January
After many hours searching on-line, we had a number of interesting properties selected. With a running order of visits to potential properties in hand, we made the 2 hour trip to set up our base camp up at my sisters. After a number of days out and two visits to Owls Lodge, we decided that was the one. Made the offer and after some brief negotiation, our offer was accepted. We organised a surveyor’s report to check that was all OK, and it was.
February
Organised an 8-yard skip to sort out all the rubbish in the loft, shed and garden which some of had remained untouched since leaving Wales in 1985! I come from a long line of hoarders. Now that I’ve retired, the appeal of books on valve radio’s, slide-rules and blueprints from Practical Electronics – 1968, have lost their magic and the “it will be worth something one day” doesn’t hold true. Even some of Emma’s cots, prams and toys are past current safety standards after 20+ years. However, we did have a lot of people helping themselves to the free stuff outside the house.
We re-visited Owls Lodge to have another look, take some measurements and just wish we could just click our fingers in Harry Potter style and be there.
March
Having pushed the estate agent, the buyers bank now wants a second survey (two months after the first one with a brace of surveyors) of our extension. This structure was built in ’95 with full planning permission and no defects. Having provided an electronic copy of all the paperwork on the Monday directly to the buyers solicitor, slightly miffed to hear that the email wasn’t opened until the Friday after another call from our estate agent!!!
April
Well besides still waiting for our buyer and their solicitor to sort themselves out with an exchange/completion date, we are now told by the government not to move due to this coronavirus.
May
Still waiting for government to let us free. Ideal opportunity to burn over 20 years worth of business and other confidential papers – paperless revolution be blowed!
Very frustrating as we both close our eyes at night and think of being there. January seems so far away since agreeing on the offer for our house and especially since the paperwork to buy Owls Lodge has gone so smoothly. On the opposite side however, the buyer and their solicitor seem to be communicating by snail mail in a language neither seem to understand.
June
Lockdown starting to lift. It seems the survey just reared its head again after we were told everything was ready to proceed. It seems the buyer and their solicitor are still using different languages to communicate. Perhaps we can be in before Christmas (year unspecified) with a tail wind and no further lockdowns. Got to the stage of shall we pack some more stuff or not, rather than which box is xxx stored in. We have lost that sparkle of moving home and are surrounded by piles of “stuff” in an attempt to reduce the amount we take with us. This is made harder with the charity shops being closed.
Made a feeding station for squirrels after seeing one on the web and so much time on my hands. I’ve started going around the house with a pot of paint and brush touching up scuffs and marks just to keep busy. Sounds sad, but there you go. Big treat during this lockdown was a trip to Screwfix for some bits.
Finally had survey done on 15th (intended for 3rd April) with PPE and social distance compliance enforced. Unfortunately, he recommends that all houses on clay soil should have a camera survey of the drains. Another weeks delay brings in the Alpha Rod technician who has to lift the drain cover in the porch which hasn’t been opened in over 15 years. All looks fine, so lets get the ball rolling.
July
We are still waiting for an official go-ahead following the drain survey. Starting to loose all ability to make decisions involving more than one sentence at a time. We have a provisional move date of the 13th July, but the drain report is not due until the 7th as our buyer paid for the 7-10 day report rather than the 4 day one to save a few quid. It’s going to be tight, however legal teams are confident they can do what they are being paid to do. I even asked the question “Can the Kay’s solicitor get a verbal acceptance from Alpha Rod, Melksham, that our drains are good so we can proceed. Mr Kay can read the full report of the intricacies of his soon to be effluent handling system at his leisure.” That didn’t get a response – wonder why.
We are getting to the opinion that if the delaying continues any longer, we are going to tell the buyer to stick it, but that then means we could loose Owls Lodge. We don’t know if our nerves will withstand the onslaught of starting again.
We think we’ve worked out the delaying tactics; as our buyer moved into rented property in January, the contract would have been for a minimum of 6 months. This implies that July was their move date all along, hence no rush to get anything done! If we had realised that other parties were interested in our house back in January, we might have chosen a different buyer.
The house extension from 1995 should have had a completion certificate signed off by the council. I contacted Wiltshire council and they sent me a copy which saved just over £120 for an indemnity insurance policy and handling fees. Worth the phone call.
So surrounded by more boxes, we wait….
Well, the agreed exchange date of the 13th has come and gone and all quiet. This is due to the buyer not having requested any funds from his building society. Also, exchange just delayed just in case there was a change in stamp duty. Fortunately for us there was, otherwise he was going to ask for a price reduction to cover the costs of “work on the drainage system”. Strange that this came up in the report, but not when technician was doing the job.
Just confirmed, exchange finally underway, but we have to be out of the house before month end as our buyers lease is expiring!
Removal team booked for the 27th to load our boxes and things and drop off (unload) on 28th and 29th. Also have carpet fitter and broadband install dates booked. We live in hope.
