I’m selling my house in the UK, prior to shifting back to New Zealand. We agreed the sale in July, but the contracts have not been exchanged yet. I have shipped our household effect and have only got a bed, I’ve been out of work all month, I have interviews and a probable contract lined up in NZ, but nothing can happen till the fucking lawyers do their stuff and I can walk away from this shit.
The buyers fucking lawyer didn’t read the documents from the buyers bank, so didn’t notice for 3 fucking weeks that they hadn’t issued the Mortgage correctly. Add two weeks for the bank to reissue documents (which they sent to me and not the buyers current address - fucking banks, yet another fucking rant).
Meanwhile, our lawyer told us she needed to speak to my wife (who is in New Zealand) to get approval to action a Power of Attorney we set up before she went to NZ ten months ago. We provided contact details. After two weeks of waiting, my wife attempted to speak to the lawyer this morning.
Our fucking lawyer apparently fucking retired on fucking Friday.
I didn’t know. Maybe I’m being unreasonable, but I think it might be the sort of thing you would inform your clients of -
Bollocks. The scum-sucking, slimey-skinned reptiloid parasites couldn’t even bother to crawl out from under their rocks for long enough to send a courtesy message like that. Fucking leeches. Not content with not apparently actually adding any value to a stressful process and taking the piss (as well as a good chunk of cold, hard cash), they actually give up half way through and suddenly make thing worse. I’m betting that even if we manage the contract Exchange, I’ll be told that they have to wait for my Mortgage company to supply a new settlement statement, because they missed the dates of the last one. And they can’t do it via a fucking phone. Then the other documents won’t be fucking signed properly and will have to be reissued which will take for-fucking-ever.
I feel your pain. No help unfortunately but I can tell you that once you are in New Zealand you will find buying and selling homes much easier. I have had many British clients over the years and they invariably comment with pleased astonishment about the simplicity of our contractual process.
Not sure why the UK is still stuck in a 19th century time warp where exchanging contracts is required but we don’t bother with that here. No gazumping either.
My sister-in-law decided last week to sell her house, sold it, and I’m betting she will have a new place purchased and ready to go before I even get close.
Ken001 :- I am from NZ so I know how much easier it will be, if I can ever get there.
bengangmo :- Bledisloes, Rugby Championships and World Cups, to boot. You know, I could buy a ticket to the All Blacks/England match on the 16th November - that would virtually guarantee that my house would complete the week before. :smack:
I just had a run in with the lawyer representing my parents estate. The dillweed sent me a form to fill out, and sign, that related to taxes. I called and ask him to explain what it was he wanted me to fill out and sign, wherein he told me he was not my lawyer and couldn’t advise me. Worthless piece of shit.
As a general rule, lawyers can’t advise both sides of a transaction unless both parties have consented to the lawyer doing so. The lawyer normally works for only one party, in this case the executor who is winding up the estate. If you’re not the executor, the lawyer can’t give you legal advice.
Northern Piper is correct but I have administered many estates and in the absence of conflict between the beneficiaries, have always given advice when asked. I might be wrong but Morgenstern’s query sounds like that of an executor and therefore reasonable.
I suppose there are jurisdictions where a beneficiary takes on tax obligations when receiving an inheritance (such as capital gains tax) but in my experience tax matters lie with the estate.
Good idea. I’m just over the hill in Arrowtown and the mountains were white this morning. Bit of a shock but pretty too and the sun is shining. Beautiful spring day.
I was thinking along the same lines - buying and selling real estate in Canada is a hassle, to be sure, but nowhere near on that level. For a fairly reasonable price, a real estate lawyer here takes care of virtually all of the paperwork, and does it in a timely fashion.
when buying my first house, the firm giving me the mortgage dropped out on the morning contracts were due to be exchanged (despite having weeks to study the property, they suddenly claimed it was ‘unsuitable’. :smack: )
My lawyer got me a new mortgage in 15 minutes
when our parents passed away, my sister and I wanted to sell their house. We soon found a buyer, but expected there to be some delay in exchanging legal documents between the two sets of lawyers.
Instead it all went through straightaway … since both lawyers were local, my chap simply walked over to the other chap’s office and they signed everything on the spot.
I closed out my Mom’s estate last year. She left a trust for some grandchildren, of which I am trustee. Estate lawyer sent me the tax forms with a note that said “sign and return to me.” Which I did. Months later, a letter from the IRS. “Tax payment? Please?” Me to lawyer: WTF!??! Lawyer: “You forgot to send them a check.”
