The NEW waiting to exchange thread...

Poloula

Is our exchange dead? We've been waiting over 2 weeks for the upward chain to agree to a suggested completion date in April. Got asked today if we would move our rental to a rolling contract after the vendor suggested she would move into a rental and move her stuff to storage. No idea what's going on further up the chain but seems like it's collapsing? 

amandacat

Congrats to everyone who has exchanged and to everyone else, I hope you have some movement/good luck!

I thought I would share my current timeline as I always like to read others.

8.2.21- offer accepted on the house we want to purchase (no chain) house currently empty 
10.2.21- solicitors instructed and EA sent memo of sale
16.2.21- after some chasing we finally received the forms from the solicitors by email to fill in to get things started
22.2.21- visited solicitors office with ID, initial payment and signed forms 
22.2.21- broker submitted full mortgage application 
26.2.21- mortgage offer received (desktop valuation was carried out-9k below offer price but large deposit so didn’t renegotiate offer) 
2.3.21- chased solicitor to make sure they’d started conveyancing as we hadn’t heard a thing 
4.3.21- solicitor letter received confirming content of my mortgage offer
4.3.21- solicitors applied for searches
8.3.21- received property information form, fixture and fittings form and land registry plan. Solicitor letter said lots of paperwork was missing so they were waiting to receive that from the vendor's solicitors. 

17.3.21-emailed my solicitor as I hadn’t heard anything, solicitor advised that they still hadn’t received outstanding paperwork or answers to initial enquiries from the other solicitor and would chase this

18.3.21-I asked the EA to support with chasing vendor’s solicitor. EA did chase and the vendor was trying to find some paperwork to return the answers to enquiries, was promised this would be returned to their solicitor by 22.3.21

31.3.21-Home buyers report undertaken (I paid for this separately to the mortgage company as cheaper). No issues on survey and they agreed that it was worth the intended purchase price.

Now awaiting something from the solicitor, I am going to give it until after the Easter weekend as it will have then been two weeks since I last chased them/heard anything.  I don’t believe our searches are back yet, it has been 4 weeks now but I was advised the timescale was 8 weeks, now for the area it is saying 13 weeks so I don’t know how long searches will take.

I expected to be moving in this month but looks like this could go into late May/early June. Crazy with no chain. I recently sold my house with no chain and it was done and dusted in 7 weeks (and that was 7 weeks from when the sale price was agreed) I am nearly 8 weeks since sale agreed and very little seems to have moved.

Crazy when the empty house is sitting there and I am squashed in with family currently.

Natbag

Finally heard from my solicitor. Apparently my buyers want to complete next week - we haven’t even exchanged yet, not everyone in the chain is at that point, and the next two working days are bank holiday days! I don’t know whether to laugh or cry! 

We are ready to exchange with them, and us on our purchase, but not quite with my partner's buyers and my ex (who half owns and lives in the property I’m selling) isn’t ready to exchange on his purchase and won’t vacate early, so my hands are tied. Please don’t let them pull out now

mistrihelen

We got told yesterday we are finally close to exchange - yay! But seems like agreeing dates will be a faff. We were told exchange Tuesday 6th complete Tuesday 13th. Now our sales progressor doesn't think one of the solicitors will be ready on Tues so is suggesting a competition date of the 15th in case it takes a day or two longer. But we're getting a removal quote today so not sure how that will work when I still don't know enough about dates!

bigkenny1975

So, after my conveyancer had not been wholly truthful with the info she gave me on the phone I sent an email asking for an update, highlighting that the seller's solicitors say they have not had any queries despite my solicitor suggesting they sent some over (not been told what). I did not accuse her but said it was worrying and did she know what has happened.
No reply (they never ever reply despite saying they will reply to all emails on the same day), so I called today.

I called before lunch. If she is on the phone reception immediately ask if I want to go to voicemail. Otherwise they ask for my details and try to put me through. When they did that today she was 'on another call' and they said she would call back. 

Now, I don't call often, I think in the month and a half I have called 4 times, twice because they asked me to. They have not communicated in the manner they set out on their website and have given me reason to believe they have misled me with how far they are with their actions. I realise I have not had the trouble a load of people have had here, but I feel totally in the dark and cannot trust them to do what is best (maybe they are but their action does not suggest this).
My question is, is it worth complaining or could that just make it worse?

Blue_bell_20

We have exchanged and completed today! Just picked up the keys. Now waiting for my partner to return home from work so we can visit the house. 

lozenlady

Blue_bell_20 said:

We have exchanged and completed today! Just picked up the keys. Now waiting for my partner to return home from work so we can visit the house. 

How exciting, enjoy!!

Becksina

Finally exchanged and completed at 5pm today! God it was nerve wracking but we are in! God bless removal men! It’s funny how much is wrong with this house that we never noticed in viewings but we’ll make it our own over time! 

Caz_Mnaz

Yay @Becksina!!!!

God I know when we bought this house (our first) I walked in and was like 'no wait.... This was immaculate wasn't it?' And sulked for ages before realising it really wasn't a big deal 😂 although I'm sure I'll do the same in the new one..... 

crumblylancashire

Becksina said:

Finally exchanged and completed at 5pm today! God it was nerve wracking but we are in! God bless removal men! It’s funny how much is wrong with this house that we never noticed in viewings but we’ll make it our own over time! 

Oh hooray, at last!! Was the same here, just had an absolutely shattering week of 14 hour days to get it right.. just about starting to feel like a habitable home now massive congratulations, enjoy your lovely new home!