How to negotiate completion date?

[madamweasel]

We're almost ready to exchange contracts in a 4 part chain and I'm 8 months pregnant. One of the chain want completion ASAP, we want ASAP but our buyers have picked 26th sept as their preferred date, their buyers are flexible. I'm 39weeks on 26th so obviously want to move before that but they seem quite inflexible about sooner. Our EA isn't being sympathetic and seems to have taken their side. I've asked if there's a reason and was told by EA that's the date they've discussed with removals firm

How should we go about negotiating? Who has the most power in discussions, is it the solicitors or the EAs?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I'm getting a little stressed and exasperated that one person can seemingly pluck a date out of thin air to suit themselves but no one else's situations seem to count.

Why don't you try saying that 26th September doesn't suit and if it can't be earlier than that it will have to be considerably later? Say at least six weeks after your due date. Presumably they won't want to wait that long, so may be more willing to compromise.

Or they will have to find another removal firm, If they have already paid a deposit then more fool them!
What does the 4th part of chain say??

solomandaisy we will take that line if necessary but we don't want to throw the dolly out of the pram too soon as we're hoping gently gently will work first

No you just state you are about to give birth and that if they can't agree on completion 2 weeks before your due date then the whole chain will have to wait 6 weeks or more until after the birth. We are moving this friday and one part of the chain is the same, we moved with her timescales as best we could or knew we would be 2 months later than everyone wanted. Sometimes you have to dig your heels in and I think being 8 months pregnant should give your needs a bit more priority.

I presume you've told your solicitor all this? It will be solicitors liaising with each other and their clients to come to an agreement that suits everyone in the chain. The completion date will be set on exchange so that's the time to organise removals (even if you have had quotes etc beforehand with pencilled in dates) and other stuff. Just have a think about what date you prefer and tell this to your solicitor, who will then discuss/argue with the other solicitors, which might swing it in your favour.

Thanks, we laid it out clearly today so fingers crossed we get two weeks time rather than two months