Buyers / sellers exchange waiting room continued...

[NoWordForFluffy]

New thread for those of us still waiting the dreadful wait. 😩

The Land Registry? I would. They were ever so nice and got it done in two weeks. He was selling to pay for care though.

thanks, yes I've got to think about it. What I don't want is the buyer walking in after purchase, switching it on and finding it's failed. I'd almost prefer it to be written off. This did happen on here recently, boiler failed between exchange and completion, think property was empty, but most posters said it was the buyer's problem. If it's happened out of the blue, yes, but this is different.

I'm sure some would say wait and see if it he checks it but that doesn't sit right with me. I'll now be nervous to switch it on when I go. Do unto others and all that.

We don't really have a reason like your uncle selling for care. Just my impatience and two autistic children we've stupidly told about the move who will now go into meltdown if it's delayed by months and months. If they refuse this time, I'll apply again when the mortgage offer is expiring in March and hope that works.

I think with a boiler, I'd definitely do what you're doing. After exchange it's different to an extent, even if a bit shitty for the buyer.

Have been told that my contracts (buying) have been put in the post yesterday for my signature.
Still no proposed Exchange or Completion date though....!

That’s ok it’s normal to sign the contract even before you are ready to Exchange. Your solicitor just keeps it on file until all parties have agreed to a particular day to Exchange.

So the surveys have FINALLY come back this morning and the buyer has been straight on the phone and wants £10,000 knocking off the price. We’d already accepted an offer of £2,500 below asking price so £12,500 in total. This feels never ending!

Mercy do you feel the faults found are legit?

I'm a pessimist so tbh I still have a higher price than I was expecting...to that end, I told the estate agent about the boiler today. He was quite surprised why I wouldn't just fix it but if it needs pumps replacing, that's at least two days I've got to do a four hour round trip, with no guarantee than such an old boiler would work at the end of that.

That would have been a commute in previous days but now I just can't face it.

I suppose I have to, have medical appointment today, will see if I can regain some energy for next week. It's really lucky I've got the time. I suppose the buyer might pull out though and the idea of going through all this again.....

I actually wish I'd gone for MOMA in the first place to do it quicker.

Shit, @MercyNursey. Have they shared the report with you (or the bits recommending work at least)?

I spoke to our solicitor this morning, and they're waiting to see if the other solicitor will provide an undertaking about their registration and any amendments needed post-completion (they won't) or if they'll agree to apply to expedite their registration. I can't see why they'd be so stubborn as to not apply, as surely everybody wants the house sold to us ASAP. They've been odd to date though, so who knows. I've told my solicitor that we'll pay their costs of £150 inc VAT if absolutely necessary, to get them to do it. But only if we have to!

We signed our contract weeks ago now. And we're nowhere near exchange.

One of the points- yeah
the others are- loft regulations. The loft was boarded out/ carpeted by a previous owner, pull down ladders were added and a skylight. It’s used as storage, it’s not an extra bedroom and hasn’t been advertised as such at ALL. It wasn’t mentioned in the advert etc. they’ve said it doesn’t meet building regulations? Which we’re unsure about what this means as it’s literally just a loft space.

There was also a chimney breast that was removed maybes 20/30 years ago? Way before our time anyway, they want money knocked off because of this?

DP has hit the roof and said absolutely no way. We had some bad news about a friend yesterday (basically a brother to DP) and his dad is very unwell so I can see this is all too much for him. I’m off work today and haven’t stopped crying 🙈

I'm so sorry @MercyNursey . It all sounds too much. Can you take a few days before responding?

@MercyNursey sorry to hear this. Don't respond to them straight away and give yourselves a bit of breathing space. I'd ask the agent to point out it's a loft space and not being marketed or priced as a bedroom.

They sound like they're trying it on, @MercyNursey. Is it possible to get a report on the structural integrity of the chimney breast (I'm pretty sure it would've caused issues by now if it wasn't structurally sound, but if you can get a report saying it's fine, it removes that argument).

Yeah I’m going to tell DP let’s give it a few days over the weekend and decide from there. We’ve waited so long for the surveys to come back and fully feel like they’re taking the mick now!

@MercyNursey I think they’re being very cheeky. So long as the property is structurally sound, roof is sound, no rising damp, subsidence, a load of asbestos … I can’t think of any other reason for renegotiating on the price.

We’ve just had the survey back on the property we are buying, there are a lot of things that we will need to remedy, most things we had anticipated as saw when we viewed but the house is structurally sound so no significant extra cost. We are prepared to suck up the cost of the other things picked up that we missed, like the loft not being insulated, ancient hot water tank, a couple of blown windows etc, doors with no safety glass etc.

In your situation, I would leave it a few days, let them sweat a bit about losing the house. I’d double check about building regs if some work has been done on a loft, I’m not aware of any myself, especially if it’s got a loft ladder rather than a staircase leading up to it.

Regarding the chimney, I think you can get indemnity insurance for something like the chimney when it was done so long ago.

I really can’t understand why they think they can ask for a £10k reduction.

I would maybe consider offering £1 or 2k reduction for the chimney so they at least feel they have something to keep the whole process moving. You could say no reduction and put house back on the market and see what happens. Not sure I’d be brave enough to do that myself though.

it’s a young, first time buyer so I’m wondering whether he’s getting advice off of a parent etc? Either way we’re going to reject it, the house is structurally sound, new boiler, roof is fine etc, so no justification. My DP has spoken to the estate agents, they’re going to ring the buyer this afternoon and state we are willing to accept this. I think DP is very much leaning towards taking it off the market and just staying as we are but we’ve already spent so much money, found a house we love etc. but I think he is so stressed this is the last thing he needs 😭 I’ve said to him we’ll see what is said tomorrow then deal with it next week.

We aren't* willing to accept this

I am still impatiently waiting for searches, been about 5/6 WD's now so hopeful the results will be back sometime next week.

The wait is driving my anxiety through the roof, making me physically sick.

Although, I have no indication of anything going wrong. The seller of the one I am buying, seems very eager. The buyer of mine, hasn't raised/indicated any issues and been positive around some suggested completion dates recently. I still can only think of what could go wrong.

@MercyNursey What a nightmare for you and DP and I agree - really out of order for them to expect such a big deduction. I know your DP is stressed but I think it’s the right thing not to give in to them.

A flurry of activity today - 3 viewings booked one after the other tomorrow afternoon. 😱

@MercyNursey our buyers tried to pull this stunt (without any justification) and we told them no before going silent. They came back with a counter offer. Several times. Eventually we got to an agreement, and I am sitting in our nice new home.

We were normally very efficient at responding, so it was...different behaviour. Sometimes you have to do the unexpected to move things on, and plan for the worst whilst hoping for the best. Either way, you lose nothing.

Similar here. They didn’t even make an offer on what they wanted reduced, just passed the survey and two very expensive quotes for big repairs jobs - as if I should be expected just to drop the price (again) accordingly! I did drop the price, it’s now 15,000 under asking price.

Mercy sorry if I bored you all with this already

My best friend had similar when selling an old-ish property belonging to her folks. The buyer wanted safety certificates for everything. They couldn't understand that that kind of paperwork didn't exist at the time the house was done up.

Then they wanted it sorted and paid for now - so a bunch of inspections that the house wouldn't pass anyway. They wanted reductions as well, though not this much.

It delayed the sale by at least a month but finally my friend said "no, this is it - take it or leave it". It was ridiculous.

Re the chimney breast, if they have found evidence there used to be one, it's irrelevant. The house is structurally sound now, is the point.

The loft thing is quite mad.

News here - boiler fixed. I wasn't there but they are sending an engineer report.

I have decided not to go back for a month, or before exchange, whichever comes first.

If exchange actually happens.

As we're still waiting on fire safety documents for a high rise, I am not optimistic. I would have done well to be more pessimistic at the start of this but being so ill took it off my radar for about two months.

it does look as if a sale fell through in the building because the buyer couldn't wait any longer for mgmt company paperwork. I don't know the owner but I now wonder if they lost a sale due to the fire paperwork? I am mystified how that isn't top priority.

however, my neighbour said she thinks it was something about the car parking space. Who knows.

returned from hospital to find no running water in my current flat that I live in. I think we can safely say I made a mistake moving. So it hangs over me, if the other flat doesn't sell, do I move back? At least we had a water tank to flush the loo and wash hands etc if mains water went!

I never wanted to be a landlady though. Sigh.

Fingers crossed for you @EmmaEmerald, I hope things prove more straightforward for you now.

Our two viewings went as well as we could have hoped, it's now just a waiting game to see if an offer comes through.

Good luck @MovingToPlan - were they first or second viewings?

Started the process today of porting the mortgage - already as per usual finding dealing with mortgage company terrifying so have contacted my broker to see if he’ll help. It’s a step too far with grown upping for me.

Thanks! These are first viewings, we only went live yesterday. I decided to just get it up and crack on with things.