The NEW waiting to exchange thread...

MrsBrush

birdmadgirl8 said:

desthemoaner said:

The transaction of our sale is virtually at the point of exchange, but the solicitors for our purchase haven't issued the draft contracts, despite being chased by both our solicitors and the seller's agent for the last six weeks.

What I don't want to do is move into the new property just before Christmas and find that we can't get any of the essential work done (boiler replacement, electrics, garage roof) till the New Year. We'd like to be in there end of November at the latest,  when contractors will still be taking on work.

I'm tempted to wait another couple of weeks, and if there's still no sign of the draft contracts on the seller's side to ask our buyers ( who have been brilliant and not put any pressure on us at all) to back me up if necessary, then tell the seller's solicitor through our conveyancer that if they don't pull their fingers out there's a danger that our buyers will lose patience. I don't know if that would work, but it might be worth a try.

Or perhaps they won't give any more of a monkey's than they do right now. 

Ugh - it's so hard to know how to play it. It's appalling that you still don't have the contract pack. We certainly let the upper chain know that our buyers were getting restless when we waited 8 weeks for ours (from sellers' sol). Upper chain threatening to pull out close to exchange felt horrible though & we'll never know if they would have gone through with it. I wouldn't resort to a threat that you won't see through, but a bit of firm pressure does no harm 😉

I feel your pain - it was the same for us with our purchase, as the sellers conveyancers really have been rubbish.  Although as it turned out, despite our buyers getting incredibly impatient and threatening to pull out on several occasions, it turned out that their conveyancers were also rubbish, incredibly slow and hadn't raised enquiries until around week 18, so they were not infallible.

With the purchase, after waiting 8 weeks for the sellers conveyancers to send over the title deeds, we commenced searches, but we didn't get the protocol pack until after the searches came back (around week 13!) so we didn't have draft contracts, we ended up going to the real thing immediately! The we had a further 3 week delay because their conveyancers decided that it wasn't necessary to answer legal enquiries (!!), and anyone following the saga of the last week or so will know that even with interventions, without someone driving the process through you are going nowhere. This means that it is so important that your own EA has a good post sales team who are proactive and constantly on the case. I have been calling the buyer's EA daily to apply pressure as well. I have been in constant communication with the vendor, who has been incredibly frustrated (why he didn't sack the legal firm months ago is still totally beyond me!) I have been spending hours doing emails, making calls and generally making a nuisance of myself as this seems to be the only way to get anything done.

I am just incredibly fortunate that I work at home, I have a very understanding boss, a job that I can call the shots and prioritise my own workload and a brilliant work team who have my back! There has been times where the stress levels have been unbearable, and it has made my question if it is worth the grief probably on a daily basis.

I have not made any threats I don't intend to carry through though - so the seller's EA will definitely be getting a full formal complaint post completion as the whole process has been horrendous.  I can certainly say that their recommendation of the vendor using about the worse conveyancing firm this side of the universe was a huge part of this, and the overall customer experience certainly doesn't live up to the slick marketing and TV adverts!

hellosunshine17

We're due to complete on Friday but no word of an exchange date yet, is this normal? I've chased but solicitors are not responding. I know they have our deposit money as got confirmation of that from the bank on Saturday, so not sure what, if anything, they could be waiting for?

greensalad

Oh now after complaining nothing is happening I've got all scared this morning as they finally sent the important stuff including suggestion of transferring deposit! 

I know we're not really there yet, but it was surprising to see. We've got all our searches back, everything good. I've just send the survey to the solicitor which I think they will bring up a missing building reg but we will see. Me and OH are not concerned about it (removal of a door, we intend to extend off that wall anyway), but the solicitor might be. Hope it doesn't delay things too much.

I've emailed the sales progressor too to find out how far away the other 2 in the chain are from discussing dates. I'm glad to see our solicitor suggests at least 2 weeks between exchange and completion, that should make us asking for 3-4 weeks more palatable. I'm also considering doing the dangerous thing and giving notice before we exchange... because our tenancy is up in January anyway so from end of November we'd be serving the same notice and be "effectively homeless" if the house sale didn't go through anyway... We can put our stuff into storage and go live with OH's mum is it all goes t*ts up!

MrsBrush

Today was supposed to be moving day! Trying not to think about that when we haven't jumped the exchange hurdle still - now attempt day 8.

I have done what is rapidly becoming a daily ritual of calling the removals company to check availability is still there, then providing my solicitor and EA with authority to exchange. 

#groundhogday

I have given up looking at the phone and emails for an update. You never know, I might get a good surprise later :-)

HopeAndDriftWood

greensalad said:

Oh now after complaining nothing is happening I've got all scared this morning as they finally sent the important stuff including suggestion of transferring deposit! 

I know we're not really there yet, but it was surprising to see. We've got all our searches back, everything good. I've just send the survey to the solicitor which I think they will bring up a missing building reg but we will see. Me and OH are not concerned about it (removal of a door, we intend to extend off that wall anyway), but the solicitor might be. Hope it doesn't delay things too much.

I've emailed the sales progressor too to find out how far away the other 2 in the chain are from discussing dates. I'm glad to see our solicitor suggests at least 2 weeks between exchange and completion, that should make us asking for 3-4 weeks more palatable. I'm also considering doing the dangerous thing and giving notice before we exchange... because our tenancy is up in January anyway so from end of November we'd be serving the same notice and be "effectively homeless" if the house sale didn't go through anyway... We can put our stuff into storage and go live with OH's mum is it all goes t*ts up!

Are you all using the same solicitor? 3 - 4 weeks should be okay as long as the rest of the chain know, I think - It'd be a kicker to find out just before exchange, but if everyone has been aware, it shouldn't be a problem 🙂

Our solicitor is pushing for 4 days between exchange and completion but the rest of the chain want simultaneous or next day, so I think we'll end up doing that. To be honest, I just want to be in, so I'll make whatever work. 

Strictly speaking we're still waiting on our buyers mortgage offer - he text yesterday to say there had been an issue with signatures but it was expected back yesterday, and reiterating that he wants to complete completely. 

Then it's all over to his solicitor, who is looking at all the paperwork on Thursday. I'm really hoping it's straightforward from here and we can get it done in one round of enquiries 😬

greensalad

HopeAndDriftWood said:

greensalad said:

Oh now after complaining nothing is happening I've got all scared this morning as they finally sent the important stuff including suggestion of transferring deposit! 

I know we're not really there yet, but it was surprising to see. We've got all our searches back, everything good. I've just send the survey to the solicitor which I think they will bring up a missing building reg but we will see. Me and OH are not concerned about it (removal of a door, we intend to extend off that wall anyway), but the solicitor might be. Hope it doesn't delay things too much.

I've emailed the sales progressor too to find out how far away the other 2 in the chain are from discussing dates. I'm glad to see our solicitor suggests at least 2 weeks between exchange and completion, that should make us asking for 3-4 weeks more palatable. I'm also considering doing the dangerous thing and giving notice before we exchange... because our tenancy is up in January anyway so from end of November we'd be serving the same notice and be "effectively homeless" if the house sale didn't go through anyway... We can put our stuff into storage and go live with OH's mum is it all goes t*ts up!

Are you all using the same solicitor? 3 - 4 weeks should be okay as long as the rest of the chain know, I think - It'd be a kicker to find out just before exchange, but if everyone has been aware, it shouldn't be a problem 🙂

No we have 3 different solicitors in the chain. I'm hoping to raise it as early as possible. 

esubbs

Bad news this end. Our solicitor chased this morning only to be told that the bottom of the chain are in the process of extending their lease. Erm, what??! 
At no point have we been told this. Three weeks ago we were told "just the management pack", then last week "just a couple of enquiries, should be done by the end of the week" and now there's yet another lease extension to contend with, which could take months! 
I feel like tearing my hair out. Why can't they just be honest and keep us informed. I feel like we clearly went with the wrong buyer and they've been hoodwinking us ever since to stop us pulling out.

Now I've got to make a decision about what to do going forward. We'll lose the girls school places if we don't exchange in the next couple of weeks and will have to wait until January for more annual leave if its much longer than that too. 

Duck345

MrsBrush said:

Today was supposed to be moving day! Trying not to think about that when we haven't jumped the exchange hurdle still - now attempt day 8.

I have done what is rapidly becoming a daily ritual of calling the removals company to check availability is still there, then providing my solicitor and EA with authority to exchange. 

#groundhogday

I have given up looking at the phone and emails for an update. You never know, I might get a good surprise later :-)

Good luck!!

Faodail

esubbs said:

Bad news this end. Our solicitor chased this morning only to be told that the bottom of the chain are in the process of extending their lease. Erm, what??! 
At no point have we been told this. Three weeks ago we were told "just the management pack", then last week "just a couple of enquiries, should be done by the end of the week" and now there's yet another lease extension to contend with, which could take months! 
I feel like tearing my hair out. Why can't they just be honest and keep us informed. I feel like we clearly went with the wrong buyer and they've been hoodwinking us ever since to stop us pulling out.

Now I've got to make a decision about what to do going forward. We'll lose the girls school places if we don't exchange in the next couple of weeks and will have to wait until January for more annual leave if its much longer than that too. 

Oh my gosh. I don’t know what to say, I would be absolutely livid right now.

I have no advice as I’m new to this, but I couldn’t not say nothing. I really hope it’s a little hick up or misunderstanding and it gets back on track... if not, what the hell are your buyers playing at?!! 💗

esubbs

Faodail said:
Oh my gosh. I don’t know what to say, I would be absolutely livid right now.

I have no advice as I’m new to this, but I couldn’t not say nothing. I really hope it’s a little hick up or misunderstanding and it gets back on track... if not, what the hell are your buyers playing at?!! 💗

Thanks 

I'm wondering if our buyers even know what's going on as they don't seem to, or if they have been purposefully holding information back so that we didn't pull out and go with a more proceedable buyer. 🤔

Still waiting on a response from my estate agent. My solicitor says lease extensions are notoriously unpredictable and can take anything from a few weeks to a few months. But I want to know why is it only happening now, when everyone else is ready to exchange and months into the process. Someone down the chain must have known about it before now surely.