The NEW waiting to exchange thread...

many thanks Tamsin

Apologies, it's been a few weeks since I've updated. Wish I had an exciting conclusion to post but the process has been ticking along painfully slow.

My original post is buried somewhere in this thread but I'm a FTB purchasing a leasehold flat in London. Mortgage lender is HSBC. Chain free on both sides (vendor is a BTL investor who has decided to sell on and retire, and the flat is vacant). We both want a quick sale. Should be simples, right?

My amended timeline so far...

Week 1
06/07: Offer accepted
09/07: Solicitor instructed. Memorandum of sale received from EA.
10/07: Full application submitted to HSBC by L&C
11/07: I submit original documents to L&C branch.

Week 2
16/07: HSBC's valuation done.
(Waiting for contract pack from seller)

Week 3
23/07: L&C confirm valuation is fine.
(...still waiting for contract pack from seller. Slightly worried/annoyed that seller is dragging his feet.)

Week 4
02/08: Success! Mortgage approval emailed to me today.
(....STILL waiting for contract pack from seller. I keep prompting my solicitors to chase because they seem content to wait indefinitely. Also prompting EA to tell seller to get on with it.)

Week 5:
09/08: Contract pack received, finally!

Week 6:
16/08: I review contract pack and send my questions to my solicitors - not many, just 5-6 points of clarification.

Week 7:
w/c 20/08: No updates from my solicitors. I chase to find out if searches have started and when enquiries will be sent to seller's solicitors. Radio silence.

Week 8:
w/c 27/08 Continued silence from my solicitors. I escalate to the Managing Partner, who is overseeing the trainee handling my case. I tell them to copy me on any outgoing correspondence since they are so rubbish at providing updates.
31/08: Enquiries are sent to seller. Thankfully questions are relatively straightforward and not asking for anything that would take ages to produce. I also receive confirmation that searches are in progress.

Week 9:
w/c 03/09: Waiting for seller's response to enquiries

Week 10:
w/c 10/09: No updates from my solicitor but Estate Agent lets me know that responses to enquiries have been returned to my solicitors.

At this point the EA is keeping me better informed than my own solicitors. I'm hoping there are no lengthy follow up questions required and we can sign the contract and exchange soon.

We're both keen to complete by end of month. There's added pressure for me because my landlord is not renewing the lease on my rental. So if this drags on past September, I'll need to find somewhere to live temporarily and also find storage for my belongings. I hope it doesn't come to that!

Trying to sort out the collection of keys for tomorrow and this email comes in from the estate agent - now remember we had to move the completion date as they NEEDED Tuesday morning to finish the packing.
"Keys are slightly tricky! (not through a fault of their own!)
They have to be in Lincolnshire for 7:30 tomorrow morning and therefore I might miss them going past the office.
What they are suggesting if you wish to pick them up tomorrow, is to leave them with the owners of the post office, if that suits you? Otherwise, if you do not need them straight away, plan B is that they will take them to Lincolnshire, send them back to me and I can meet you either here in the office or at Cosford to hand over the keys directly? (purely thinking for security on the latter).
Do let me know which suits you best and we can go from there."
a) yes we need the keys tomorrow and b) where the frell is the post office or do the owners of the post office live. Strangely as we haven't moved in yet, WE DON'T KNOW. :mad::mad: How can this not be their fault - how can they only know at midday the day before that they won't be in the county to hand over the keys especially given that their removals are due to continue packing tomorrow? I really do despair.