Is there anything we can do?

[Gorja]

I suspect he answer is no but?

We are first time buyers. Offered on a property back in May. All going fine, chain of three all working towards completion date of 22nd August. Signed contracts yesterday. Just got a text form the people we are buying off telling us there vendors won't be ready to move until 01st September.

This means my kids will miss first week of their new schools and my husband will have to delay starting work.

Is there anyway we can push for the 22nd or are we at the mercy of others further up the chain? We haven't exchanged contracts yet, that is going to happen this week.

[LIZS]

When does term start ? Is it commutable or could you stay in a travelodge short term? 22nd is now getting tight to arrange removals etc if not booked already. Or are their vendors going away perhaps.

[Floggingmolly]

Can't you stay in a hotel for a week? How far are you moving that you all have to change jobs and schools?

[Gorja]

We are moving 200+ miles.

I start new job in the 15th so am going to stay with parents a bit nearer but they can't put us all up. Can't travel lodge it as we have dog and cats and there are six of us. Term starts on 31st August.

[thehousewife]

This exact thing happened to us. We ended up renting a holiday cottage for a week, it was actually quite relaxing!!

[wowfudge]

Rent an airbnb - as long as everyone agrees the completion date, go ahead and exchange.

[PurpleDaisies]

My dh is a teacher having to start on September 1st. Our vendors who were supposed to be starting renting as soon as we were ready to go but now they have decided to start buying a house now. We were all looking to move early September. It's a bloody pain and I can totally understand why you're annoyed! I don't think there's much you can do. We're going to try and find a cheap holiday cottage, or if there's a delay in things moving negotiate a short term let somewhere. There's a house in the area that a local landlord really seems to be struggling up find tennants for so we might try and see if they'll let us go for a couple of months then we can decorate our house if it completes earlier.

[Gorja]

Might just be easier for us to sit it out down here and wait then. I am never moving house again lol.

[LIZS]

You can go back with a counteroffer, perhaps either side of bh weekend. It really depends on reason for the delay.

[Gorja]

Reason for delay is the people at the top of the chain are buying somewhere that has tenants in and they won't be moved out till the 31st.

I'm just annoyed as we made it clear when we offered that we wanted to move mid August and everybody was working to this.
Not sure it's worth making a fuss as if they are waiting for tenants to move out there is really nothing they can do.

[LIZS]

They could go into storage and hotel?

[sparechange]

Have you exchanged already, with a stated completion date?
If your vendors can't meet that, they need to compensate you but you also need to speak to your solicitor about it, because if you still complete on the agreed date but they don't move out, there are added complications like insurance and letting your mortgage company know.

It might be easier for them to move to somewhere temporarily than you, and might work out cheaper for them to do so rather than compensate you.

This only applies if you've exchanged rather than just signed the contracts in anticipation of exchanging...

[Gorja]

i will speak to the estate agents tomorrow. It was all going far too smoothly.

[Gorja]

Not exchanged yet sparechange. Exchange should be Friday.

[YelloDraw]

You can try and push for the earlier exchange date.

But if not then just rent something on airbnb or whatever for a while.

[Bambooshoots14]

Until you've exchanged the completion date is up for negotiation and can change bitter voice, we're going through same thing at the moment so I feel your pain

[Pootles2010]

I would look at seeing if you can all club together and pay for some temporary accomodation + compensation for those tenants.

They may well say bugger off, or they may be glad of it. Worth a punt.