Timing exchange / completion around a holiday

SunnyCat

We're FTBs and a few weeks (ETA: 2 months actually... time flies!!) into a process of buying a house. We have a holiday booked for a week in August and it looks like the exchange / completion might be happening around then. We probably prefer to go on holiday from our current place (more convenient for the airport we're flying from), but any thoughts of whether it's better to try time things to happen before or after, for example any reason that being out of the country night not be good just before or after? Or perhaps try to exchange before and complete after - or is it better for us to be around during that time? Thanks!

ynyswen

Hi that seems quite a short timeframe to me. It has taken 4 months for our chain and we are just about to exchange.

Yes you can exchange before and ask for a completion date when you return. Just make sure that you have signed everything you need to before you go away! That way nobody is held up.

eddddy

Assuming you've signed the contract etc in advance, there's no problem with being on holiday when exchange and/or completion happens. (But tell your solicitor in advance.)

Perhaps a lot depends on when you want to move in - would that be on completion day or later?

If you need to arrange a removal firm or van hire, broadband etc - you can't do that kind of thing until you've exchanged contracts.

So if you go away immediately after exchanging contracts, I guess you may have to wait until you get back to arrange things, which might delay your moving in date.

davidmcn

The only thing you can't do from abroad is move in.

SunnyCat

We're currently renting so not tied to moving right on completion date, but don't want to pay both rent and mortgage unnecessarily for too long. I guess once we complete, we will want to enjoy the house, decorate etc and not go away immediately, so I'm thinking complete after the holiday and exchange either before or after depending on how quickly everything is ready.

SunnyCat

In any case thank you for reassurances that the holiday isn't in the way of things happening!

hazyjo

I doubt you'll be anywhere near completion by then. If you miraculously are, I would try to exchange so the worry is off then leave at least a week from when you're back to get things straight. Hopefully you're away for one week rather than two. It will be stressful and you should at least have removal sorted just after exchange or they'll be booked.

Make sure you let everyone know now. Not that they will remember or take a blind bit of notice. I was in a similar boat last time I sold. Mentioned it several times. Stupid EAs then tried to book my buyer's survey (last min decision to have one) in for a day we were away (at a time when the rest of the chain thought we were exchanging!).

Try to enjoy yourself...

SunnyCat

hazyjo wrote: »

I doubt you'll be anywhere near completion by then. If you miraculously are, I would try to exchange so the worry is off then leave at least a week from when you're back to get things straight. Hopefully you're away for one week rather than two.

It will have been 3 months from offer accepted by then... the EA thinks we'll be done in July but I'm not that optimistic

Yes, away for a week and thank you for advice to leave another week after we return. We'll need to pack and everything anyway, so that will leave us time to do that and sort any last minute paperwork if needed.