Who gets the final say in the chain?

helping_hubby

Should I be worried?

I just had a call from my estate agent, which I'm pleased that she's updated with the progress of this, but she's still not been able to get hold of the people at the top of the chain. And she's spoken to the solicitors and they've not been able to contact them either. The solicitors have sent a letter. The estate agent has been to thier house today and dropped a letter through the box. The estate agent claims she has left messages at their work, on mobiles, on home phone. And still no response.

Is this normal? If it were me, no matter how little news, or bad news I had, I'd at least phone back.

Doozergirl

I'd be a bit worried! Did you decide to and get to talk to your vendor yet? Sometimes people do go on holiday without telling anyone (I do read about it here quite often) but I really would want to get your vendors take on it now.

But sometimes you aren't told things because people start trying to buy time when things are going wrong It's as if the time you were waiting before didn't count and the problem only started when you are told. :wall:

helping_hubby

Doozergirl wrote: »

I'd be a bit worried! Did you decide to and get to talk to your vendor yet? Sometimes people do go on holiday without telling anyone (I do read about it here quite often) but I really would want to get your vendors take on it now.

But sometimes you aren't told things because people start trying to buy time when things are going wrong It's as if the time you were waiting before didn't count and the problem only started when you are told. :wall:

Thanks...I don't want to get too paranoid about things, however I didn't think of the holiday option...lets just hope it's something silly like that.

We're going to phone our vendor tonight after work.

Mrs_Optimist

Well no exchange yet so we still are unable to complete - house is practically boxed and is filthy because I cannot clean it (due to the boxes). Managed to obtain a contact no for our Buyer yesterday (ask no questions) and had a chat with him - luckily he is more desperate to proceed than we are - he is in a mobile home until end of March and then he is homeless. We have indicated that if we do not complete by next friday we will be unable to complete then until middle of April owing to other commitments we have for the weekends in between. This has put him in a bit of a panic and suffice to say he is chasing things up with his mrtgage co who are causing the delay (they didn't received a letter from his employer confirming his earnings - or to you and I they have "lost" the paperwork". So I can totally sympathise with OP and I would only say try and speak with parties involved if at all poss (our EA rang me last night asking me for an update since they haven't a clue whats going on!).

If the channels of communication is open it is less likel to cause chinese whispers and everyone knows what is going on which does alleviate the stress a little bit.

helping_hubby

Latest update...

Called the estate agent again yesterday and they still haven't heard from Mr and Mrs Top of Chain. Even though they should now have 2 letters through the door.

The director of the Estate agent is now writing a letter asking them to make contact.

My husband called our vendor, and it turns out he was quite unaware about Mr and Mrs Top Of Chain not making any contact. Our vendor isn't happy and is threatening to give one more week for them to make contact and is seriously thinking about looking for somewhere else to live. We've told our vendor that we'll still buy his house if he decides to do that. I feel like we're going nowhere at the moment and it's very frustrating.

We've spoken to our landlord in the meantime and they haven't found anyone to rent it yet, so we're staying on now and as advised we won't give our notice again until contracts are formally exchanged.

Thanks for everyones help so far. I'll keep you posted as to what happens and if the mysterious Mr and Mrs Top of chain ever make contact.

helping_hubby

Had some news finally...

Our vendor has spoken to the mystery top of chain people and apparently they have nowhere to live. I'm trying not to get too excited, but they've suggested the weekend after the 30th, which would mean easter weekend. Does that mean it'd be likely to be the Thursday as Friday would be Good Friday?

They are supposed to signing the contracts today *fingers crossed* but I'm sure we've been told before that they've signed them. So still not sure who or what to believe.

Still sceptical, but fingers crossed for an Easter completion date.

Melissa177

Good Friday is a bank holiday - so no money could transfer that day. It would have to be the Thursday.

Why do Mr. & Mrs Top of the Chain have nowhere to live? All very odd...

helping_hubby

Have some more news and to be quite honest we're getting truly fed up now.

The top of the chain people promised to sign their contracts on Tuesday. They didn't. Yesterday (Wed) I was told they were looking hard for somewhere to rent and that they would drop their contracts in on the way home. They didn't.

We were told they'd do it today. They didn't.

What are they playing at? We're seriously getting to the point where we think they dont want to sell their house. Any advice?

Doozergirl

They're stalling for time, without a doubt.

If they are looking for a rental property, it is quite hard at short notice (though they've had time to get used to the idea already?!). I had to do it last year and it was incredibly stressful. A lot of what is out there is dross, or isn't available until the end of a current tenancy.

What is so important is communication. What these people are doing is hiding in the hope that no-one will suspect anything, when in actual fact, it would just be far better if they told the truth. The move will not happen any quicker for lying or stalling and is, in fact, proven over and over again to cause more problems because the trust goes.

Try to get your vendor to have a bit of a heart to heart, lay off the pressure and just ask, if time were no object, when they reasonably think they can move. If they are looking for a rental property and not a place to buy (always a fear ) then I think 3-4 weeks is reasonable time.

If they haven't found anywhere then I very much doubt you will be moving next Thursday because credit checks etc. take about a week to come through once you've made the application.

helping_hubby

Well, finally the top of the chain people handed in their contracts, this was on Tuesday this week I think. 1 week later than they said they would.

Today we had a wierd phonecall from the estate agent saying that it's OK now the people at the top are looking for rented, not into buying(!). We then had a call from our vendor and it turns out that Mr and Mrs top of chain had found somewhere that they wanted to buy!!!!! Our vendor got wind and said he;d pull out so now they've said they'll rent.

What the hell are they playing at! How can people be so annoying?

Our vendors mortgage offer expires in 4 weeks, so he's desperate to complete by then (doesn't want an interest rate increase), so maybe he'll put some pressure on Mr and Mrs top of chain to get moving. Surely 4 weeks on top of all the 12 weeks that have past is long enough to find somewhere to rent?!