Mark Stephensons

@SecretConveySol Fair point. But why are transactions taking so long. why is everything so last minute. why does nothing seemed joined up. why are so many conveyancers forgetting the importance of striving for exchanging contracts, I genuinely believe many don't even understand the concept!

Not sure why clients are using AI to write emails to me, to ask a simple question. Had one today that started with: ‘Dear {Lawyer’s Name}’. We’re losing the ability to communicate!

@SkySportsPL Never before has the term "game of two halves applied" We bossed the first half and played worse than a boozy sunday league team in the second. Onwards we march.

James Justin slots it past Jordan Pickford to put Leeds in front 🎯

@GMB @susannareid100 Speeding up the planning process she claims? Utter rubbish, in fact numerous house builders saying it’s gone from bad to worse. They make it up as they go along.

'How would you address his concerns?' @susannareid100 challenges Minister for Skills, Jacqui Smith, about what the government is doing after bricklayer Don Daniels went viral when he said it feels like hard workers - like him - are paying for people to be on benefits.

@RicPickford @KirstieMAllsopp @PhilSpencerTV And how often not even able to buy as they’ve yet to sell! Had a total wast of time TV experience last summer, once bitten!!

A bit of ick just came up. Caught a glimpse of LocationLocationLocation Phil & Kirstie doing a viewing on a house which isn't officially on the market. Agents Board outside suggests otherwise. Doh. @KirstieMAllsopp @PhilSpencerTV have a word with yourselves.

@cleanupbritain awful, who could possibly live this way. Answers on a postcard

Filmed this afternoon less than half a mile from Birmingham city centre. A typical sight in the alleged ‘second city’ of Britain. We should all be ashamed, embarrassed and angry about this rancid and squalid city. ⁦

@Wommando @londoner_woman exactly right. what has it ruddy well come to having to be asked to explain why? In her own way (the interviewer) as if to call it into question. Poor form indeed.

@londoner_woman Excellent point. Why do we have to even explain this? Like it's something weird about us women. Anything to take the spotlight off the AGP elephant in the room.

Shameful and ridiculous question for the Darlington nurses from ITV's, rather nervous, Susanna Reid... Who then lies about accusations of inappropriate behaviour by a bloke and blames a victim of CSE for being 'triggered'... Appalling 😡

@SecretConveySol Well that's just tough isn't it. It's as though this god dam awful system is rapidly moving away from there being any time between exchange and completion. Surely they understood the significance of exchanging contracts?

First day back from the Christmas break. Email from clients who are selling and exchanged to complete next week, ‘we’ve changed our minds’… 2026 off to a great start.

@SecretConveySol I'm sure. I've been at this since 1987 as an agent and the entire process is becoming worse with absolutely no doubt. Why? Never before as we are about to down tools for Xmas do we have so so many transactions where they should be moving but won't now be til 2026. It's unbearable

Today is the 17th December. Our last day for completions prior to Christmas is the 19th. Yes still I am having emails and calls from clients and agents asking if we can complete before Christmas 🤷

@SecretConveySol I have the answer. still completing the "onboarding" process with their solicitor!! But this is progress don't forget

Enquiries raised 7 weeks ago. Get a response this morning: 1. To follow. 2. To follow 3. To follow. 4. To follow. 5. To follow. 6. To follow. 7. To follow. 8. To follow. 9. To follow. 10. To follow

@SecretConveySol Not even 5 yrs old, David Wilson built and buyers solicitors claiming Management pack wording ref. rent charge provision is defective and that deed of variation required. Naturally they blame buyers lender HSBC. It just gets worse!!

I must have dealt with thousands of management packs in my time and I must have got every one wrong, as I’ve just been told by a seller client upon me asking them for funds for one, that it is the buyer who pays for these. Silly me.

@SecretConveySol But the latest and growing scandal has to be the fees charged for producing these packs in the sale of modern national house builder stuff. £604 it's just cost our vendor to receive the dam thing, of course there is no opt out as we all know.

@springbokprop But do you as a company actually buy the house unconditionally, no strings, YOU are the buyer. It's just that on a local level it seems you purport to do so when in fact you simply list the house for sale in the same way any regular agent would. Please explain. Confused?

We buy any house with no fees! GET AN OFFER NOW! Faster than estate agents - better prices than cash buying companies. Enter Postcode, Get An Offer NOW.

@AltoSoftware I assume there is a generic issue? Don’t you issue something online so as to let customers know?

I think it's time to say goodbye to X. It is truly truly awful just now. Negativity that I don't require in my life. How many shootings, fights or brawls do we need to see? Another example of Musk's empire starting to wobble me thinks. I'm offski. Bye

@gazetteherald “Sorry we can’t find this page” ??

MALTON Town Council is calling for issues over the "outdated and overstretched infrastructure" in the town are addressed before more homes are built. dlvr.it/T6tMM7 🔗 Link below

@SecretConveySol try super hard not to pester you guys seeking crazy weekly updates. however, look foolish to find often a good month in clients still faffing on with initial instruction paperwork, nothings even happened therefore! what to do?

@markstephensons Haha that is exactly it 😂

There needs to be a better way of updating parties. On one property, in the space of 10 minutes, I have had update requests from my client, the agent, the mortgage broker and even an agent at the top of the chain. Only had contract papers in a few days ago!

@AltoSoftware Truly so slow just now??? Forever loading??? Is there an issue?

We're aware of an issue relating to letter templates currently impacting some Alto users. Our team is working hard on a fix as soon as possible, and we'll keep you updated on this. In the meantime, thank you for your patience and apologies for any inconvenience.

@RicPickford So true. Little time ago joe public seemed fully behind the idea of a slower market and need for realistic pricing. Only needed for a little bit of media 'talking up' to have folks think all together differently. oh and offers over should be outlawed!!!!

Rubbish listing month for me personally - Lost a fair bit (probably due to me being marmite) but looking at the listing prices urgh! It's still 50/50 out there... and testing is fine but FFS ask you agent to sugar coat the listing if you are going to try for more... some of pictures I see are fecking awful. (not the house the photo).

@moving_charlie Yes totally I mean cash buyers. Had to jump to their tune in the past but so so many are now super flaky IMO.

@markstephensons You mean cash buyers? Sorry I’m not clear what you mean

If you are a buyer with an outright-owned home to sell first, you are not a “cash buyer” until you have exchanged on your sale. A “cash buyer” is one with funds already available, or with completion funds certain within a few weeks. Don’t call yourself a cash buyer if you have a home to sell first. You are not as proceedable as a “cash buyer”. Your purchase is dependent on your sale.