Person in chain keeps moving the completion date, advice?

wendygn1

We were supposed to be moving at the end of August. Someone in the chain said that they couldn't move then, so the new date was agreed, which was the 8th September. Everyone was ready to move and we were waiting exchange. I have been onto my solicitor and estate agent on a daily basis.
The 8th Sept came and went, we were given a new date of the 15th Sept. everyone agreed, apart from this one person in the chain who keeps moving the goalposts.
The new date of the 26th September was suggested and the solicitor said that he would try and get his client to agree on 22nd September, but his client won't budge from the 26th September.
This was on Tuesday and I'm still waiting to exchange. I spoke to my solicitor yesterday who said she's been too busy to speak to the other persons solicitor. I need to exchange so that this date can't be changed again.
Can the person in the chain keep moving the goal posts or will there come a time when the solicitor will say to him that enough is enough?
Also because we were going to be moving at the end of August and I was paying by cheque, my solicitor asked for the full house payment, her fees and the estate agent fees. This is so it would give her enough time for the cheque to clear.
So basically I'm squatting in my current house and I own the house that I've yet to move into. I am also losing interest on the money that could have been in my account, but is now in the hands of my solicitor.
The person that is causing the delay is The vendor of the house that my vendor is buying. Everyone else in the chain has been ready to move since the 8th September. My seller has lost her deposit on her removal company because she booked the 8th Sept to secure the booking.
Any advice will be greatly received, thank you

Lokolo

Get onto the estate agents, this is where they should be sorting out dates with everyone.

hazyjo

It happens - there's nothing you can do unless you threaten to pull out (and mean it!). You could try and force your seller out if it's the link above them causing the problem.


Don't understand the squatting thing or how you can 'own the house' that you're buying. I understand that your solicitor needed the money, but they can send it back to you if you like, although there's probably not much point. Interest will be negligible - anyway, it will go into a client account and you can have the interest (AFAIK).


Your buyer should not have booked anything until actual exchange so that's her naivety and lesson learned unfortunately.


Good luck. It's very frustrating, I know.

wendygn1

Thanks
The squatting thing was my little joke, sorry
Can I ask my solicitor for the interest on the money that she is holding?
Can I push for exchange? Because I am constantly on the phone to my solicitor and estate agent, I'm starting to feel like a pest.
I can't threaten to pull out because I've paid all my monies in full, the house I'm buying is already paid for and the house I am currently in has already been paid for by the people buying my house.
I wouldn't want to threaten to pull out anyway as I really want the house that I've bought
I have read somewhere that you can claim compensation from the person who's causing the delay in the chain.
What is more frustrating is that we are not being told the reason for the delay, apart from the fact he is being awkward.

wendygn1

I'm onto the estate agents on a daily basis. They're having a headache over this as well. There's a dent in the wall in the estate agents office where he keeps banging his head :rotfl:

LandyAndy

wendygn1 wrote: »

Thanks
The squatting thing was my little joke, sorry
Can I ask my solicitor for the interest on the money that she is holding?
Can I push for exchange? Because I am constantly on the phone to my solicitor and estate agent, I'm starting to feel like a pest.
I can't threaten to pull out because I've paid all my monies in full, the house I'm buying is already paid for and the house I am currently in has already been paid for by the people buying my house.
I wouldn't want to threaten to pull out anyway as I really want the house that I've bought
I have read somewhere that you can claim compensation from the person who's causing the delay in the chain.
What is more frustrating is that we are not being told the reason for the delay, apart from the fact he is being awkward.

Of course you can pull out. No one has bought any houses atm because you haven't even exchanged let alone completed.


You pull out and you get your money back from the solicitor.

Narkynewt

I would suggest that you're going to pull out. They could keep messing around otherwise.

LandyAndy

Narkynewt wrote: »

I would suggest that you're going to pull out. They could keep messing around otherwise.

Only threaten to pull out if you are prepared to do it.

wendygn1

Pulling out is not an option I could threaten to pull out, but then when the push came to shove I wouldn't carry it through. I really want this house

kingstreet

Until all parties have a completion date on which they are all agreed, exchange of contracts cannot take place.

Normally, this is settled by everyone putting forward their preferred dates and a compromise being reached. However, in this instance it appears one party wants one particular date and that is it.

Unless and until everyone agrees, you aren't going to exchange contracts.

gingercordial

wendygn1 wrote: »

I have read somewhere that you can claim compensation from the person who's causing the delay in the chain.

No. Once you have exchanged and set a completion date, if somebody fails to complete on the specified date then potentially there is a claim against them for costs.

You haven't even exchanged so nobody is liable to anyone else for anything at the moment. Any one of you could walk away at any time and it would be hard luck to the others.