When can i ask for a completion date?

G_M

pearson27 wrote: »

...
do i only get a completion date when contracts have been exchanged,

Yes.
Until Exchange nothing is certain. The whole deal could collapse.

After Exchange, whatever Completion date is written in the contract is binding

if so when is a date set for this

set for what? Exchange? A 'target' date can be discussed, but not guaranteed. It could be delayed/ postponed, right up to the date itself.

Then one day you'll get a phone call from your solicitor:

"Everyone is now ready to Exchange today. Do you wantto go ahead?"

You can say yes, or no.

And so could the seller.

Because of this uncertainty about Exchange date, you cannot plan much (booking removal van, taking time off work, giving your landlord notice etc).

Hence a longer gap before Completion gives you time to do all the above (and more) after Exchange by when you have a fixed Completion date.

moneyistooshorttomention

Good points above.

I know it was useful to me - back when I was still working at the time I bought current house - to have some weeks available between Exchange and Completion to have the chance to get the time off work to do the moving and settling-in done.

Perhaps many people have employers who are willing to agree a week off work at a moment's notice - but mine needed some notice. Obviously too it must be really stressful to only take Moving Day itself off work (particularly if you've had to skive off work saying you are ill because of the short notice involved). Much better to take a whole week off all officially as holiday leave and give yourself time to be able to give the place a good clean/settle in/start planning how to have the place.

Not to mention things like having some time at the outset to have workmen in to quote for any jobs that need doing.

pearson27

Apart from asking the vendor directly is there anyway of knowing when they want to exchange etc. My solicitor doesnt seem to know

pearson27

well that was a waste of time!!

my solicitor has now informed me the sellers now have a related purchase transaction

great

slimey estate agent strikes again

roundturn

pearson27 wrote: »

well that was a waste of time!!

my solicitor has now informed me the sellers now have a related purchase transaction

great

slimey estate agent strikes again

Well! What a surprise!

Most peope who sell move on somewhere else!

Yes, a few are emigrating, or have died, or are going to rent but the vast majority have a related purchase.

And in a week or 2 you'll suddenly realise that their sellers are buying too, and there are 23 people all trying coordinate a single date for Exchange, and Completion........

pearson27

what an absolute !!!!!!

how is that post in any way helpful

pearson27

for your information i was led to believe there was no chain

!!!!!!

Prothet_of_Doom

You put in an offer, it's accepted, and then you are "herding cats".

Until you exchange any guess at a possible completion date is pointless, and futile.

If you want to save yourself stress, focus on the exchange date, and insist that you have at least 2 weeks between exchange and completion. This is only just enough time to organise a removal van and a carpet fitter.

For a laugh ask them for a project plan. (I seriously did ask once, to be met with a confused look - so give me a list of the things that are going to happen, who does them and how long they take.....So why can't all this be done in 6 days then?)

Dan-Dan

feel for you pearson , it`s tough trying to organise in your head , and life , when you will be moving , it`s a massive step , suck it up , and try to get on with life and let this move on in the background

grifferz

pearson27 wrote: »

for your information i was led to believe there was no chain

!!!!!!

I know roughly how frustrated you are, having only just exchanged this week after 3 months of stalling and broken promises by the vendors. At several points we felt that problems had become insurmountable, that our dreams were over and to be quite honest all I wanted to do was shut myself away. I had some harsh words for people who got in my way those times, too.

That makes Internet forums like MSE a dangerous place to be. No one here knows you or has anything personally invested in your happiness. That's useful for getting dispassionate advice, but also brings with it a certain degree of blunt responses. There will also be a few unhelpful people, and quite often some more people who will try to uncover any possible failing of yours and then relentlessly pursue it, even if it's not relevant to your original post.

So, I am sure when you started this thread you did not envisage yourself calling people on the Internet dicks, whether they are dicks or not. If you can't ignore unhelpful or even downright hostile posts it would be best not to post here when you are in a delicate emotional state. No good will come of it.

Best of luck!