Seller remarking property

[Chuggingthrough]

We have a hold up at the land registry on the sale of our property and the seller of our onward purchase has put their property back on the market. After we’ve spent thousands on getting everything nearly ready. It’s been 10 weeks since offer and our buyer is ready to go save for this issue.

We are really annoyed and we are doing everything possible to get it sorted. The seller is saying they still want to sell to us but are seeing if there are other options.

What can we do? Also are we under an obligation to tell our EA and buyer? I think we should out of principle but our sellers EA is trying to convince us otherwise. It could collapse the chain and leave them with no options which would hurt us too, but they want to have their cake and eat it!

What is the problem with your title at the Land Registry ?

With the best will in the world they don't know how long it will take to get sorted. Ours took nearly two years!

Why not tell your buyer the delay is risking the chain? Should this have been identified and resolved earlier in the process? Your seller is right to look elsewhere in case someone is in a better position to move quickly.

If there's a problem with the land registry then you are not in a proceedable position so if I was in the chain and knew about this I'd be re-marketing/looking for other properties to purchase.

I don't think you're obliged to tell your buyer - but surely they won't wait indefinitely and will ask what the hold up is sooner or later. Perhaps they'll be happy to wait.

The house next door to us has just sold after a 12 month delay due to land registry issues.

What specifically is the issue?

The house I'm currently buying had an admin error at the land registry which luckily got sorted in the end, but my solicitor advised that it wouldn't hold up completing as could just be changing after I became the owner.

A bit mean of them not to have told you, but they can’t be expected to hang on indefinitely. They’re setting up a Plan B. They’re probably also hoping it will spur whoever needs to be spurred to action to resolve the LR issue.

You must tell your buyer. Not only is there your land registry problem but your seller is not exclusively selling to you now. If you continue your buyer will pull out naturally thinking you are hiding things which is worse for you. They have a right to know.