Moving home amid Covid 19

[HouseOfConkers]

Is anybody else moving amidst the current crisis? I'm becoming increasingly P'ed off with our solicitors and EA. Our buyers are FTB moving from rented into our house. We are moving into rented accommodation in scotland before we buy to navigate the Scottish market. Therefore no chain.

Carrot dangled 2 weeks ago that we would be getting an exhange and complete soon. Then nothing. Responses seem vague and now buyers solicitors pulling more questions out of thin air, even though we (or at least I thought) answered every question meticulously 3 weeks ago. I understand the pandemic, I understand the world is on hold, I'm eternally thankful that my family are happy and healthy. Goes without saying. I'm just getting angrier by the second that we aren't being given an affirmative answer.

I might also add that as we own our own company we have savings but literally zero income at the moment. We are paying for a mortgage and an apartment that we havent set foot in yet.

Sorry for the rant. I'm looking to see if anybody is in a similar situation and/ or if I should be getting on their cases a lot more (despite this thread I'm typically laid back but given these circumstances I'm becoming less so).

All feedback welcome, apart from 'your move is irrelevant you should be happy to be alive' etc.

Many thanks

We are in a similar position, no chain, but the property we are buying is occupied ( they are going into rented).
Our solicitor is saying that government advice really as a property is occupied we should avoid completing.
They are holding off exchange until they can sent a completion date as no one wants to fail on completion. Plus there is no legal precedent that f what happens if completion fails due a household being unable to move due to infection.
This is the advice our solicitor refers to. Solicitors are cautious individuals to protect their clients interests they are holding off as they feel legally it is the safest thing.

@Lonecatwithkitten thank you for your response. I understand that and I can see why they are holding off in some aspects, I just feel like theres either vague communication or false hope, if they were upfront with me I'd be a lot more thankful. I've also said that we are happy to vacate the property prior to completion as long as the sale definitely goes ahead but I'm not completely sure if this is a safe thing to do and if and when the whole process is legally binding (it's our first house sale).
The reason from our side that I'm so anxious to move is our work situation (we are moving more or less primarily to benefit our company) we are paying for 2 properties in rent and mortgage fees and our eldest child will be starting school there in Y2 so we would like him to be settled prior to just turning up. It's a long distance move from Yorkshire to Edinburgh. I'd just like them to be more upfront I suppose.

I hope you manage to move soon too, it's hard trying to accept things when its directly affecting your family, especially financially.

@HouseOfConkers I don't think they are trying to frustrate you just they don't know what to advise at this point and probably are thinking advising nothing is better than saying something that maybe wrong.
Ours is slightly trickier we are a diplomatic family and the new property will be owned by the embassy and the sale is being handled by the embassy team so maybe that is why we get more direct answers.

The housing market has effectively been suspended and the advice is that nobody should move unless it is absolutely essential and social distancing can be maintained throughout - so only moving to a vacant property, no removal company.

In England and Wales the sale becomes legally binding at the point of exchange, where the deposit is lodged with the solicitor and a completion date is set. If you don’t complete after exchanging contracts then you stand to lose the deposit and potentially incur further financial penalty depending on what was in the contract.

One option which might suit you is to agree to exchange contracts with a flexible completion date? This is what is usually done for new builds but it’s certainly a possibility. Then you would at least have the reassurance it would all go ahead as and when lockdown is relaxed. Can you take a mortgage holiday on your current property? Would it actually be possible for you to move if you can’t hire a van or a removal firm? Could your buyers manage to move under the same circumstances? It’s incredibly frustrating but probably unlikely you will be able to get a definitive answer.

Personally, I would be clear with your solicitor and buyers if you can contact them. Say you’re very committed to the sale, you understand everything is tricky right now but you suggest exchange of contracts ASAP with flexible completion to be agreed when lockdown is relaxed. At least then you might feel like you’ve got a bit of control over the situation