Conveyancing - why cant it be done in 1-2 weeks?
Discussion
I'm sure over the years most of us will have experience of this. We are mid move at the moment having had our sale side fall through we are up and running on attempt 2. On the purchase side we pressed on and have now signed our contracts but not exchanged of course. During the conversation (about 10 days ago now) our solicitor went wide eyed at the prospect of having things sorted by the end of March. Why!?
As far as I understand it this is the basic process of making a house purchase:
Memorandum of sale and instruction from client
Mortgage offer in principle
Searches (all online and available instantly)
Survey
Mortgage offer
Queries on deeds
Exchange
Complete
Why can this not be done in 2 weeks?
As far as I understand it this is the basic process of making a house purchase:
Memorandum of sale and instruction from client
Mortgage offer in principle
Searches (all online and available instantly)
Survey
Mortgage offer
Queries on deeds
Exchange
Complete
Why can this not be done in 2 weeks?
fridaypassion said:
I'm sure over the years most of us will have experience of this. We are mid move at the moment having had our sale side fall through we are up and running on attempt 2. On the purchase side we pressed on and have now signed our contracts but not exchanged of course. During the conversation (about 10 days ago now) our solicitor went wide eyed at the prospect of having things sorted by the end of March. Why!?
As far as I understand it this is the basic process of making a house purchase:
Memorandum of sale and instruction from client
Mortgage offer in principle
Searches (all online and available instantly)
Survey
Mortgage offer
Queries on deeds
Exchange
Complete
Why can this not be done in 2 weeks?
It can be done in 2 weeks. But generally it isn't because each stage of the process has a lead time. Searches aren't all online and available instantlly, by the way.As far as I understand it this is the basic process of making a house purchase:
Memorandum of sale and instruction from client
Mortgage offer in principle
Searches (all online and available instantly)
Survey
Mortgage offer
Queries on deeds
Exchange
Complete
Why can this not be done in 2 weeks?
Also there is a culture issue, particularly amongst solicitors, of not doing stuff quickly.
I think the searches are more like 6 weeks.
There are always various queries going back and forth which take time.
In a chain someone has invariably chosen the cheapest conveyancing they can find who delay at every contact and the chain is as slow as the weakest link.
If you buy at auction it is usually 20 business days, but the searches have already been done and the sale is largely at the risk of the buyer as contracts already exchanged etc.
There are always various queries going back and forth which take time.
In a chain someone has invariably chosen the cheapest conveyancing they can find who delay at every contact and the chain is as slow as the weakest link.
If you buy at auction it is usually 20 business days, but the searches have already been done and the sale is largely at the risk of the buyer as contracts already exchanged etc.
In my experience, female solicitors are a LOT better - when I bought this house, the conveyancing took 3 months. No chain. Male solicitor.
My mum bought her house, no chain, conveyancing done in 3 weeks. We paid the same, they both work for the same firm, her solicitor was much more "let's get this done" than mine, who was feeding me all sorts of crap - like he had to make sure my house wasn't built on agricultural land (3 bed semi in the suburbs, built in the 60s, identical to every other house in the street), anything to stretch out his time. He's not even particularly busy, was just looking forward to retirement.
My mum bought her house, no chain, conveyancing done in 3 weeks. We paid the same, they both work for the same firm, her solicitor was much more "let's get this done" than mine, who was feeding me all sorts of crap - like he had to make sure my house wasn't built on agricultural land (3 bed semi in the suburbs, built in the 60s, identical to every other house in the street), anything to stretch out his time. He's not even particularly busy, was just looking forward to retirement.
6 months and counting. There was a freehold issue, but my main issue is the who owns the other 50% of the freehold who has stopped replying to emails as he doesn't care, yet this is costing me thousands on the exchange rate for every week that goes by that he won't pull his thumb out. I have to beg via email to motivate him, and even that is hit or miss. I'm tempted to fly back to England and give him a slap as he obviously doesn't quite grasp how he's affecting matters.
I don't know why it takes so long though on a straight forward sale. I bought with no chain, future house was empty, yet still took 4 months. In the world of email, it seems to have gotten no quicker. Yet costs more.
I don't know why it takes so long though on a straight forward sale. I bought with no chain, future house was empty, yet still took 4 months. In the world of email, it seems to have gotten no quicker. Yet costs more.
The process would be sped up somewhat if people spoke to and instructed their solicitor before or as soon as they started to think seriously about selling and/or buying a property.
Different properties have different requirements. A 3 bed on an estate may be freehold, or leasehold. It may be subject to an annual service or rent charge. The Sellers may be slow on con pleating their forms. The Buyers may have a wedding the one week in March the Sellers are on shore. The Grant of Probate in the estate of the last property in the chain has yet to be applied for whilst the family raise the IHT.
Many of these issues can be dealt with or communicated better if pre instructed.
Some people confuse solicitors with other types of conveyancer. One broken part in any chain or a collection of minor in themselves unavailable dates can lead to delays.
Sometimes it's a st solicitor.
It can be done in 2 weeks but you'd need everyone ready to roll day one.
Different properties have different requirements. A 3 bed on an estate may be freehold, or leasehold. It may be subject to an annual service or rent charge. The Sellers may be slow on con pleating their forms. The Buyers may have a wedding the one week in March the Sellers are on shore. The Grant of Probate in the estate of the last property in the chain has yet to be applied for whilst the family raise the IHT.
Many of these issues can be dealt with or communicated better if pre instructed.
Some people confuse solicitors with other types of conveyancer. One broken part in any chain or a collection of minor in themselves unavailable dates can lead to delays.
Sometimes it's a st solicitor.
It can be done in 2 weeks but you'd need everyone ready to roll day one.
TheAngryDog said:
Yes. No response yet.
Typical timescale with no major issues should be 4-6 weeks after your solicitor receives papers from sellers solicitors. Swifter ways are sometimes possible but can require extra disbursements and costs. If you can't get to speak to or email your solicitor or someone with authority dirctly you're using the wrong person.The very worst thing you can do is use anyone an estate agent hands you the paperwork to sign up for. Certainly without reading the small print...
We have just moved (November) and yes, the conveyancing and missives did seem to take ages.
It doesnt help that they seem to be all done by letter, even in this day and age. Every little question on the contract was done by mail, either the question itself or the qualified reply via ourselves for confirmation of answer.
It doesnt help that they seem to be all done by letter, even in this day and age. Every little question on the contract was done by mail, either the question itself or the qualified reply via ourselves for confirmation of answer.
Rude-boy said:
TheAngryDog said:
Yes. No response yet.
Typical timescale with no major issues should be 4-6 weeks after your solicitor receives papers from sellers solicitors. Swifter ways are sometimes possible but can require extra disbursements and costs. If you can't get to speak to or email your solicitor or someone with authority dirctly you're using the wrong person.The very worst thing you can do is use anyone an estate agent hands you the paperwork to sign up for. Certainly without reading the small print...
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