Vendor changed completion date but no contract

looknohands

We had discussed a completion date before Christmas with vendor but today they have requested a completion date 'sometime in January'.

We haven't exchanged contracts yet so understand it's fine for them to change dates.

However is it reasonable for me to request a contract exchange with a Jan completion date set in stone before Christmas. I assume the solicitors were drawing this up until the vendor changed their mind today.

I just want a date to be set in stone as getting a bit tetchy as we had offer accepted mid October and have spent a fair bit of money on everything.

Forgive my ignorance but I do assume having a contract in place means i'd in someway be compensated for my expenses if the sale fell through then?

Guest101

looknohands wrote: »

We had discussed a completion date before Christmas with vendor but today they have requested a completion date 'sometime in January'.

We haven't exchanged contracts yet so understand it's fine for them to change dates.

However is it reasonable for me to request a contract exchange with a Jan completion date set in stone before Christmas. I assume the solicitors were drawing this up until the vendor changed their mind today.

I just want a date to be set in stone as getting a bit tetchy as we had offer accepted mid October and have spent a fair bit of money on everything.

Forgive my ignorance but I do assume having a contract in place means i'd in someway be compensated for my expenses if the sale fell through then?

Correct and very teadonable

G_M

Guest101 wrote: »

Correct and very teadonable

is there ake with that?

G_M

looknohands wrote: »

We had discussed a completion date before Christmas with vendor but today they have requested a completion date 'sometime in January'.

We haven't exchanged contracts yet so understand it's fine for them to change dates.

However is it reasonable for me to request a contract exchange with a Jan completion date set in stone before Christmas. I assume the solicitors were drawing this up until the vendor changed their mind today.

I just want a date to be set in stone as getting a bit tetchy as we had offer accepted mid October and have spent a fair bit of money on everything.

Forgive my ignorance but I do assume having a contract in place means i'd in someway be compensated for my expenses if the sale fell through then?

Yes. Once the contracts are exchanged, the Completion date is set in stone.

Perfectly reasonable to ask (or insist) for Exchange before xmas.

Or insist on Completion before xmas - but be prepared for the whole deal to fall through if both you and the vendor refuse to compromise......

looknohands

Sure, well we will compromise we don't want the sale to fall through as will mean us losing solicitors, broker and valuation fees, but it seems like they can just keep moving the mark at the moment until there's a set a date.

I've said we'd still like to complete before Christmas but would be ok with January if we can get a contract exchange done before Christmas, so hopefully that's reasonable enough. Would there be a reason not to want to exchange before Christmas?

G_M

looknohands wrote: »

Would there be a reason not to want to exchange before Christmas?

I've never met your vendors and know nothing about them.

So have no idea whether or not they might have a reason not to want to exchange before xmas.

Guest101

G_M wrote: »

is there ake with that?

Ha ha teaandcakeable!

looknohands

G_M wrote: »

I've never met your vendors and know nothing about them.

So have no idea whether or not they might have a reason not to want to exchange before xmas.

Same boat as me, I guess i know their address though!

Thrugelmir

Is the vendor buying as well?

looknohands

Yes, when we bought it we were told it was an empty property and vendor specified in October wanting to move ASAP, which sounded fine.

I have no problem not completing before Christmas, however giving a date and then changing doesn't do much for confidence in them.

I don't really understand how the process works from here, I've never been involved in a sale before, can the vendor just push back the completion date until whenever they want in 2016? I had imagined a contract would have been drawn up within at least 2 months to protect both parties from wasting their time.

Thrugelmir

looknohands wrote: »

Yes, when we bought it we were told it was an empty property and vendor specified in October wanting to move ASAP, which sounded fine.

Being empty is only one aspect. Your vendor isn't going to exchange with you , until they can likewise exchange.

Have you asked the EA for an update?