feel like I’m being messed around / Question about Certificate of title / release of mortgage funds

[Deleted User]

I’m a ftb and am under unnecessary  stress right now.
I'm buying a chain free flat. 

Timeline so far 

Offer accepted June 
started legal work late June early July 
applied for mortgage 24th July 
all enquiries sorted, just waiting for mortgage offer —late  September 
Mortgage offered 7th Oct 
postal offer received 13th Oct. emailed solicitor to let her know, and to suggest completion date of 30th Oct. out of office reply received. Solicitor on holiday 
19th Oct. email from solicitor. Mortgage offer not received, lender (platform) sent it to wrong branch. Solicitor contacts platform to get it changed. 

4th nov solicitor says she’s received offer and puts forward 17th nov for exchange and completion 
5th nov solicitor contacts sellers solicitor. My solicitor doesn’t receive contact until week commencing 9th nov. 

Week commencing 9th nov. I get a call from solicitor apologising to say she hasn’t in fact received mortgage offer with correct address on it, but that she has spoken to platform who will pay the money into the branch on the offer and solicitor will reconcile funds to correct branch. Also told sellers solicitor has just returned from paternity leave which is why there wasn’t much contact. Leases and plans have to be signed and that completion on 17th is unlikely 
17th nov. - completion / exchange doesn't happen. Leases and plans not signed. I’m told the sellers must sign before completion and they need a week to do this. 

My solicitors tells sellers solicitor that I want to get this done by 27th nov at the latest 
26th nov. Told completion isn’t happening on 27th. I still have not received the engrossed lease and plans. I am told that 
The sellers solicitors have said they can suggest 4thDecember for completion on the basis they get the signed documents back in time.
As the sellers need a week to sign and return I’m assuming they have their copy. 

As far as the certificate of title goes, one version online says platform need 7 working days from receipt of CoT in order to draw down the funds, if so, I won’t be able to complete on 4th. 

Is it possible for solicitor to send CoT to platform without the completion date filled in? Solicitor has flagged my case as urgent. 

I feel like I’m being messed around a bit! 

davidmcn

Lenders don't generally need the "7 working days" or whatever their service standard states, they can usually do it much quicker than that (just won't make any promises to do so). And yes, solicitor can give them a notional completion date, common practice at present is to request funds prior to exchange anyway. I don't know Platform's current performance standards though. 

[Deleted User]

davidmcn said:

Lenders don't generally need the "7 working days" or whatever their service standard states, they can usually do it much quicker than that (just won't make any promises to do so). And yes, solicitor can give them a notional completion date, common practice at present is to request funds prior to exchange anyway. I don't know Platform's current performance standards though. 

Thank you. 

Platforms current performance standards if the past is anything to go by, are shocking. Exchange and completion will be on the same day 

John_

DeletedUser said:

davidmcn said:

Lenders don't generally need the "7 working days" or whatever their service standard states, they can usually do it much quicker than that (just won't make any promises to do so). And yes, solicitor can give them a notional completion date, common practice at present is to request funds prior to exchange anyway. I don't know Platform's current performance standards though. 

Thank you. 

Platforms current performance standards if the past is anything to go by, are shocking. Exchange and completion will be on the same day 

That’s one of the reasons that you are having more stress than necessary, having exchange and completion on the same day does tend to do this.

[Deleted User]

John_ said:

DeletedUser said:

davidmcn said:

Lenders don't generally need the "7 working days" or whatever their service standard states, they can usually do it much quicker than that (just won't make any promises to do so). And yes, solicitor can give them a notional completion date, common practice at present is to request funds prior to exchange anyway. I don't know Platform's current performance standards though. 

Thank you. 

Platforms current performance standards if the past is anything to go by, are shocking. Exchange and completion will be on the same day 

That’s one of the reasons that you are having more stress than necessary, having exchange and completion on the same day does tend to do this.

True. But in the covid era this is the norm where possible according to solicitor