Waiting for exchange date- been nearly 6 months. Feel like it's never going to end!

Km2020

Update- 

we have now eneded up having to sell our house and move to my parents. Our buyers were not prepared to wait any longer (which I don't blame them) and we could not risk loosing them.

We are still not really any further with buying our house. Not sure how long we will cope living here . 4 adults a baby and dog! As well as all our belongings! 

I feel like it is really getting ridiculous now and no-one further up seems to be getting anywhere  

Km2020

10 days since I last posted and yet again we are still no further
Noone really gives us accurate information- please tell me i'm not the only person going through this?
Myself and my husband feel like we should start looking for another house that is chain as there is no progress being made on the chain and living with my parents is not feasible.
We know we will be back to square 1 with regards o searches etc but there is literally no progress and we really do nt now what to do now

Mani_London

Hi Km2020: Did you chase your Solicitor and EA. I would say send a firm email to EA for the update and if you have made your mind of pulling OUT then you can mention a set date for the reasonable update else you're pulling OUT. But dont just say it if you cant back your words. 

Km2020

I informed them both of this last week (Friday) and yesterday I sent another email (very firm) informing them we would be looking at vacant properties this week . 

I did not receive much of a response from the EA and absolutely nothing from my solicitor 
I've been chasing the EA every day as I feel that it is just ridiculous now- I was told to stop contacting every day! But if I don't get a response I feel like I have no choice to email again. I feel their responses are often very rude. 

My mum also rang the EA last week due to me working and not being able to make phone calls, she was told manager would call her back and they never did! We just received a phone call from the lady we've been dealing with (but we wanted to speak to manager as she does not seem to be getting anywhere) and she then gets very sarcastic and rude with her emails when I'm frustrated about the situation (I have been very polite and as understanding as i possibly can) 

Km2020

Mani_London said:

Hi Km2020: Did you chase your Solicitor and EA. I would say send a firm email to EA for the update and if you have made your mind of pulling OUT then you can mention a set date for the reasonable update else you're pulling OUT. But dont just say it if you cant back your words. 

I informed them both of this last week (Friday) and yesterday I sent another email (very firm) informing them we would be looking at vacant properties this week . 

I did not receive much of a response from the EA and absolutely nothing from my solicitor 
I've been chasing the EA every day as I feel that it is just ridiculous now- I was told to stop contacting every day! But if I don't get a response I feel like I have no choice to email again. I feel their responses are often very rude. 

My mum also rang the EA last week due to me working and not being able to make phone calls, she was told manager would call her back and they never did! We just received a phone call from the lady we've been dealing with (but we wanted to speak to manager as she does not seem to be getting anywhere) and she then gets very sarcastic and rude with her emails when I'm frustrated about the situation (I have been very polite and as understanding as i possibly can) 

Mani_London

Hi Km2020: As you can see that they know you're just threatening and not doing anything. I would say if you have made your mind to send that email of giving them by end of this week else you walking away. If they don't reply with a reasonable update then just start looking for other houses and send an email to your solicitor to stop working on that property. Also you might consider changing your solicitors and that should at least give you an update. Did you have any update from your solicitor in regards to what is the hold up

Km2020

Mani_London said:

Hi Km2020: As you can see that they know you're just threatening and not doing anything. I would say if you have made your mind to send that email of giving them by end of this week else you walking away. If they don't reply with a reasonable update then just start looking for other houses and send an email to your solicitor to stop working on that property. Also you might consider changing your solicitors and that should at least give you an update. Did you have any update from your solicitor in regards to what is the hold up

thank you for your reply. My solicitor did email me on Monday informing me they were waiting for 3 enquiries to come back further up the chain- where as 2 weeks ago we were told all enquiries were back for everyone and it was just 1 certificate for something that had to be sent over. It seems like we are told one thing, then a completely different thing. 

I feel like there is a complete lack of communication  with EA and solicitors on the whole chain 

eddddy

Why isn't your EA dealing with this?  Assuming they're paid on completion, they should be as keen as you are to get this moving. (Or did you pay them in advance?)

If you can't get any info from your own EA, maybe find out who the EAs are higher up the chain and phone them directly yourself. I've found that approach useful in the past. (In theory, maybe the EAs should be cautious about discussing things with you - but their desire to close a sale quickly and get their commission seemed to override their caution.)

Swash

Just wanted to say I'm so sorry you're going through the stress of all this and you are not alone. We are now 6 months into the process, buyer needs to complete in the next couple of weeks, but our seller can't because of an issue with their title. Their EA is now ignoring my emails and calls. 

We really want the house but feel like we have no other option but to pull out once that happens. The problem is, no other houses we like are on the market. Our plan is to view other houses once they come on the market, in the hope that one will quickly. 

Hang in there, I hope it is sorted for you soon.

Tiglet2

Km2020 said:

FTB_Help said:

Km2020 said:

thank you all for replies

wanted to post a update

so our buyers are ready now and they got their mortgage sorted, the rest of the chain are ready to go above us but there seems to be a problem with getting hold of the top of the chain. the person who has been dealing with this informed me myself and the rest of the chain would get an update Friday as we never did

we are constantly chasing people, our estate agents is chasing the upper chain as well as the solicitor as no one is getting back to anyone. Our buyers are 1st time buyers and bottom of the chain so they are keen to move in ASAP but obviously this cannot be done until the rest of the chain is complete

myself and my husband were going to move into my parents to allow our buyers to move in , but this is not possible due to out mortgage and we would have to pay a big fee if we were to do that (which we can't afford)

To quote Dory: "just keep swimming, just keep swimming"

It's all going to be worth in in a few weeks when you move in 🤞

our situation just gets worse and worse!! I could literally cry. We've just been informed by the estate agent we are selling with that he has spoken to someone at the top of the chain, apparently this person has only just found a property! This is not what we were previously told.  Searches etc have only just been sent out for this property at the top of the chain and will take weeks. We cannot afford to pay stamp duty which we will have to pay from 1st April.

It is just a nightmare 

I am not sure if this will help you, but here goes:

You wrote, on the 26th January, that the EA found out that the person at the top of the chain had only just found a property.  The average time it takes to buy a property, at the current time, is around 3-4 months, so the house now at the top has only been going for 1.5 months.  Is this property the top of the chain, or are there more links further up?  This is where your delay is, because it is normal for the bottom of the chain to be in the process longer than the top.  Although you have been trying to move since August (?), the top only started in January.  

If the EA could find out:
1.  Whether or not this is the top of the chain.
2.  If searches have been returned.
3.  If enquiries have been raised and answered and are satisfactory.
4.  Whether or not, the top of chain would be willing to move out into rented.
5.  If the property at the top of the chain is vacant, a probate property, or a flat/shared ownership etc.

Depending on answers, it may give a more definitive timeline than just not knowing where anyone is at.