Is it common to constantly shift the completion date in a chain?

1886travel

We look to sell our flat and move into a new build house. We are at the top of the chain. (us, buyer and bottom buyer) Apologise that I can't make this story even shorter. 

It's been a nightmare since we accepted the offer back in December. The bottom buyer pulled out twice which failed our first purchase. My estate agent (A) didn't want our developer to know that we lost the bottom buyer in the chain but our developer was told by someone's solicitor. Then they cancelled our reservation by the end of March. We started house hunting again in April as our buyer found a cash buyer. Our new build house's completion date was in June and we completed the solicitor's paperwork for our second purchase on time. Our developer wanted to keep up within the chain and they were told by our estate agent B (A's colleague) that bottom buyer questioned buyer's lintel on the 2nd June. We didn't know this at all until our developer rang us. We requested agent A to pass the message down to the bottom that the completion date had to be the 30th June. No one replied until the 10th June from our Estate agent C(A's colleague) saying the completion date will be roughly the 5th July. We let our developer know last week as we still want to buy this new build. Our developer rang the bottom chain directly and confirmed the completion date will be the 8th July because the bottom buyer saying they have a flight to catch (not because of the lintel this time???) , which is aware by our solicitors and estate agent. We thought finally we came to an end now and started booking van, house insurance and switching internet etc. Our Estate agent C emailed us this Tuesday morning saying: the completion date has to be the 5th July because our buyer has spent loads on the removal company and they can't amend the date to the 8th. We emailed them back on the same day saying its fine the 5th July. Literally the day after, our estate agent A emailed us saying: buyer and bottom buyer didn't exchange contract on Tuesday because of our buyer's solicitor's fault (but what fault ???) so the 5th can't be the completion date and it has to be moved to the 22nd July. 

We posted our exchange contract to our solicitor today and don't think we've got a date confirmed as we are waiting for the bottom chain to move. We are fed up with this constantly shifting date so forwarded the email to our developer and hopefully they can help us find out what's going on before Friday as we've got an appointment booked with them... 

Is it common that everyone keeps changing the completion date in a chain? I strongly feel like someone has been lying in the whole chain and try to exchange the contract/get a completion date confirmed as late as possible?

Thanks so much if you can advise on this...


*Updates:
We think our buyer and the bottom buyer failed to exchange contract because our buyer's solicitor didn't pass on the information that the bottom buyer cannot complete on the 5th July. Our buyer is blocking the date 8th July due to his booked removals. 

Is it possible that we call complete on the 5th and the bottom buyer moves in on the 8th? They are cash buyers so have no sale to depend on?

Thanks!

Tiglet2

Have you actually spoken to your solicitor?  Has your buyer and their buyer spoken to their solicitors?  What do they say?  All three solicitors have to complete all their work before they can be 'ready' to exchange and set a completion date.  The estate agent, while frantically calling everyone to get updates and put forward dates, is not the one who decides when the solicitors are ready.  

When a conveyancing transaction starts, the solicitor will not give a timescale of when you will be ready.  The developer will push and push, but if the solicitor is not ready, you cannot exchange.  If it is you, the buyer and their buyer, and the estate agent who are inventing these completion dates, then of course there will be lots of dates discussed because none of you know whether the work is complete or not.

You have to get your solicitors advice on this.  They are the only party who can tell you whether they are ready to exchange, but cannot tell you that the other parties are ready.  If they are not ready, you need to ask what is still outstanding.

I am sorry that you lost your first purchase in December, but that transaction is not this one.  This one has only been going on since April, so although it must feel like a long time to you, this transaction is only 2 months in.

Is the new build house already built?

housebuyer143

As above. I actually think the agent is over sharing and muddying the waters here. 
Its great throwing around dates but not if anyone hasn't asked that solicitors if it's possible. 
When buying mine I agreed directly with the buyer a date we wanted to complete thinking both side we ready, but it turns out the sellers side wasn't and all we did was push the solicitors to work to a date they couldn't and the exchange and completion fell apart. 2 weeks later we moved successfully. 

Speak to your solicitor as it's not your job to manage the person at the bottom but it seems the agent is also putting their issues onto you. 

1886travel

Tiglet2 said:

Have you actually spoken to your solicitor?  Has your buyer and their buyer spoken to their solicitors?  What do they say?  
Is the new build house already built?

Thanks Tiglet! We has spoken to our solicitor. Actually after she confirmed the 8th July last week because our developer rang the bottom buyer directly. she emailed us on Monday saying if we can amend it to 7th July though (not sure why). We said we can't do it, either earlier of that week or w/c 18th July. 

I am not sure about our buyer and their solicitor as all I know is my buyer's solicitor knew the completion date will be 5th-ish July. 

Yes they completed on the 18th June

1886travel

housebuyer143 said:

As above. I actually think the agent is over sharing and muddying the waters here. 
Its great throwing around dates but not if anyone hasn't asked that solicitors if it's possible. 
When buying mine I agreed directly with the buyer a date we wanted to complete thinking both side we ready, but it turns out the sellers side wasn't and all we did was push the solicitors to work to a date they couldn't and the exchange and completion fell apart. 2 weeks later we moved successfully. 

Speak to your solicitor as it's not your job to manage the person at the bottom but it seems the agent is also putting their issues onto you. 

Thank you! emailed our solicitor and will see what they are going to come back to us