Selling our house - Problems in chain

[peppajay]

Hi just after a bit advice. We sold our house STC on the 16th September. We are in a chain of 5 and have been told that there is a problem at the bottom but no one will tell us why or what. The bottom persons solicitor refuses to talk to any other solicitors in the chain (which apparently they are not legally bound to do!). We were supposed to exchange contracts on the 13th December then the 20th and then the 10th of Jan and then finally the 17th but guess what still haven't exchanged and the reason is that since the beginning of Jan no one has been able to get hold of the bottom buyer. However we have been told numerous different stories and contradictions by differerent agents in the chain. This morning we were promised that we will exchange tomorrow and there is no problem. In the meantime my husband managed to get the number of the bottom agent and phoned for some answers it seems like the bottom person in the chain has disappeared no one has been able to get hold of him for over 2 weeks so they think he is on holiday and when he comes back we can hopefully proceed. Obviosly there is a big problem somewhere. Everyone is getting really frustrated but surely somebody needs to find out what is going on at the bottom but no one will communicate. So is it really just a case of waiting. It sounds to us like the bottom have pulled out but no one will tell us anything. Is this normal or are we being taken for a ride??? Last time we sold and moved there was no chain so was so easy. Thanks x

The solicitor at the bottom of the chain isn't under any obligation to speak to those higher up, other than the ones he needs to deal with either side in relation to queries/contracts. If you ask the people below you to speak to those below them and in turn they speak to those below them - someone at the bottom of the chain will have some idea. The solicitor just above the person causing a problem will know if all questions have been answered, and where they are from what documents have been requested/sent.

With modern technology, being on holiday is no excuse for not being contactable. I'm not into using a mobile phone, but if we were away I'd make sure we checked our phone or emails every couple of days, and I'd have asked my solicitor before I left if there was anything for me to sign or info needed from me.

If you chat to the others in the chain, it might be that you could all this persons bluff and threaten to pull out if exchange doesn't happen within two days - that way, this person may get their act together. If something is still outstanding, hopefully someone will feed up the chain why perhaps this can't happen as they won't want a chain to fall apart.