The NEW waiting to exchange thread...

mm1985

kenneth77 said:

How often is everyone contacting for updates? Rang yesterday afternoon and just waiting for the ok from one solicitor in chain on enquiries they had, everyone wants to proceed ASAP and are otherwise ready so just waiting on solicitors to communicate to each other. Is it worth calling or emailing daily or should I leave them to it and wait to be called? 

I was in touch with solicitors weekly but have an amazing chaser at EA who I also spoke to weekly and knew what was going on up and down the chain. We were meant to be exchanging and completing this week but that has now been delayed. I spoke to solicitors yesterday and will probably call them again today or tomorrow to discuss for completion next week 

Moonrat

fleur8 said:

Moonrat said:

After still not receiving replies from our solicitor, we got an email this morning from our mortgage broker - we already paid him and haven't spoken to him for at least 6 weeks. He's chased them without being asked (he's an angel) and found out our enquiries came back this week, which I thought were already done due to them never being mentioned.

However this does mean our searches and enquiries are done! And we heard last week that our vendors are looking for a rental, being the bottom of the chain, I'm really hoping this means something might happen soon! 

Congrats! How does your broker know the enquiries are back? Are brokers copied into the legal back and forth emails?

Our solicitor has been particularly unresponsive from the start. Months ago we mentioned this to our broker and asked what else we could do to chase her up, and he basically said to leave it with him. 
He's been chasing updates from her ever since but I wasn't aware he had again so I'm very grateful! So I don't believe they are involved in too much legally except the mortgage, but I'm guessing he knew we hadn't exchanged yet as he would have received notification from the lender? 

Caz_Mnaz

hello all!
Joining this wonderful game of selling/purchasing at the same time (my first time...oh how I miss being a FTB...wish I'd taken more time to appreciate it!)

We went on the market in August 2020
Accepted offer Nov 5th (eventually...turns out everyone has same idea as us and moving to their 'next' home, not their first starter home!)
Got a 'ping' from the NHS app the next day so that was us isolating for 2 weeks, WONDERFUL. Explained to our buyer we were effectively out the game for two weeks for our own search. We are also relocating but only an hour away from search area
Finally free to do some viewings, and had offer accepted on 23rd Nov (a house we had viewed in the summer that was still available...maybe the housing gods were looking down on us after all!)
Now sat waiting for our searches to come back (local authority ones....pray for us)
Our sale, as far as I know, all ready to go

We are 5th in the chain, and the chain below us are really keen (un surprisingly!) to complete soon. We are hoping mid Feb. Our seller is sensibly breaking the chain as they own a few rentals they can move into so they can be cash buyers and admittedly said they are fussy!

So lets see. Slightly nervous about suggestions sols are pushing for exchange and completion on the same day....

Also hoping those at the bottom of the chain don't start to threaten to pull out. They were looking to complete 29th Jan, so surely a few more weeks isn't worth them pulling out and having to start from scratch?

rachtom84

Hello, I've been following this thread for a while but never commented..
 Our house purchase has been going on for the last 2, yes TWO YEARS and it looks like we are coming to the end finally! 
We sold our house back in June 2020 and have been living with in-laws since then (with two kids) 😩... The house we are buying is vacant, (next door to in-laws) and has been for the last two years too... Owner went into a care home then passed away early last year during the purchase process... The delays we've had have been probate, extending our shared ownship lease on our sold property, covid, sellers House not been registered and having to apply for a mortgage twice!
So glad it's finally at the end... 
Anyway.. Completion has been agreed, from both sides, on Friday 15th...however we still haven't heard from the mortgage company (Halifax) and whether they have approved the release of the money yet in time for completion... Our solicitor instructed them last friday and we sent the deposit money through then, I asked about exchange but they said they will wait to hear from Halifax before exchange... With 3 days to go does this look likely we will get the money before completion or could it be delayed even more?

I know we will wait to hear back from our solicitors but just wandered if anyone else has been through this before?

Sorry for the long post! 

Tiglet2

mm1985 said:

Does anybody know if solicitors generally do exchanges on a Friday? If we’re hoping to complete on Monday then our solicitor has said exchange should be one or two days before so I’m hoping she’ll agree to Friday but I also know they tend to be busy with completions on that day 

Solicitors have to prioritise completions and Fridays are usually the busiest day for completions.  They can and do exchange on Fridays, just bear in mind that completions will come first so if they are able to exchange for you, it will most likely be after the last completion, i.e. after 3 pm.

mm1985

Tiglet2 said:

mm1985 said:

Does anybody know if solicitors generally do exchanges on a Friday? If we’re hoping to complete on Monday then our solicitor has said exchange should be one or two days before so I’m hoping she’ll agree to Friday but I also know they tend to be busy with completions on that day 

Solicitors have to prioritise completions and Fridays are usually the busiest day for completions.  They can and do exchange on Fridays, just bear in mind that completions will come first so if they are able to exchange for you, it will most likely be after the last completion, i.e. after 3 pm.

That’s exactly what I thought. I’m hoping all solicitors agree to an exchange of Thursday. It’s more time exchange and completion and I know that solicitors are not recommending that at the moment but for us to even be able to figure out annual leave, removals company, homeschooling and everything else in between we need a bit of certainty 

Sotts

I'm expecting my mortgage offer today.    Solicitor had all the local searches back within 2 weeks but now told she is waiting for the environmental searches.   Our property is new build and vacant, and we are moving from rented accommodation, but I am pushing to get some sort of date as I need to give notice on my rental property and also want to start ordering furniture 

Tiglet2

kenneth77 said:

How often is everyone contacting for updates? Rang yesterday afternoon and just waiting for the ok from one solicitor in chain on enquiries they had, everyone wants to proceed ASAP and are otherwise ready so just waiting on solicitors to communicate to each other. Is it worth calling or emailing daily or should I leave them to it and wait to be called? 

Do you think emailing/calling every day helps the solicitor do his work?  It is well known that conveyancers are struggling to cope with the pandemic and the stamp duty holiday so if you want to impede their progress go ahead.  Clients often call/email asking if they can help speed things up.  What they actually do is slow things down.  I'm sorry if that sounds harsh, but the reality is that there is nothing a client can do to speed things except for respond quickly when asked to.  Otherwise it's in the hands of third parties, of which you have no control.

oniongirl

Had a phonecall from our agents this morning. Our buyers have had to reapply for a mortgage as Barclays wouldn't give them an extension without knowing the completion date. Surveyor for the Lender is booked to come round on Thursday.

Apparently we're not to mention this to anyone further up the chain in case they relax. We're going to act as though we only have til the end of the month.

To be fair, we do. Our broker says if we haven't exchanged by the 1st Feb we should get in touch to sort an extension out for our offer, which expires 21st Feb. So frustrating!

Caz_Mnaz

Tiglet2 said:

kenneth77 said:

How often is everyone contacting for updates? Rang yesterday afternoon and just waiting for the ok from one solicitor in chain on enquiries they had, everyone wants to proceed ASAP and are otherwise ready so just waiting on solicitors to communicate to each other. Is it worth calling or emailing daily or should I leave them to it and wait to be called? 

Do you think emailing/calling every day helps the solicitor do his work?  It is well known that conveyancers are struggling to cope with the pandemic and the stamp duty holiday so if you want to impede their progress go ahead.  Clients often call/email asking if they can help speed things up.  What they actually do is slow things down.  I'm sorry if that sounds harsh, but the reality is that there is nothing a client can do to speed things except for respond quickly when asked to.  Otherwise it's in the hands of third parties, of which you have no control.

I tend to agree with this BUT I have a great solicitor, who at the start said if you don't hear from me it's because I have nothing new to update! They have been v good at getting paperwork to me when needed, and I've done my best to get it signed/returned the same or next day (luckily I am within walking distance of the office) EA's from both sides also v good....I feel v lucky after reading some of the stories on here!

Trying to let it alllll wash over me