The NEW waiting to exchange thread...

Caz_Mnaz

I've been told that the bottom of the chain searches are due back next week.... Let's wait and see shall we 😂

dungabeagle

Weeeeee! Had an email and text from
the bank confirming my solicitors have requested funds for the 22nd of the month for completion on the 23rd! 

Cooking with gas here!

mistrihelen

Still haven't exchanged, yes that's a failure every day this week.

If the other parties had agreed to complete on the 21st it would've been fine, but as they wanted the 19th they've had to ask my bank to expedite. We can't exchange today unless I get a text from the bank... But it needs to come in time to exchange, and if it doesn't we will need a different date anyway.

I feel completely sick to my stomach. I can do nothing but wait. And my new neighbour has spent all day drilling something into the wall between us and has just told me it's going to carry on for another two hours. I feel like I'm losing it.

Has anyone else received a text from Natwest to say their mortgage funds can be expedited? Seems like a strange way to do it!

Tiglet2

Natbag said:

Still heard nothing from my solicitor, and I don't expect to today either. Because that's how it is. Still no progress on getting this last enquiry settled on my ex's purchase (to free up money from the sale of our property for me to buy mine). I received my title deeds and signed the contracts on my purchase two weeks ago now, and nothing at all has changed since then. I'm getting so stressed now. This could go on for days, weeks, months, who flipping knows. Noone will reply, noone will tell me anything. 
I really want to email my solicitor and say that the total lack of communication and repeatedly ignoring my emails and questions isn't acceptable, and I expect a full update and timescales today. Is this a good idea? I don't hold any of the cards, I could threaten to pull out but we all know I'm not going to do that. How should I word it without coming across all housezilla?!

Yes, you should email your solicitor, but don't do it today!  Fridays are the busiest day and you are not yet a priority.   Completions will take up most of the day with the remainder of the day will be to exchange other transactions that are ready.

Natbag

@dungabeagle - that's excellent news! So jealous lol! Hope all goes well.
@Tiglet2 - it doesn't matter what day I email, she never responds. She'll only respond if there's an update to tell me, which I'm guessing there isn't. I feel like I'm just repeating myself with the same questions, which go unanswered. My ex needs to push the issue, as it's his outstanding enquiry, but he's spineless and quite comfortable and happy in the meantime in our nice big house, so he won't.
I've seen on their website that they promise to 'hand hold buyers through the process' and 'update them at every step of the way'. So if I don't hear by Monday I'm going to quote that in my official complaint to them.

Tiglet2

Natbag said:

@dungabeagle - that's excellent news! So jealous lol! Hope all goes well.
@Tiglet2 - it doesn't matter what day I email, she never responds. She'll only respond if there's an update to tell me, which I'm guessing there isn't. I feel like I'm just repeating myself with the same questions, which go unanswered. My ex needs to push the issue, as it's his outstanding enquiry, but he's spineless and quite comfortable and happy in the meantime in our nice big house, so he won't.
I've seen on their website that they promise to 'hand hold buyers through the process' and 'update them at every step of the way'. So if I don't hear by Monday I'm going to quote that in my official complaint to them.

Is your solicitor also acting for your ex?  Even if she is, client confidentiality would prevent her from discussing his case with you.  While his transaction is indirectly linked to yours, if the issue is on his purchase then that is a separate matter.  Of course, your ex can choose to discuss it with you.

If your solicitor is not acting for your ex, then she is unlikely to know what the problem is.  

If there is an EA, ask them to chase and report back.

Solicitors don't usually update clients unless there is something to update and it doesn't sound like there is.  Solicitor have to rely on third parties to respond and they will have no control over how soon a third party deals with something and actions it.  

You have my sympathy - it is very stressful and not made easier by several transactions going on alongside your own.

Natbag

Tiglet2 said:

Natbag said:

@dungabeagle - that's excellent news! So jealous lol! Hope all goes well.
@Tiglet2 - it doesn't matter what day I email, she never responds. She'll only respond if there's an update to tell me, which I'm guessing there isn't. I feel like I'm just repeating myself with the same questions, which go unanswered. My ex needs to push the issue, as it's his outstanding enquiry, but he's spineless and quite comfortable and happy in the meantime in our nice big house, so he won't.
I've seen on their website that they promise to 'hand hold buyers through the process' and 'update them at every step of the way'. So if I don't hear by Monday I'm going to quote that in my official complaint to them.

Is your solicitor also acting for your ex?  Even if she is, client confidentiality would prevent her from discussing his case with you.  While his transaction is indirectly linked to yours, if the issue is on his purchase then that is a separate matter.  Of course, your ex can choose to discuss it with you.

If your solicitor is not acting for your ex, then she is unlikely to know what the problem is.  

If there is an EA, ask them to chase and report back.

Solicitors don't usually update clients unless there is something to update and it doesn't sound like there is.  Solicitor have to rely on third parties to respond and they will have no control over how soon a third party deals with something and actions it.  

You have my sympathy - it is very stressful and not made easier by several transactions going on alongside your own.

Thank you. She is representing us both, he's told me the issue and also given permission for it to be discussed with me. She won't. I only want to know what the expected turnaround time is, or what date we might be able to move to exchange and completion as things are becoming really urgent now, and my buyer is putting on pressure as well. I'm not interested in the finer details of the enquiry itself. I'm chasing the EA as well, she's better at replying but no better at actually answering what I've asked. And not just on this, but also whether my partner's buyers are actually in a position to exchange as this has never been confirmed and concerns me. It was never going to be easy, but the fact nothing has moved in the last 2 weeks is really frustrating.

Phoenixrise

Natbag said:

@Phoenixrise - why can't people just be transparent?! Hope they might break the chain for you.
We are one enquiry away from exchanging (not us but another person in the chain), and have been for 2 weeks now. Sigh. Saying that, I still need an update on my boyfriend's buyers, we assume they are ready too as they were close a fortnight ago but it hasn't been confirmed. We can only assume their solicitor is about as useful as ours - chocolate teapot springs to mind. 

It is the lack of transparency that’s annoyed me the most. If everything is dependent on an onwards purchase it’s not too much of a problem, I’d just like to know. 

Given how a lot of the enquiries are relatively standard or obvious you would think conveyancers would be able to answer them more quickly. 

Hopefully it won’t be too much longer until you exchange 

birdmadgirl8

Hi Everyone - first a big thank you, as I think I might have lost my sanity without this fab thread. Seeing that I'm not alone in this horrible process has been really comforting. Also, I wouldn't have known how all this (supposedly) works if hadn't been for you - at least I know what to expect now, though I'm not convinced we'll ever actually move house at this point. I feel like I've been with you all for ages, but wanted to get up to date with posts before joining in. I started reading this thread some time in Feb...from first posts in 2017 and had to give in around July 2018, when I realised I'd never get to the present...zoomed to posts from August 2020 onwards, which is when we started our search for a new home (though we've been thinking about it for years). 

I can now say that I am NEVER moving again and was not prepared for just how frustrating this has become. Everything was great to start with and things happened quickly - we juggled putting house on market with getting access to our perfect home (big relocation for us) and making/accepting offers on purchase/sale in the same week or so. Even managed to forget about the nightmare first buyer who totally wasted our time in early November. Although my conveyancer is a bit abrupt, I've worked hard to build a good relationship with her. She responds to queries quickly and, although I've had to patch up a few mistakes (e.g. my answers to buyers Qs not being passed on quickly/accurately), I'm happy that she's doing a solid job for us. I also know that she gets on with things in the background and lets me know when anything needs my attention. Our EA is also okay and quite pushy—which is what we're going to need now. According to my solicitor, our buyers' solicitor is known for asking lots of Qs (fantastic), which combined with FTB worries has been a tad wearing—I think the Qs have passed 30 now and I'm still not sure they are happy with all responses (though I respond to everything immediately and have put right any mistakes from our sol). So, mostly fine our end...

The big problem we have is with our vendors' solicitor—and the agent that end is nice, but useless ('nice' shouldn't be in an EA's job description). The vendors' solicitor has only once been in touch with mine - and that was to send on the draft contract pack a full month after our vendors had signed it. I realise that there could have been a delay between signing and delivering paperwork to solicitor, but ensuing events (or lack of them) suggest that the solicitor was very slow from the outset. Of course none of this was helped when vendors' onward purchase fell through. We were all chasing the the Stamp Duty deadline and it freaked out the whole chain. I made several calming phone calls though and it seemed to settle things. Vendors quickly found another house and said they'd wave a survey as they're buying with funds from the sale of property (we're buying) - excellent news! Only problem is we have heard ZERO from their solicitor since then (early Feb). Our solicitor needs a big question answered for our lender (re. transfer of title deeds last year). She first posed the Q in early March and has sent follow-up emails. She has also tried calling in recent weeks and they have ignored all of her calls. Our vendors have also failed to make contact, as has the useless EA (who has also gone AWOL). After I made queries about how to escalate our situation (yesterday), our EA agreed to phone vendors' solicitor (today) and he said he'd update as soon as he got through...he always updates quickly, so I know he's not managed to make contact either.

So, that's where we are now - basically no progress since at least 9th March, when our solicitor sent the important enquiry (amongst others). Plus, I have no idea what's happening with vendors' new onward purchase (vacant property), as none of us can make contact with anyone. I have been checking in regularly (with my Sol and EAs) throughout, but I'm at a loss now. Wondering whether to contact vendor, as I don't know what their take on it all is - I'd have to write a letter though, as have no other way of making contact. Honestly want to cry.

On top of all this, husband and I just had to waste the leave we were saving for move (couldn't even take it together). Back to massive workload next week. If I can work 12 hour days minimum, why can't that lousy solicitor do what he's overpaid for? Big fat sigh.

Apologies for rant - this has been building! Here's our timeline in case it's of interest.

25/08/20: Property search starts (purchase) 

26/10/20: Agents value our house (sale)

30/10/20: House on Market (sale)

31/10/20: View Property - this is the one (purchase)

02/11/20: First viewings of our house (sale)

03/11/20: AIP Mortgage

04/11/20: First Buyer Cash Offer Accepted (sale) 

06/11/20: Our 3rd Offer Accepted (purchase)

09/11/20: Instruct first solicitor - recommended by agent. Problems arise quickly with this online outfit. Change mind.

13/11/20: Instruct local solicitor (sale & purchase)

13/11/20: First Buyer messing us around (sale)

14/11/20: House back on market (sale)

20/11/20: Mortgage Consultation - request Homebuyer Survey (purchase)

21/11/20: Viewing day arranged (sale)

27/11/20: Second Buyers' Offer (FTB) Accepted (sale)

30/11/20: Mortgage approved pending valuation 

08/12/20: Draft Contract Pack to our solicitors (sale)

09/12/20: Corrections to contract pack paperwork sent to our Solicitor - later find these have been missed (sale)

18/12/20: Mortgage Offer Letter 

18/12/20: Receive Homebuyer Report - nothing to concern us. It's a 1930s property and we accept it's a living thing that we'll willingly take on (purchase)

18/12/20: Buyers' Valuation Survey done (sale)

08/01/21: Vendors' draft contract pack ready for our solicitor (after I chase it). Our solicitor raises enquiries soon after this - discovers one big issue that involves our lender (purchase)

15/01/21: Searches requested for our purchase (due back 02.3.21)

21/01/21: Our vendors' purchase falls through – house they were buying has been taken off market (purchase)

29/01/21: Our buyer (FTB) wants to reduce offer since looks like we'll miss SDHD. We gently explain that this is not happening (as we'd need to find extra for our purchase too). Either they can afford property, or they can't. They offered well under asking price anyway and we stressed that only major structural issue would lead to reduction. We suggest sitting tight as SDHD might be extended. If they are not true to offer, our house goes back on market. (sale)

08/02/21: Hooray!!! Vendors find new property (purchase)

23/02/21: Removal company visits for quote (very reassuring)

03/03/21: SDHD extended (phew!) - but I think this has delayed communications (sale & purchase)

04/03/31: Searches in with no problems from our point of view - few legal things solicitor has to follow up (purchase)

09/03/21: Our solicitor raises big Q with vendors' solicitor (after discussion with our lender), plus other enquiries (purchase)

10/03/21: Contracts signed in advance and delivered by hand to our solicitor (sale)

birdmadgirl8

PS Sorry that was soooo long. Promise future posts will be short 😬