Something has just happened
A purchase can look straightforward until an offer changes, a report raises a new concern or the chain stops moving. These situations explain what may be happening, what it could affect and which question needs answering next.
Before or during the offer
A property that was sold STC is back on the market
The earlier sale may have ended because of that buyer's mortgage,
chain or personal circumstances, but it may also have uncovered something about the
property. Ask whether the survey, valuation or legal work raised an issue which another
buyer ought to know about, then investigate the answer independently.
The agent will not book a viewing without an AIP or broker call
The agent may reasonably want evidence that you can proceed, but you
can provide it without agreeing to use the agent's in-house mortgage service.
The agent says there are other offers
There may be more competition for the property, but another buyer's
offer does not make the home more affordable for you. Keep your own limit in mind and ask
what has actually changed before increasing.
I have been asked for best and final
You may not be invited to bid again, so offer the strongest amount you
would still be comfortable paying. Include your funding and chain position, as the seller
may consider those alongside the price.
My offer was rejected or countered
A rejection or counteroffer gives you new information about the seller's
position, which you can weigh against the evidence and the ceiling you set beforehand.
My offer was accepted — what now?
The purchase is not binding yet, but this is when the mortgage,
conveyancing and survey work usually begins. Confirm the agreed terms in writing and be
ready for the identity and funding checks that follow.
The property is still being marketed
Acceptance does not itself stop the seller marketing the property, so
ask whether it will be marked sold subject to contract and whether further viewings will cease.
The seller accepted, then demanded more
Before exchange the seller can change position and you can refuse,
increase or withdraw, with the decision based on value and affordability rather than money already spent.
I have been gazumped
The seller can usually accept another offer before exchange, leaving you
to decide whether to respond within your existing limit and which costs may be recoverable.
The mortgage or money
My AIP is lower than an online calculator suggested
An online calculator only gives a rough range, while the lender applies
more of its own affordability rules. Check the income, commitments and mortgage term used
before deciding whether another suitable lender may view things differently.
My full mortgage application was declined
A declined application does not always point to the same problem. Before
applying elsewhere, find out whether the issue was affordability, missing evidence, credit
history, the lender's policy or the property itself.
The lender keeps asking for more documents
Repeated requests can feel worrying, although they are often part of
the lender checking the detail behind the application. Send complete, consistent evidence
and ask which question is still unresolved.
The lender will not lend on this property
The lender may be willing to lend to you but unwilling to accept this
particular home as security. Ask whether the concern is its value, construction, condition,
lease, title or something else about the property.
The property was down-valued
The lender will normally base the loan on its own valuation, which may
leave you needing more cash than expected. Work out the new shortfall and loan-to-value
before considering a review, renegotiation, another lender or withdrawal.
My job, income or other circumstances changed
Tell the lender or adviser promptly so the application can be reassessed
against your current circumstances rather than information that is no longer accurate.
My mortgage offer may expire before completion
Ask now what an extension or reapplication would require and make the
exact deadline visible to the chain, because exchange needs reliable funding behind it.
My deposit cannot be documented as requested
Moving the money again can make the paper trail harder to follow. Leave
it where it is, set out where each amount came from and ask which part of that explanation
or evidence is preventing the checks from being completed.
The valuation, survey or condition
The lender's valuation was fine — do I still need a survey?
A satisfactory valuation tells you that the lender is content with its
security; it does not give you a detailed picture of the home's condition. A survey
commissioned by you answers that separate question.
The survey reads as though the house is falling down
Survey reports often sound cautious because they record uncertainty as
well as defects. Read what was inspected and what could not be seen, then concentrate on
findings that affect safety, cost, lending or active damage.
The surveyor could not inspect an important area
An area the surveyor could not reach remains an unknown; it has not been
shown to be sound or defective. Ask whether access can be arranged, or whether another
investigation is sensible, before exchange.
The report recommends several further inspections
A list of recommended inspections does not necessarily mean they are all
equally urgent. Ask what prompted each one, what could happen if the concern is confirmed
and whether the answer could change your decision.
It mentions damp, cracks, asbestos, flood or knotweed
The word itself can sound more conclusive than the evidence behind it.
Find out what was actually observed, what remains uncertain and who is qualified to tell
you what it means for this property.
The survey found work but the seller will not reduce
The survey gives you new information, but it does not require the seller
to change the price. You can still investigate further, proceed at the agreed price, revise
your offer or decide that the purchase no longer works for you.
The seller offered to repair the problem
A promise to “sort it” leaves too much open to interpretation. Agree
what will be repaired, who will do it, what evidence you will receive and whether there is
time for the work to be checked before exchange.
A new defect appeared after the survey or offer
Record what has changed and deal with anything urgent first. The
surveyor or an appropriate specialist can then help you understand whether the new problem
is significant enough to affect the work, price or decision to buy.
Conveyancing, title or leasehold
Nothing seems to be happening
A quiet week does not necessarily mean that no work has been done, but
“it is progressing” tells you very little. Ask what is still outstanding, who has it, when
it was requested and what can continue while everyone waits.
My conveyancer is not responding
Send a specific written request that includes any real deadline, then
contact the supervisor and use the formal complaint route if the service failure continues.
The seller has not supplied the contract pack
Much of the legal review depends on this pack, so ask whether the seller
has instructed a conveyancer, what has been requested and whether any part has arrived.
A search found flood, mining, contamination or development risk
A search result can cover a broad area or identify something much closer
to the property. Ask where the risk comes from and what it could affect, as the answer may
lead to a detailed report, an insurance check or property-specific advice.
An alteration has no planning or building-control evidence
Missing paperwork leaves several different questions: whether permission
was needed, whether the work complied with regulations, whether it was built properly and
whether enforcement is possible. Indemnity insurance only addresses a defined legal risk.
The title plan does not match what I viewed
Do not assume the fence, drive or parking space settles what is included.
Show the mismatch to the conveyancer and compare the title, access, parking and boundaries
with what you actually viewed before exchange.
A covenant, private road or shared drain affects my plans
The important question is how the arrangement affects what you plan to
do. Ask who has which rights, what is restricted, who maintains the area or service and how
the cost is shared.
The lease is shorter than expected
A shorter lease can affect the mortgage, extension cost and a later sale.
Check whether the lender accepts it, what extending it may involve and whether the agreed
price still reflects the term you would be buying.
The service charge or major-work bill is much higher than advertised
A higher charge can materially change whether the flat is affordable.
Go back to the legal papers and accounts, including any planned work, consultation,
reserves and the contract's answer on who will pay.
Cladding or another building-safety issue appeared
The presence of cladding does not, by itself, tell you the risk or who
will pay. Find out what building evidence exists, whether remediation is planned, which
protections apply and exactly what the lender requires.
The managing agent has not returned the pack
The legal work may be unable to move far without the management pack.
Ask who ordered it, whether the fee has been paid, when it is expected and whether the
landlord or managing agent still needs to supply anything else.
The chain, exchange or completion date
The purchase is taking much longer than expected
The number of weeks alone does not show whether the purchase is stuck.
Ask what has been completed, what everyone is waiting for and whether a mortgage or other
firm deadline is now becoming a problem.
The seller has not found somewhere to buy
The chain may not yet be complete, so ask how the seller intends to move
and over what period before deciding how long your funding and circumstances allow.
Someone in the chain pulled out
One person withdrawing does not always end every linked purchase. Find
out which transaction has stopped, whether a replacement buyer or property is being sought
and pause avoidable spending while the route becomes clearer.
The seller wants an unusually fast exchange
Some work can be brought forward, although a seller's deadline does not
make missing information less important. Ask why the date matters and what would have to be
rushed or left unresolved to meet it.
We cannot agree a completion date or the seller wants a long gap
A workable date has to fit more than the removal van. Check it against
the mortgage expiry, tenancy, insurance and the rest of the chain, then be clear about any
date you genuinely cannot accept.
Exchange was expected today but did not happen
A planned exchange is still only a plan until every conveyancer confirms
it. Ask what was missing—authority, a document, cleared money or another transaction in
the chain—and when everyone expects to try again.
We may exchange and complete on the same day
This can shorten the purchase, but you will not have a binding moving
date in advance. Any notice, removals or accommodation arrangements therefore need to cope
with exchange or completion being delayed at the last minute.
I cannot get buildings insurance before exchange
Difficulty obtaining cover may affect both the property and the
mortgage, so tell the conveyancer and lender before authorising exchange.
Completion and after moving in
The money has not arrived and I am waiting for keys
Money may have to pass through several purchases in the chain before
your keys can be released. The conveyancer or agent can tell you when completion is
confirmed; do not enter the property until then.
The seller has not left or the property is not empty
Most ordinary contracts require the property to be empty on completion.
Record what you find and contact the conveyancer immediately, rather than trying to settle
the contractual position directly with the seller.
The property is damaged, dirty or missing an agreed item
Take photographs before moving your belongings in and compare what is
there with the contract and fixtures list. If the difference is material, tell the
conveyancer promptly.
Should I change the locks after moving in?
You cannot know how many copies of the old keys still exist. Many
modern doors only need a new cylinder, while a rim night latch or mortice lock has a
different replacement and set of measurements.
I found a defect after moving in
Make the property safe and stop any active damage first. Then work out
whether the defect is new, appeared in the survey or seller's information, or conflicts
with a specific statement or promise made during the purchase.
The previous occupier's bills or post keep arriving
Give suppliers your completion date and meter evidence so another
person's bills are not attached to your account, and redirect or return their post unopened.
HM Land Registry still shows the previous owner
Registration follows completion and can take time, so ask when the
application was lodged, how it is protected and whether any requisition is outstanding.
The developer has not fixed the snags
Keep a dated defect record and follow the developer's aftercare and
complaint route before escalating through the applicable code, warranty or ombudsman process.
I think I bought the wrong home
The first few weeks can make the cost, location or scale of the work feel
very different from the viewing. Try to name what feels wrong—including a change in your
own circumstances—because each concern leads to a different kind of help or decision.