Agreeing a completion date.

Fayem567

Hi All, 

Just wanted some friendly advise really. Myself and my partner are very close to exchanging and completing on a house.  We first had a proposed completion date of the 11th of this month, however, this got pushed back to the 18th at the insistence of another party in the chain. It is now the 14th and our solicitor still has had no official confirmation of completion date. We’ve hung back booking removal companies/vans etc because we wanted to have the completion date in writing first. In everyone’s experience is the 18th going to be realistic if we don’t get confirmation today? 

Thanks! 

Irishpearce26

It depends on how long your lender (if you have one) needs in advance to release the funds, usually can be 5 working days. Also you may struggle to book a removals company this late notice.

Fayem567

Irishpearce26 said:

It depends on how long your lender (if you have one) needs in advance to release the funds, usually can be 5 working days. Also you may struggle to book a removals company this late notice.

Irishpearce26 said:

It depends on how long your lender (if you have one) needs in advance to release the funds, usually can be 5 working days. Also you may struggle to book a removals company this late notice.

Hi, yes. Our funds will probably take five working days to release. So we don’t think it looks likely. We are just getting anxious that things don’t seem to be moving and we are getting paranoid there’s an issue we aren’t yet aware of! Probably just nerves I know! 

AnotherJoe

You'll need to set a later date, for next week i think and get on to the EAs and make sure this is communicated to your vendors, say you no longer have time to get removals in..

eddddy

Fayem567 said:

We’ve hung back booking removal companies/vans etc because we wanted to have the completion date in writing first. 

Are you exchanging and completing on the same day?

If so, you won't get a definite completion date in writing. You will just be told that everyone in the chain is aiming for a particular date.  If somebody in the chain encounters a problem (or changes their mind), the date could change again (or in the worst case, the chain could fall apart) right up to and including the day you expect to complete.

The only way you'll get a definite completion date set in advance is if you exchange contracts in advance. Once contracts are exchanged, the completion date is set, and nobody in the chain can back out (without suffering massive financial losses).

Alfrescodave

So you're hoping to complete in 4 days time and haven't yet spoken to a removals company, is that correct? 
Might be worth ringing round a few companies ASAP to find out their availability. 

Redwino222

I really struggled to get removals, with over two weeks notice.  June is crazy with the stamp duty deadline.

if I were you I would state a date later in the month, not a Friday and tell people that is the date.  Then get removals booked.  Fridays will probably be gone now and you might struggle to get other dates.

ss2020jd

This is a bit of chicken and egg. Some removals won’t accept bookings unless you have exchanged but agree it is getting very close to book something with the mad rush for everyone who wants to complete by the end of the month. 

We had a completion date agreed with the buyers but they then struggled to find a removal company so it it had to be pushed back in order for them to book an available slot. 

How much notice to parties require between exchange and completion or will it be done on the same day?

paulj2021

You could always book a storage unit and get all your bulky stuff, furniture etc sent there, just keeping the vital essentials you need to live, and then if you get a short notice exchange and completion you don’t need to worry about movers not being available on that day - I imagine removals companies would be just as happy picking up  from a unit as from your house, and if they can only do it a day or two after completion you won’t be stuck on completion day