have accepted an offer on our 1 bed flat. The flat is chain free and empty. We accepted an offer from a cash buyer at the end of June.

The flat is share of freehold and the managing agents are about as helpful as a chocolate teapot. They lost my Solicitor's request for a management pack and have delayed things by 3 weeks.

I've responded to queries weeks ago (6+) and the buyers Solicitors have appeared to have only just picked these up. The buyer has now put a Radon test in the flat (1st floor) and this is delaying things further as we have to now wait for the test to run it's course and wait for the test results. The Estate Agent is amazed this has happened as the area is a high radon area - we wonder whether this is to try and get further money off.

We have already reduced the offer by 5k because of works that need to be undertaken on another block of flats. This was a generous offer as the works would only cost each share of freeholder £2.5 each.

I sent the FENSA certificate when requested for some windows that were fitted in 2009. I didn't purchase the flat until 2011. I am now being asked to provide evidence that we had permission to install these windows from the landlord (managing agent). It never came up when I was buying the flat and as far as I know it wasn't queried by my then SOlicitor.

If the previous owner did not get permission to install these windows, is this going to be problematic for the sale? We are now hoping the managing agents has something in writing, but given how disorganised and chaotic they are, I suspect not.

We are at the end of our tether with it all as financially we can't allow the flat to sit empty for much longer.

Is this normal? Anybody else going through something similar?

Feeling your pain OP, it is a very stressful time. But it is worth it in the end.

I hate moving, the process is like a punishment.

Re.the FENSA certification, there is a website that you can look this up on, we had to do this for ours when we sold. My solicitor told me about it. But, as it wasn’t you that installed the windows, how would you hold the certificates? Of course you wouldn’t. Can’t your solicitor just say the windows were installed before you purchased the flat on x date. It shouldn’t hold up your sale no.

We don’t plan on moving again 😂

Good luck, it sounds like you are getting there, just hang on in there OP.

Did you even need permission to have the windows fitted? My daughter had new windows fitted recently ( freehold flat in London) and she didn’t need permission from the management company unless she wanted to change the look of the windows frames (move from wooden to upvc frames).

She informed the management company but only as a courtesy.

I have the FENSA certificate from the previous owner. We now need to check if he had permission as per the lease. I can't evidence that as I didn't own the property when the windows were put in.

Yes, punishment! Definitely summarises things. How long did yours take to go through?

I had this and it was all so annoying. Depending on where you are, you might find it helpful to use companies like Under the Doormat or Nestify, because they'll manage airbnbing - and means that it's not a complete money pit.

I'm also selling a chain free flat

You might have seen my other info on the other thread but to add:

I was asked for planning permission and searches dating back to before the block was built. I refused - documents that are 25 years old?!

I was also asked to investigate how a £17 a year water charge was being paid. Turns out the freeholder pays it but I was lucky they didn't go further into that. In context, it was mad - the service charge is very very high and anyone with a brain knows these won't get lower.

There was a change of freeholder and mgmt co in the 15 years I lived there and I was asked a lot of questions about that too, like how and why it happened. Commercial companies buy and sell freeholds, that's how!

I'm not optimistic about this but if it falls through, I will attempt another sale before going through the horrors of renting.

I'm honestly thinking if it doesn't sell by spring, I might try a "we a buy any property" company. Given that it's a high rise, a complicated lease, a high service charge, - which is written on the listing but people seem to like to ignore details like that - I worry that any buyer will knock the price down by degrees.

@elsieandthepooch from the offer to completion just over 4mths, 4 in the chain. Most stressful thing ever, so I can empathise completely. Good luck, I hope it goes through quickly for you.

You have my utmost sympathies in selling your flat. I have just sold my flat and bought a house and it was 9 months of utter stress. Fall throughs, chasing, documents etc. Thankfully it is through now and you will get there too.
Re the windows, I had changed windows and I did have to seek permission from the management company which I had to pass to my buyer, along with FENSAs. I was not share of freehold though so might be different in your case.
Did it not come up when you bought? Perhaps check through your previous conveyancing paperwork? Or try to seek retrospective permission if not.

Hi there, sound sounds like a pain but in all honesty, buyers are doing their due diligence.

there are different types of buyers on the market today, mainly millennials who know what they want and won’t be messed around. They also care about the state if the property, safety and value for money. This is a reality and will not change.

i dont think theyre trying to get money off, rather just doing their due diligence. Tbh you should have questioned the window installation yourself at the time, but you didnt. They dont want something you missed to be passed onto them.

that’s fair.

The windows were never picked up as an issue when I bought the property and it was certainly never raised as an issue or queried by my Solicitor. I never even thought to question myself.

I can understand that. maybe it's because I am someone who scrutinizes everything in a house, I even check skirting boards and toilet flush on viewings lol.

i'm sure you'll sort this out asap and it does sound stressy but hang in there. i honestly don't think they are trying to get money off, they just sound like they are doing their due diligence and want to make sure they buy a property that's right for them. i really do think that's fair and is the standard now in the market and going forward. some sellers don't seem to understand this but you'll find ftb in particular millenials will be like this and it is better for everyone in the long run. it makes buyers themselves keep all the paperwork and know the ins and out of their property, so they have everything they need for the next buyer. it really works out for everyone.

hopefully you'll sell up soon. just give them what you know/got and hopefully solicitors can do the rest, then all the buyers can do is weigh up if the purchase is right for them. i'd expect every buyer will be like this esp with flats being a problem over the years and made people nervous because of cladding issues. so just see it as something that happens now and try your best to be helpful with what they need/ask so they feel you aren't trying to hide anything. good luck