chain-free property sale - seller delays moving out without a good reason

user1977

I'd expect all but the smallest firms to at least have some skeleton staff covering the non-holidays, especially if they have a client with a delayed completion.

Mattti

EssexHebridean said:

I’d agree that 20th December could be a problematic date if there were any issues, although it’s not likely, there can always be problems with money being held up by a bank for security checks, for example.

As others have said, almost everyone used to do 28 days between exchange and completion. As for the suggestion that people should start packing as soon as they are marketing the property, that’s pretty much nonsense- not all properties sell particularly fast and not everyone has space for stacks of boxes about the place, plus it doesn’t look great when conducting viewings! The only obligation as far as packing goes is that it must all be done by the time completion happens, and the property empty at worst very shortly thereafter (ideally before, but that isn’t always practical).  

The seller’s reasons for wanting a 4 week gap are almost irrelevant and as a buyer, it’s certainly not appropriate to pass judgement on them. In the OP’s shoes, I would be asking my solicitor to politely revert to the seller’s solicitor with the approach of “ahh, now neither of our firms really want to be entertaining a completion on the 20th, do we, could your client be prevailed upon to shorten that timescale a little and opt for the week prior - Friday 13th?” (Or, if superstition plays a part, perhaps either Thursday 12th, or Monday 16th)

What does "no chain" on the seller's side mean or imply in this situation? It typically indicates that the seller’s move is not dependent on the sale of this property or that, from the start of the process, they already have another place to live.

Skiddaw1

For what it is worth, we completed on our previous sale just before Christmas (21st Dec if I recall correctly) and it was fine. I even managed to get a Christmas Tree put up in our new front room! As an additional bonus, the sofa and two arm chairs we'd ordered from John Lewis that weren't due to be delivered until January turned up unexpectedly the day after we moved. I think Santa must have been weaving his seasonal magic on us....