They want just a week between exchange and completion

Jewel_2

There's no way! We are not ready to move out - we are waiting until exchange and then we have 4 bedrooms, 5 sheds, a loft stacked high, nowhere to live (!) no removals booked/storage .... do you think it's acceptable to say we want completion 4 weeks after exchange?

BenL

How long is the chain?

The bottom person is pretty much always demanding a short period. Have all the parts of the chain linked or is the person at the top still looking for a place to buy?

Gwhiz

Everything is negociable.

mlz1413

You can ask but a week is pretty normal and a month pretty unusual.

I realise you have a lot to move but that was always going to be the case. Best start packing!

Surbybird

I had a week between exchange and completion (the vendors insisted) but it wasn't a problem. From having my offer accepted to moving into my new house was less than a month (and we had the Easter Bank Holidays in the middle of that month too) so it was just a bit of hard work.

I had already organised removal quotes when I had my offer accepted and they delivered my packing boxes almost immediately after I accepted the quote and had a provisional moving date (which I then changed for my own convenience). I had 4 bedrooms, 3 reception rooms, garage and loft piled high, plus was storing my youngest daughter's stuff while she was home from uni and I was downsizing as well.

To be honest though, I thought a week was normal so I never questioned the timescale and just got stuck into the packing!

Good luck!

Richard_Webster

A week is very common.

I would tend to say the average is more like 10-14 days. So it wouldn't be unreasonable to ask for another week.

28 days is not unknown but unusual, and would be seen by many to be unreasonable.

Jewel_2

Thanks all. We are at the bottom (or is it top) of the chain - we are the last anyhow. We are moving into rented and everywhere we have been have said they needed an exchange agreed before they would take us seriously. The purchasers have taken a long time to get to this stage, asking lots and lots of questions and not confirming whether they want it or not, (it was undervalued a while ago and they got builders around and all sorts). We haven't booked or organised anything because we were not sure they would go through with it.

Anyway, I've asked for a month, without us no-one can move, so I'll see what the solicitor says.

I'm quite laid back about whether we actually move or not, so I'm not stressing over that. My stress will come between exchange and completion!

martindow

Jewel wrote: »

I'm quite laid back about whether we actually move or not, so I'm not stressing over that. My stress will come between exchange and completion!

You may be laid back but others in the chain may not be. You don't want to collapse the chain by pushing too hard and not showing a bit of flexibility. Take care!

picardygirl

I think a month is a long time between exchange and completion, especially after the ordeal that Welshwoofs recently went through (recent topic on here, vendors refused to complete after exchange!).

Unfortunately though the chain underneath you are being held to ransom as such as if you were to pull out or simply refuse to have any less time the whole chain collapses. I would, if i were in your chain, view it that you have been under offer for however long, with exchange looming, you should have at least started decluttering sheds and lofts etc etc.

Also, nobody should book removals until exchange as nothing is definite until exchange has taken place. The chain has requested a week between exchange and completion, go back and tell them you cant possibly do it in a week and agree to a two week exchange, thats not being unreasonable then. Thats my opinion anyway xxx Good luck with your move xxxx

hoolah

I tend to agree that a month is more uncommon than a week. We are in the process of moving and our vendors asked for a month but we have been waiting since June and said we were not prepared to wait any longer and compromised on 10 days. And we were willing to pull out if it was not sorted.

So i suppose it depends on how flexible your buyers can be. I would also suggest try and compromise on 2 weeks. It is possible that the longer the disagreement over completion date goes on for the less flexible your buyer will be, and you'll end up having less time.

Jewel_2

I've offered coming forward a week, but actually that's all I'm prepared to give. I suppose because I am not desperate to move, I can see the whole picture, and actually we have been waiting around for so long that in fairness they should give us a little more time, especially as we have nowhere to go (we initially said we would move into rented accommodation to shorten the chain, which is fine, but no-one is interested in renting a place out until they know you have exchanged).

If they pull out, they pull out. This has been going on for months so giving us two extra weeks shouldn't be too much of an ask. I'll keep you updated.