Meant to exchange on Friday, top of the chain has no clue!

Halle71

We have exchanged!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

egoode

Congrats Halle71 I've just read the thread and was good to see it's happened. I completed on a flat just over a week ago and from offer to completion it took 17 months so I know how stressful it can all be!!

ruggedtoast

Targets for exchange are pretty meaningless tbh. It seems like everyone in the chain should be on the same page breathlessly waiting to exchange. But chances are one person didnt check their voicemail, someone else is on holiday, person #3 had to take a sick relative to hospital, and person #4 is the lazy son of a probate sale who doesnt feel like doing anything about it that day.

Meanwhile the EAs are so desperate for it not to fall through they will tell everyone what they think they want to hear. Namely EVERY ONE IS READY TO GO RIGHT NOW. Even when they know full well at least one person is having their kidney out and the other is on a backpacking retreat to Bhutan.

If you have three dates for exchange fall through over more than 10 days I would start to ask questions but not the first time.

Unitoons

Although we all know that nothing is certain until exchange happens the reality is that some planning and prep may need to take place.

I was originally told on the 8th Aug that we were ready to exchange (by my solicitor) with a completion date of 15th agreed. Exchange didn't happen that day or the following Monday so we had to reschedule (hold up with mortgage co's solicitor).

We then aimed for exchange on 15th with a completion date of 22nd agreed. Failed to exchange on 15th or the 18th and have now been told it will be tomorrow with completion still on for Friday!

It has turned into an absolute nightmare and I have had to at least provisionally book my removals as if it all does happen tomorrow I won't have time to start organising things at the 11th hour. I am also assuming my sellers will have started packing otherwise they will not be ready to move on Friday!

Mobeer

Some of these gaps between exchange and completion seem so short they are bound to generate stress. Why not negotiate 4-6 weeks between exchange and completion? - then things like packing and movers can be left until after completion.

Sarahspangles

Why not negotiate 4-6 weeks between exchange and completion?

That's the way it used to be in the "Good Old Days" then we'd sit around grumping we couldn't move faster :rotfl:

Unitoons

Lol! Oh to live in an ideal world with a lovely gap between exchange and completion!

When I started this purchase I had high hopes! Simple chain (I'd sold and my sellers buying an empty house), local solicitors, advised 8-10 weeks from offer to completion ...

... Am now in week 25 and due to endless hold ups at the last minute we are way off schedule.

There is no way after nearly half a year that I would consider 4-5 weeks to complete! I am so bloody ready to move out of my parents house and to my new home!!!