To expect to move before the end of the month

[Glitterspy]

...just that really, we had an offer accepted at the end of October but with one thing and another (and then the total up-fuck of solicitors taking two and a half bloody weeks off for Christmas) we haven't exchanged yet.

Am I being unreasonable to expect to exchange this week? And after exchange, for completion to go a week after and to move the week after that?

If this doesn't happen there are going to be some pretty scary living-in-a-Travelodge type repercussions...

Could worry you - we had an offer put in on our house in June, final completion was in February. All delays by the buyer who wanted a 'quick sale' apparently

Eek, yes that's long! We haven't put in any delays though...just one small issue to do with access which our solicitor is sorting separately with a 3rd party.

I guess I'm stressing because we haven't been given any dates yet despite being promised them before Christmas and it feels like a long time has passed since then...

The issue over access will hold things up as you can't exchange until it is resolved, well you can but no decent solicitor would let you. You also exchange keys on completion day so move that day not a week later.

I also don't want to worry you but, it's not totally likely if no dates have been discussed yet I wouldn't think.

Also, why would you complete one week & move the next? You usually move the same day you complete.

When we sold my mum's house recently, we accepted an offer at the beginning of March & completed mid-July - and that was supposed to be a 6 week completion on an empty house!

Hi OP, we're signing. Contracts tomorrow on our purchase and hoping for a move before the end of the month. It's taken FOREVER to get to this stage! I feel your frustrations.

Oh gawd, okay.

Good that we can complete and move same day, thanks for that (first time buyers = nobody tells you these things). Bad (well, not bad, but long) that our (great) solicitor is going to dot every i before exchanging.

I just want to moooooooove!

Any tips to get things moving? Literally?

Sorry this is such a boring thread but I'm stressing here, my DD (11mo) needs to change over childminders in the 3rd week of the month and the new childminder is near the new house which is miles from where we live now (hence living in a Travelodge becoming a likelihood)

Thanks Manchester, we've already signed, just waiting for the solicitor to get a 'deed of easement' signed off before we can exchange them....argh. Congrats on your move x

Thats fab advice Winter, thanks a mil. Really encouraging.

I think I need to give myself a sunday night and galvanise for some serious conversations in the morning!

Glitter do you know what the people you are buying from are doing ie buying a new house themselves or moving in with family? If you are part of a chain then all of you need to complete on the same day which can really delay things as well.

My DS and his partner moved the end of June last year they bought a new build and part of the purchase was that they complete by the last day in June. It was touch and go for a while the builders solicitors even had documents couriered from Lincoln to him and us to be signed. In the end contracts were exchanged and completed on the same day. It is rather unusual but could be done.

Once completion has taken place you are suppose to move out the same day which usually takes places as others have said about 12. 00pm.

When my friends DS arrived with removal van at the house he was buying the sellers were still in the house said they didn't realise they should be all packed up ready to move. He was onto his solicitors straight away and the estate agents and the sellers were told that for every hour they were still there they would have to pay the new purchasers I think was about £100 an hour. They eventually vacated the house at 5.30pm which was not very nice as it was a cold wet day and my friends DS had been waiting over 5 hours at least he got his money which paid for the removalists.

When we bought the house we're in now we were (effectively) first-time buyers, & the people we were buying from were moving into a new-build.

We exchanged & completed on the same day, & therefore moved on that day. That was 3 weeks after having our offer accepted, & was only that long because there were questions about access rights. I'm fairly sure my solicitor hated me, but I just kept on top of everything & kept the momentum going. I always make sure I know exactly who's waiting for what, that way I can hurry people along. I find otherwise paperwork just tends to sit about. If your estate agent is good they can be very useful too (big if!)

Ring solicitors every day for progress reports and make sure it's easier for them to do things than not - it's the only way I've every found to get things moving, and even then it sometimes requires stern 'what is taking so long?!' emails along the way...

I think a bit if pester power is in order here. I often find if you make an absolute pain of yourself, the work gets done extra fast as they want shot of the annoying woman. Good luck!