How to arrange removals etc before exchange?

The_Logans

I know many people on here will say "just don't" but I know in some cases people exchange and complete on the same day. We have yet to exchange but we are all working to a mutually suitable completion date of the 19th May (2 weeks today) but I am under no illusions, until we exchange anyone can change their minds. How do you arrange things like removals, house insurance etc with this uncertainty?

elverson

Why do you want to exchange and complete on the same day?

The_Logans

elverson wrote: »

Why do you want to exchange and complete on the same day?

I don't! I want to exchange now but our vendors aren't ready. What I'm asking is, do people generally book removals etc before exchange?

DumbMuscle

Unless you have a good reason to exchange and complete on the same day.... just ask for the completion date to be a week or so later to give yourself time to book those things. You can always seek quotes without committing to the removal/insurance, and then confirm when you exchange.

G_M

The_Logans wrote: »

I know many people on here will say "just don't" but I know in some cases people exchange and complete on the same day. We have yet to exchange but we are all working to a mutually suitable completion date of the 19th May (2 weeks today) but I am under no illusions, until we exchange anyone can change their minds. How do you arrange things like removals, house insurance etc with this uncertainty?

You don't.

As you say, till Exchange, there is uncetainty, so commit to nothing.

By allmeans shop around, for insurance, removals etc and decide which you want. But don't book them till you've Exchanged.

That's one reason why a gap between Exchange /Completion is useful.

penguingirl

Speak to your removals company. We exchanged the day before completion, but it was touch and go. Our removals company were aware of that and packed on the day of exchange (but not knowing for sure we would) and had availability to either do the move on the next day or the following week if there had been a delay. Similarly my parents are between houses at the moment- their sale went through but their purchase didn't, and due to there being a long chain they are staying with friends for a few days while their purchase gets sorted (some lease issues). Their removals company moved them into storage instead of the new house as had been originally planned. Removals companies are used to plans changing, so discuss contingencies with them and keep them updated. If they don't seem like there is any flexibility or they are overly rigid, they are not the company for you.

Oh and I wouldn't recommend doing it our way- it was very stressful! But our buyers were tantrumming they would pull out and the EA wasn't controlling them very well, so it was the path of least resistance.

hazyjo

Fridays are the busiest day for removal companies and if you do decide on such a short gap, I'd try to change that completion day for a quieter day at the beginning of the week.

With my last move, I exchanged on my sale a couple of weeks before completion, but was in limbo with my purchase. Thankfully managed to catch up and exchange on the Wed, they packed for me on the Thurs (they were too busy on the Fri) and we completed on the Monday. It was all a bit manic and panicky and I'd not like to go through that again.

Have also exchanged and completed on the same day, but that was with my first flat, so no rush or removal men.

Good luck,

Jx

NicNicP

We did the removals ourselves so provisionally booked a van to hire. The date was changed so we informed the hire company and they provisionally booked the new date. We confirmed the date with them when we exchanged.

Clutterfree

We had 3 quotes and once we decided which company to use we called them to ask which days they could NOT do so that we could avoid them when deciding on a moving day.

Once we knew a likely moving day we provisionally booked that day but the removals said they'd call us if another customer wanted that as a definite day.

One of our chain was messing about and by the time they agreed to the original moving date we had lost it so provisionally booked another.

Day before exchange we checked removals still okay for date and as soon as exchanged we advised them it was definite.

We moved on a Thursday but they were still pretty busy.