Is it normal to take so long to exchange when ready?

crazyoldmaurice

We are first time sellers and our SO Flat sale has fallen through twice previously. Third offer given in July to a FTB, we have moved into relatives. Buyer mortgage offer given in October. All searches back and final enquiries answered and complete on Thursday last week. My solicitor contacted buyers solicitor on the Thursday with the final enquiry info they needed and to ask about exchange & completion dates. My solicitor tells me that on Friday she will get back to me when she hears from them. I call solicitor on Monday and still not heard, she says she will chase their solicitor. In the mean time she says maybe I could contact my housing association who will be able liase directly with our buyer and maybe that will gee things up a bit. I do this on Monday and hear from housing association yesterday morning that they will do this. 

Its now Wednesday and I haven't heard a sausage from my solicitor or HA. We are now ready to go as of last week thurs, all we need is a bloody date. I've tried calling my solicitor this morning but she never seems to answer in the mornings.

Is this normal to have so little info re exchange & completion dates at this stage? How often should I be bothering my solicitor at this point? I feel like for the past year I've been holding my breath trying to sell this property and all the anxiety around the EWS1 nonsense I'm pretty sure has turned me grey.

wjr4

I’d call them every day, solicitors tend to be very slow! 

mwt_2

Yup pretty normal if you ask me, the stars need to align for both solicitors to be available at the same time to exchange it. In my view, there's little point in pestering the solicitor, pester the estate agent you sold through, they'll lean on the buyer (in a nice way) who will give their solicitor a nudge, and that should get things moving.

Flats always take longer to sell, usually because of the various other third parties involved such as the freeholder, managment company, etc. I've sold 2x ex local authority flats and it was a painful experience both times, I hope I never had to buy/sell a flat ever again.

crazyoldmaurice

Thanks, I always feel like im bothering her but every day is dragging since Thursday 

crazyoldmaurice

mwt_2 said:

Yup pretty normal if you ask me, the stars need to align for both solicitors to be available at the same time to exchange it. In my view, there's little point in pestering the solicitor, pester the estate agent you sold through, they'll lean on the buyer (in a nice way) who will give their solicitor a nudge, and that should get things moving.

Flats always take longer to sell, usually because of the various other third parties involved such as the freeholder, managment company, etc. I've sold 2x ex local authority flats and it was a painful experience both times, I hope I never had to buy/sell a flat ever again.

Thanks. Theres no estate agent as its shared ownership so I have to go through the Housing association. We haven't ever been given a date(s) to expect to complete so feels very frustrating to not get any feedback yet

badger09

wjr4 said:

I’d call them every day, solicitors tend to be very slow! 

And of course, if all clients call them every day, they will have so much more time to actually get on with their work.

crazyoldmaurice

There really isn't any work to do now in my case bar chase the solicitors. I've been calling the housing association and my solicitor ALL day with no one picking up 🥴 finally just got through to my solicitor who had the day off yesterday but got her assistant to chase the buyers solicitors but still no response 😕 she said she will now phone them this afternoon again to chase. Jesus!!! I am getting so fed up, 4 more weeks will mark the year anniversary of putting this stupid flat on the market.... might buy it a birthday card.

Thrugelmir

crazyoldmaurice said:

Thanks, I always feel like im bothering her but every day is dragging since Thursday 

Your buyer obviously has their own agenda. Your solicitor like you , can only wait.