Tomorrow marks the 8 week mark since we instructed our solicitor. Not really sure how far along we are tbh. Everything just seems to be moving soooo slowly, even though we've returned all paperwork/questions within a day or 2 of receiving them.
The nervous wait to exchange....
- Thread starter noj
- Start date
Soldato
Always worth remembering that you're one of many clients your solicitor is dealing with simultaneously. They don't chase anything and will wait for you to chase them.
Yea I get that feeling. I've been chasing up around once a week and that's usually triggers a response, then it goes quiet again. It's just so tedious. It wouldn't rankle so much if I wasn't paying them thousands of pounds.
Soldato
I'm also moving on the 13th, fully expecting them to have left Jason Voorhees in the living room or something knowing my luck!
Soldato
We're in! What a long day it's been. Can't credit the removal guys enough, the speed they move at is incredible. Place already feels like home.
We completed yesterday and got the keys to our new home. We got in and noticed all the doors appeared to have water damage at the bottom, and damage on the skirting boards. They had left all the windows open as well as plug in air fresheners going.
My spider senses were tingling (wish they had been during the viewings). We turned them off and after a few minutes started to get a horrible urine smell. We lifted the floors and hall carpets and they stunk of urine.
We spoke to the neighbours while getting rid of stuff and they told us the previous owners had 3 dogs they never walked and left indoors most of the time. The evidence would suggest they let the house be used as a litter tray for the dogs.
We have got a few joiners coming out to quote to replace all the skirtings and doors in the house as well as some flooring…first quote over £7000. This isn’t going the way we planned at all.
What kind of manky person would let there dogs pee to the the extent skirting boards turn to sawdust and laminate peel off of doors. I’ve spent all day working in the house and all I can smell hours later is dog urine…I hope they wake up and step on Lego bricks for the rest of their days
My spider senses were tingling (wish they had been during the viewings). We turned them off and after a few minutes started to get a horrible urine smell. We lifted the floors and hall carpets and they stunk of urine.
We spoke to the neighbours while getting rid of stuff and they told us the previous owners had 3 dogs they never walked and left indoors most of the time. The evidence would suggest they let the house be used as a litter tray for the dogs.
We have got a few joiners coming out to quote to replace all the skirtings and doors in the house as well as some flooring…first quote over £7000. This isn’t going the way we planned at all.
What kind of manky person would let there dogs pee to the the extent skirting boards turn to sawdust and laminate peel off of doors. I’ve spent all day working in the house and all I can smell hours later is dog urine…I hope they wake up and step on Lego bricks for the rest of their days
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Soldato
What a horrible experience at such a time! Really feel for you. Was it not apparent during viewings?
Unfortunately not that I remember, they had strategically placed furniture and had windows open etc. We viewed in June so I wasn’t so suspicious at the time. Also the Scottish system can be stressful.
We had viewed around 20 properties and lost out on two with bids around 30k over the asking price. The property we got also went to a closing date with 8 other bidders. To be honest the house will be fantastic when the work is done. We just didn’t plan on having to do the work. Lesson learned!
We had viewed around 20 properties and lost out on two with bids around 30k over the asking price. The property we got also went to a closing date with 8 other bidders. To be honest the house will be fantastic when the work is done. We just didn’t plan on having to do the work. Lesson learned!
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Soldato
That's fair enough, good attitude
I remember doing our viewing - early December so freezing outside and we had coats on. Hurried in and out of the house in 20 minutes and realised we had no idea if they had been keeping it heated or if it felt damp etc (vacant for at least 6 months). Luckily it was fine but it's amazing what you can miss in the moment.
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Soldato
Firmly reinforcing my long-held opinion that other people, generally, are "nuts with a capital C".
Use the situation as an excuse to get the renovations sorted sooner. As a family with cat & dog breeding experience, Bicarbonate of Soda is your friend - buy *lots* (we get 5 & 10kg tubs on Amazon & eBay...
Sprinkle it *everywhere* in every nook & cranny, corners, crevices and literally anywhere you can smell dog pee, leave an hour, then vacuum (Henry's excellent for this!). Repeat until smell is gone.
That's one of the drawbacks with the Scottish system of the seller obtaining the home report (survey). You think you're saving a few bob by going with theirs and assume that the home report is the full story, when in fact it's a bit like turkeys writing Christmas cards.
Anyway, good luck with your renovations!
Oh that is absolutely brutal. Plus thoroughly dishonest of them.
Currently wincing at the price :O
How much did you pay for the removals service?
We’re going to be moving shortly but my back is awful (torn disk/arthritis). Exploring removals options but would be interested in a recommendation from a good experience!
Soldato
We obtained a few quotes through Shiply. Went with a highly rated one that came out as one of the lower prices. £470 for 5 hours for 2 men to move a 2 bed semi to a 3 bed about ten mins down the road. We ended up going over on time which was an extra £70 an hour as completion was delayed. Highly recommended.
Associate
Got a call from our EA this morning to tell us our seller has been hospitalised and the family have asked if we can complete any sooner than this Friday to avoid potentially going to probate.
We knew she was elderly and in a home but certainly didn't expect this! After a day of back and forth phone calls we have managed to cancel the existing release of funds on Friday and arrange an urgent release of funds for tomorrow via CHAPS.
Let's hope she pulls through the night.
We knew she was elderly and in a home but certainly didn't expect this! After a day of back and forth phone calls we have managed to cancel the existing release of funds on Friday and arrange an urgent release of funds for tomorrow via CHAPS.
Let's hope she pulls through the night.
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Soldato
Blimey! Any idea why she was buying a house?
Associate
It's been a long day!
Soldato
Ah that makes much more sense! I did wonder if that was the slip-up
Soldato
Our valuation survey has come back £21k lower than our offer, £11k lower than original asking price.
(Therefore our offer was £10k over asking).
Appreciate we offered over asking but didn’t anticipate the survey coming in £11k less than the original asking price.
Would it be unreasonable to renegotiate our offer?
(Therefore our offer was £10k over asking).
Appreciate we offered over asking but didn’t anticipate the survey coming in £11k less than the original asking price.
Would it be unreasonable to renegotiate our offer?