First time house seller here. Help!

[namechangedd]

We're about 14 weeks into the process and we're in the middle of a chain. Above us is the people whose house we're buying. They are buying a vacant possession. Below us is our buyers. When we sold the house to them they going to rent out their flat so were appealing buyers. 5 weeks down the line they decided to sell their flat instead but to a family member, so it didn't seem too bad.

Now it is just dragging on. We're all ready to exchange at the top of the chain. After many weeks of slowwwww queries from our buyers, we're all ready there too. Now, it seems the process of queries is beginning all over again at the bottom of the chain between our buyers and the family member buying their flat. I cannot understand why this hasn't occurred simultaneously to our buyers queries being sorted out by our Solictor.

The people we're buying from wanted to move at the end of May. They're being very patient. I thought we'd be moved by mid-June. The Solicitors in the chain below us don't appear to be working to any set deadline.

Our Estate Agents are beyond useless and only chase things up or return calls when we chase them. I just have this feeling that no-one is interested in getting to the point of exchange very soon. Our buyers are teachers and I feel they may not care about moving until the school holidays. But it would be nice to know.

I don't know what to do next as we're in the middle of the chain. I'd actually welcome the people at the top of the chain putting some pressure on everyone below. Shouldn't we be talking dates by now? At least a date to try and work towards or else what's to stop the bottom of the chain's Solicitor from keep putting the work to the bottom of the pile?

Can we demand a work towards- date is set? Who do we need to demand that from? Do we get our Solicitor to do this?

Please help. I feel so helpless.

[sweetheart]

Unfortunatly these things are very common. If you want something doing then do it yourself as the saying goes. I find that the only way things move forward is if you spend all day every day on the phone!!!

Try putting pressure on your buyers. Say that the people you are buying from are getting impatient and that because they are holding you up you may loose the house. Ring your solicitor every few hours to make sure he is chasing other peoples solicitors and demand that you get a date for exchanging contracts.

I know it's not nice but often the only way to proceed with these matters is to be firm!!!!

[acnebride]

Yes, sorry, I agree with sweetheart - it's up to you to be the horrible one calling everybody, every day. It's absolutely grim but it is the only way if things are slowing down.

I have only bought a house twice but I'm afraid each time it took five months.

[CarolinaMoon]

you could try contacting your buyers directly - we found it more productive than going through agents cos you can get a better idea of what they actually want (rather than what the agents think you want to hear) and they don't have a professional to hide behind so can be easier to negotiate with.

You are probably right about them not wanting to move til the holidays, but tbh they are only a couple of weeks away now so it's not going to make any difference - in fact it would let you put more pressure on them cos if things don't pick up soon you won't actually be moving before term starts in September (assuming you need 4 weeks between exchange of contracts and completion).

If all queries have been sorted then you most definitely should be talking dates now - your solicitor should be trying to get dates agreed with everyone, so you need to speak to him/her about it to make sure it's happening.