Is my solicitor being over-optimistic?

ginger_chocolate

So my solicitor has spoken to the vendors solicitor and they have proposed a completion date of 20th December.

But we haven't even had a draft contract yet, and my solicitor is moving offices on Monday (so will be unable to make any progress with our file, take phonecalls or answer emails that day), so the earliest we could possibly get a draft contract is Tuesday. We've agreed to call in and sign the mortgage deeds on Wednesday morning (19th) - my solicitor is still convinced we can complete on the 20th but this sounds really far-fetched to me. And as we haven't exchanged I know I can't count on that date. I've been trying to pester them by phone but they are really difficult to get hold of, and when I do speak to someone they just tell me that it will all be fine for the 20th - I just don't quite believe this!

Am I just being paranoid? I'd love to complete before Christmas, but if it's not realistically ] going to happen, I need to start making plans to celebrate Christmas in my current home! Has anyone had experiences of things being this close to the wire and still going through fine?

Silian

Less than a week sounds VERY optimistic.

Have the searches been done yet? I've just been through this process and was told that they can't be requested until the draft contracts are issued. Ours took 5 working days which is rather quick (there is a website somewhere that will tell you how long the council takes).

After that there might be enquiries which will be some back and forth.

Our bank also requested 5 days notice to release the mortgage funds.

babyblade41

Can be done in a week, I've done it.. I am now currently 9 weeks in with 2 of us, both no mortgages and still waiting due to a deed problem... nearly there but some things are beyond even solicitors control

ginger_chocolate

Yes searches have all been done and come back clear according to solicitor. But we've had absolutely no official paperwork of any kind from them since the documents when we first instructed them 9 weeks ago. I also sent a £200 cheque back then which has never been cashed. The aim of completing in less than a week's time, with one day out of action due to an office move sounds like BS to me, but they're adamant it can happen. I don't know whether to take their word for it, start packing and clear the dates of other commitments, or to ignore them and carry on as normal.

Doozergirl

Solicitors aren't in the habit of making promises they can't keep. Quite the opposite; they're more than happy to wait until everything is ready. They're not emotionally involved.

Thrugelmir

ginger_chocolate wrote: »

Yes searches have all been done and come back clear according to solicitor. But we've had absolutely no official paperwork of any kind from them since the documents when we first instructed them 9 weeks ago. I also sent a £200 cheque back then which has never been cashed. The aim of completing in less than a week's time, with one day out of action due to an office move sounds like BS to me, but they're adamant it can happen. I don't know whether to take their word for it, start packing and clear the dates of other commitments, or to ignore them and carry on as normal.

Are you prepared to move on the 20th. If not postpone until the New Year. You are the client. They'll work to your instructions.

Wobblydeb

Personally I would want a clear week between exchange and completion. These are some of the things we had to fit into that week:

• Transfer our deposit
• Solicitor to give notice to the bank of funds drawdown
• Find a removals company that was available and affordable!
• Sell large furniture that wasn't being moved (we didn't sell our wardrobes until we were sure of exchange)
• Pack all the stuff that WAS moving
• Book days off work and childcare
• Book a cleaner

We had a similarly pushy vendor who thought less than a week was do-able. But he just moved in a few bags one night after work - he didn't have to pack up and move a family home! :eek:

I would never bank on a date until contracts are exchanged. Sales can fall through.

ginger_chocolate

Are you prepared to move on the 20th/QUOTE]

Essentially, yes - I'd love to! Although if I have to wait then so be it. What bothers me is having to start making plans now (booking leave from work, packing things up etc) only to have it all just not happen.

Slithery

Wobblydeb wrote: »

Personally I would want a clear week between exchange and completion. These are some of the things we had to fit into that week:

• Transfer our deposit

How on earth did you manage that?

The deposit is required before exchange.

Sanne

Slithery wrote: »

How on earth did you manage that?

The deposit is required before exchange.

Possibly having had the 10% deposit at exchange moved up the chain so only payment of the remainder was required for completion? (Ours - we were FTBs at the bottom was moved up and used by everyone all the way to the top).

We also had a second transfer of the remaining deposit as we put nearly 20% down somoaid 10% Exchange deposit and the remainder to make up the purchase price between exchange and completion.

Sanne

ginger_chocolate wrote: »

Are you prepared to move on the 20th/QUOTE]

Essentially, yes - I'd love to! Although if I have to wait then so be it. What bothers me is having to start making plans now (booking leave from work, packing things up etc) only to have it all just not happen.

I guess the only way to avoid this is to tell the vendor you don’t want to complete until x January - that way you can exchange next week and arrange everything being certain it happens.

We were FTBs and we had two weeks between exchange and completion - primarily because we worked backwards (had a completion date in mind which the chain agreed to and knew - unless something unusual was going to happen - that we’d exchange at some point before that). The chain originally collapsed three days before they were due to exchange (we then replaced the buyers at the bottom who had pulled out) so, personally, I wouldn’t want to complete less than a week after exchange.