Agents, Solicitors, and Chains...
Discussion
This is partly just a grumble and partly asking if we're missing something obvious with our chain and the house-buying process.
My ex and I are selling our home together and moving on. We're both buying chain-free properties (mine is probate, his is new-build) and below us are, we believe, 5 other parties in the chain. We accepted an offer in July from a couple who already had a buyer and were due to exchange on Monday of this week with a view to complete in the first working week of January, but have had little coherent information on why this didn't take place.
As far as we understand it, our buyers are ready to go, but somewhere below them is an issue. Excuses given so far include someone lower in the chain having a mortgage offer which expires before the end of the year, but this was then apparently sorted because they got an extension to 6th January which is our intended completion date. Then we were told a lender was waiting for the "certificate of title" and then it was a delay for a lender to "release funds". The last two of these don't make sense to me as a certificate of title would have been completed some weeks ago and the funds don't need to be released until January.
Our agent simply tells us she's "left voicemails" for various people in the chain or is awaiting a call-back, and then claims it would be a breach of GDPR to disclose to us the details of any other agents for us to make our own enquiries. I call bull on this as GDPR relates to personally identifying information and if we don't have the names of the individuals, only the agent and property reference, we shouldn't breach any rules here.
Realistically someone, somewhere, in this chain knows exactly what the hold-up is and is purposefully hiding it from the others in the transaction and it's absolutely infuriating. It's also a pain that our agent only appears to do something/call anyone when we chase for an update.
Words of wisdom or sympathy appreciated
My ex and I are selling our home together and moving on. We're both buying chain-free properties (mine is probate, his is new-build) and below us are, we believe, 5 other parties in the chain. We accepted an offer in July from a couple who already had a buyer and were due to exchange on Monday of this week with a view to complete in the first working week of January, but have had little coherent information on why this didn't take place.
As far as we understand it, our buyers are ready to go, but somewhere below them is an issue. Excuses given so far include someone lower in the chain having a mortgage offer which expires before the end of the year, but this was then apparently sorted because they got an extension to 6th January which is our intended completion date. Then we were told a lender was waiting for the "certificate of title" and then it was a delay for a lender to "release funds". The last two of these don't make sense to me as a certificate of title would have been completed some weeks ago and the funds don't need to be released until January.
Our agent simply tells us she's "left voicemails" for various people in the chain or is awaiting a call-back, and then claims it would be a breach of GDPR to disclose to us the details of any other agents for us to make our own enquiries. I call bull on this as GDPR relates to personally identifying information and if we don't have the names of the individuals, only the agent and property reference, we shouldn't breach any rules here.
Realistically someone, somewhere, in this chain knows exactly what the hold-up is and is purposefully hiding it from the others in the transaction and it's absolutely infuriating. It's also a pain that our agent only appears to do something/call anyone when we chase for an update.
Words of wisdom or sympathy appreciated
Caddyshack said:
I often think that asking for a viewing on another house puts the fear in to the agent of their chain collapsing.
The memorandum of sale should give you a starting point of other people in the chain.
Yes, we've got the details of our immediate buyers but only their name/address/solicitor. Their solicitor refuses to speak to us, obviously.The memorandum of sale should give you a starting point of other people in the chain.
As for other viewings, we're the top of the chain so I don't think that would have any real risk.
You must know your buyers, and they must know theirs. And so on.
And justifiably your buyer must be equally annoyed if stuff further down is looking like it has problems, and they’re one step closer than you.
Perhaps try find out of them what they know.
Or ask for a formal ‘state of play’ of the chain via the conveyancer?
Surely they must be kept up to date with it all in order to select appropriate target dates?
And justifiably your buyer must be equally annoyed if stuff further down is looking like it has problems, and they’re one step closer than you.
Perhaps try find out of them what they know.
Or ask for a formal ‘state of play’ of the chain via the conveyancer?
Surely they must be kept up to date with it all in order to select appropriate target dates?
Mr Whippy said:
You must know your buyers, and they must know theirs. And so on.
And justifiably your buyer must be equally annoyed if stuff further down is looking like it has problems, and they’re one step closer than you.
Perhaps try find out of them what they know.
Or ask for a formal ‘state of play’ of the chain via the conveyancer?
Surely they must be kept up to date with it all in order to select appropriate target dates?
We know our buyers names, but don't have any contact details for them. I have emailed our agent and asked them to pass my details to the buyers on the basis we have received post for them at our house and they might want to arrange collection (again with the view to do as you say and see if they know any more than we do).And justifiably your buyer must be equally annoyed if stuff further down is looking like it has problems, and they’re one step closer than you.
Perhaps try find out of them what they know.
Or ask for a formal ‘state of play’ of the chain via the conveyancer?
Surely they must be kept up to date with it all in order to select appropriate target dates?
Our conveyancer is just as inept as the agent. She outright ignores all calls/emails unless she needs something and will just forward emails from the chain below when she receives them rather than being proactive.
romeogolf said:
Mr Whippy said:
You must know your buyers, and they must know theirs. And so on.
And justifiably your buyer must be equally annoyed if stuff further down is looking like it has problems, and they’re one step closer than you.
Perhaps try find out of them what they know.
Or ask for a formal ‘state of play’ of the chain via the conveyancer?
Surely they must be kept up to date with it all in order to select appropriate target dates?
We know our buyers names, but don't have any contact details for them. I have emailed our agent and asked them to pass my details to the buyers on the basis we have received post for them at our house and they might want to arrange collection (again with the view to do as you say and see if they know any more than we do).And justifiably your buyer must be equally annoyed if stuff further down is looking like it has problems, and they’re one step closer than you.
Perhaps try find out of them what they know.
Or ask for a formal ‘state of play’ of the chain via the conveyancer?
Surely they must be kept up to date with it all in order to select appropriate target dates?
Our conveyancer is just as inept as the agent. She outright ignores all calls/emails unless she needs something and will just forward emails from the chain below when she receives them rather than being proactive.
Your solicitor should have the buyers details?
At some point you’ll be signing an exchange document with them all on. They won’t be a secret.
They shouldn’t be a secret any way.
And thus they’ll have their buyers and so on.
If this really is that close then I’m assuming there is a draft contract with it all in there any way?
I suppose this is where you find out how good your conveyancer is, and cheap might not always mean good.
I’ve to make this decision shortly.
Go with the trusted local firm who know me and my family, but can be a bit slow… but I know will do it right and proper and so on.
Or try a fast/furious type who might be amazing/fast until there is a hiccup and I become bottom of the pile fodder.
At some point you’ll be signing an exchange document with them all on. They won’t be a secret.
They shouldn’t be a secret any way.
And thus they’ll have their buyers and so on.
If this really is that close then I’m assuming there is a draft contract with it all in there any way?
I suppose this is where you find out how good your conveyancer is, and cheap might not always mean good.
I’ve to make this decision shortly.
Go with the trusted local firm who know me and my family, but can be a bit slow… but I know will do it right and proper and so on.
Or try a fast/furious type who might be amazing/fast until there is a hiccup and I become bottom of the pile fodder.
Mr Whippy said:
Your solicitor should have the buyers details?
At some point you’ll be signing an exchange document with them all on. They won’t be a secret.
They shouldn’t be a secret any way.
And thus they’ll have their buyers and so on.
If this really is that close then I’m assuming there is a draft contract with it all in there any way?
I suppose this is where you find out how good your conveyancer is, and cheap might not always mean good.
I’ve to make this decision shortly.
Go with the trusted local firm who know me and my family, but can be a bit slow… but I know will do it right and proper and so on.
Or try a fast/furious type who might be amazing/fast until there is a hiccup and I become bottom of the pile fodder.
The only details we have of our buyers is their address - which isn't local - and we can't just pick up the phone to them (trust me, if I had their number I'd have called by now!)At some point you’ll be signing an exchange document with them all on. They won’t be a secret.
They shouldn’t be a secret any way.
And thus they’ll have their buyers and so on.
If this really is that close then I’m assuming there is a draft contract with it all in there any way?
I suppose this is where you find out how good your conveyancer is, and cheap might not always mean good.
I’ve to make this decision shortly.
Go with the trusted local firm who know me and my family, but can be a bit slow… but I know will do it right and proper and so on.
Or try a fast/furious type who might be amazing/fast until there is a hiccup and I become bottom of the pile fodder.
We are using a local firm of conveyancers specifically because of advice received here and elsewhere. They never have any updates and our actual conveyancer never comes to the phone, we only ever leave messages to which the response is that "your buyers conveyancers have advised..."
Caddyshack said:
Put a note through the door that will become your new home. It’ll annoy the agent but who cares
And as both of us are buying vacant properties, the note-through-the-door approach wouldn't achieve anything.Defcon5 said:
It seems to be an entire industry staffed by incompetent people.
At best they are useless, at worst they blatantly lie to you
Yup, its like the entire system is designed to test the patience of Job.At best they are useless, at worst they blatantly lie to you
Instead of further breaking the rental market or messing on with leasehold, the govt should do something about the buying process.
My agent is excellent, which is probably why I have used them for 40+ sales, my solicitor is excellent too. My agent has one member of staff who does nothing else but progress sales, so I always know whats what. If things seem a bit slow I just contact her and she chases everyone up. I can imagine all the other agents and solicitors hate it when she calls as she won’t take no for an answer 
Little Lofty said:
My agent is excellent, which is probably why I have used them for 40+ sales, my solicitor is excellent too. My agent has one member of staff who does nothing else but progress sales, so I always know whats what. If things seem a bit slow I just contact her and she chases everyone up. I can imagine all the other agents and solicitors hate it when she calls as she won’t take no for an answer
Yes, all agents should employ Sales Progressors. In the last few years we have bought and sold 5 properties, and the ones that went most smoothly were with the 2 agencies that had progressors.
Little Lofty said:
My agent is excellent, which is probably why I have used them for 40+ sales, my solicitor is excellent too. My agent has one member of staff who does nothing else but progress sales, so I always know whats what. If things seem a bit slow I just contact her and she chases everyone up. I can imagine all the other agents and solicitors hate it when she calls as she won’t take no for an answer
Somewhat less property moves than yourself but our last we found the selling agents to have a staff member dedicated to progressing the sale. She was like an attractive blonde Rottweiler if that could be such a thing. Pretty much the rest of the chain were awful and she solely kept everyone on their toes. No immediate plans but it almost certainly will make that our choice of agent when we do move.EA here - If you've got the address of the buyer, it wouldn't be hard via Rightmove or similar to find out the agent they are selling through so you can give them a call, a decent firm will be happy to talk to you and can do so without breaking any rules. It probably won't speed things up but more information is better than less!
There is however no point in chasing if you aren't 100% ready to go on your own purchases, I'm sure you are but in this industry, it's often the person making the most noise who holds us up in the end.
Still working here!
There is however no point in chasing if you aren't 100% ready to go on your own purchases, I'm sure you are but in this industry, it's often the person making the most noise who holds us up in the end.
Still working here!
LFB531 said:
EA here - If you've got the address of the buyer, it wouldn't be hard via Rightmove or similar to find out the agent they are selling through so you can give them a call, a decent firm will be happy to talk to you and can do so without breaking any rules. It probably won't speed things up but more information is better than less!
There is however no point in chasing if you aren't 100% ready to go on your own purchases, I'm sure you are but in this industry, it's often the person making the most noise who holds us up in the end.
Still working here!
Thanks - Yes, my next point of contact was to try the agent directly above but we have - finally in the last few minutes - had movement and been told the bottom of the chain is now ready to exchange. The delay was their mortgage extension required a new offer to be sent to the conveyancer, for this to be reviewed, and then approved for exchange. That's now done. Of course had that actual message been passed up the chain we'd all be relaxed knowing it was happening.There is however no point in chasing if you aren't 100% ready to go on your own purchases, I'm sure you are but in this industry, it's often the person making the most noise who holds us up in the end.
Still working here!
And we're ready to go, have been since Friday, eager to get this whole saga over with and move on with our respective lives in the new year!
Out of interest, as an agent, what information can/can't you provide to a seller/buyer? She was quoting GDPR to me but it very much felt like she just wanted to prove her value rather than let me do anything myself.
romeogolf said:
Thanks - Yes, my next point of contact was to try the agent directly above but we have - finally in the last few minutes - had movement and been told the bottom of the chain is now ready to exchange. The delay was their mortgage extension required a new offer to be sent to the conveyancer, for this to be reviewed, and then approved for exchange. That's now done. Of course had that actual message been passed up the chain we'd all be relaxed knowing it was happening.
And we're ready to go, have been since Friday, eager to get this whole saga over with and move on with our respective lives in the new year!
Out of interest, as an agent, what information can/can't you provide to a seller/buyer? She was quoting GDPR to me but it very much felt like she just wanted to prove her value rather than let me do anything myself.
That's good news!And we're ready to go, have been since Friday, eager to get this whole saga over with and move on with our respective lives in the new year!
Out of interest, as an agent, what information can/can't you provide to a seller/buyer? She was quoting GDPR to me but it very much felt like she just wanted to prove her value rather than let me do anything myself.
If we were acting for you, I am able to pass on 'relevant' information to assist not only with decision making but also ongoing progression. Obviously I'm not going to release email or phone numbers without consent nor am I going to give you detailed specifics about what someone earns. I can talk to you about Loan to Value, the name of the lender, timing aspirations, chain details above and below together with anything we've learned about the situation of the parties involved. Basically, we should be able to give you as complete a picture of the transaction plan as possible and keep you involved with that as the situation updates.
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