One crazy estate agent Part 2

Weeks later.

After changing solictors, as they were not on the approved list for my mortgage provider (Who knew… more red tape!),the estate agent didn’t like this:

I need a call immediately, I have just called your solicitor for an update and been told that they are no longer acting for you. It would have been polite to call and let me know about this, I will need the details of a new solicitor today. Please call the office asap.

This was after I email a few days before to tell them of this.

Anywho. I already had another one lined up. Again dates: Friday 28th April to instruct them to work for us, we got the papers the next and had a read though. We decided that we should go down and hand everything in on the same day. Scheduled that for 9th May.

But here’s the estate agent again, the day before my visit:

I’ve spoken to your solicitors, they have informed me that they are not able to undertake any work on your behalf as they are awaiting the return of your formal instruction letter and payment for search fees. They documents were sent to you on the 2nd of May (last Tuesday).

They have received the draft contract and all required documents from the vendors solicitor and are aware you are taking a mortgage from Yorkshire Building Society, they said this lender is generally very swift at releasing the mortgage funds.

I am pressing you to move swiftly as the vendor starts his new job on the 5th of June and needs this to be completed by that date.

So we have a date but I was unsure about why she was telling me what my solictor has done for me. I mean thanks for the update but is this supposed to me make me go faster?

I say that we are meeting tomorrow to sort out the paperwork.

Brilliant, thank you for letting me know. Would the 5th of June as a date for completion work for you?

At this point I consult as to what to do here. Is this legally binding? I decide to hold off and say I will talk to my solictor as to what dates can be done.

Again, the estate agent:

Please let me know if this date is feasible asap – so that I can confirm with the vendor and allow him to book in his removal company.

I still hold off but never actually reply. She never chased up for that date. I guess it wasn’t important.

The solictor starts working and then another email from the estate agent.

Dear Mr. Atwal,

I have also left a message for your solicitor regarding the email below from the vendors solicitor. As you are aware we are hoping to complete in this sale at the end of next week. If you could chase your solicitor for me that would be very much appreciated.

What followed was a thread of confusing emails between the solictors. It seemed everything was going to plan and I wasn’t even sure what to ask my solictor. Hmm confusing, it seems that there was a sense of desperation of the vendor which was coming though the estate agent but it was compromising communication between all parties. This process required the upmost clarity between all parties, especially for a first time buyer.

More fun from the estate agent:

Dear <solicitor>,

The vendors solicitor has come back to me since the last email, she said she has finally received your enquires. She can get these all back to you by Tuesday. Can you prepare your files and arrange for your client to come in and sign the contracts next week please. Ideally we want to complete next Friday. / has made me aware that this the pace at which you are working that is unlikely. We are therefore giving you notice that we wish to exchange contracts no later than next Friday and complete the following week as early as possible.

Now the solictor was not getting happy with this tone from the estate agent. They had never seen this behaviour before and wanted to give us an update to make sure nothing was out of place and discussed different theories like, was this was a new estate agent, maybe they didn’t know how buying a house worked (that theory was shot down, as apparently they had 10 years experience). With an unhappy solicitor and a pushy estate agent can get it get worse?

While this was happening I was still waiting for a mortgage offer. This was then made apparent to the estate agent. Uh oh.