Supposed to be moving house on Friday, but we haven't even exchanged yet

[poshlymanor]

For some unknown reason our solicitor got everyone in the chain (3 people) to agree to a completion date BEFORE we were even in a position to exchange

So last Friday everyone agreed we'd complete this Friday, and we were hoping to exchange yesterday. However, as usual there's a hold up and I'm not sure if we will today either (solicitor is busy, phone going to voicemail).

I've already rung round removal companies for quotes. Most don't have space for Friday now, one does as they've had a cancellation but they want us to let them know today.

I'm trying to decide what to do - do you think I should give it till 2pm today (I'm out from 3pm onwards ) and if we haven't exchanged by then tell them I can't move on Friday?

a completion date has to be agreed before exchange. Get on to your useless solicitor NOW, don't wait - call round if you can, or get on to the estate agent to get them to chase. And yes, set that deadline.

the normal process is to make provisional bookings with removals firms to get round this issue. You will indeed be struggling to find someone at such short notice.

best of British....

Not really advice,but I just registered to offer sympathy as we are in exactly the same situation as you op! Exchange date of 26th agreed 3 -4 weeks ago, been asking and asking our solicitor, yesterdays response from buyers solicitor was that they are still aiming to complete Friday and are 'reviewing the file' yesterday or today and will let us know if can go ahead. We are on tenterhooks surrounded by boxes, hoping we don't lose our removal booking.......

We've moved 3 times & always exchanged & completed on the same day as all monies were tied up in the house.

The same happened to us - we exchanged around 4.30pm on a Tuesday and moved on the Friday. We had really rubbish removals as they were all we could get at such short notice. However, the move happened and nothing terrible went wrong.

If you're thinking of exchanging and completing on the same day, just bear in mind what happened to my sister - they planned to do this and the whole thing fell apart after their furniture had been loaded onto the removal van. They had to move into my parents' caravan. For this reason I will never agree to doing both on the same day.

We've just exchanged! Arghhhhh. I'm just waiting for removal co to ring me back about Friday

good news! And there will be someone, somewhere....if all else fails get a man with a van to put it in storage for a day or so and book a hotel.

Still waiting, nothing from solicitor today.

catnip89 sorry am confused, are you exchanging or completing on 26th? You can make provisional removal bookings but the advice from solicitors is to not make a firm booking until exchange has taken place as that is when a completion date is confirmed.

Spoke to solicitor this morning, our buyers still want to complete on the 26th, hoping will exchange this afternoon. Still have provisional removal booked, still holding breath. We haven't moved house in over 20 years, don't remember our previous moves being this stressful. (must be getting too old)

ah I see, two different people!

Catnip, is your insurance ready to go BTW? you need to insure the new house from exchange.

yep we are the same exchange and complete on a purchase this Friday. Went to see the vendors last night - although the date was agreed three weeks ago they only told them on Monday night! They only have 4 days to pack up! Estate agent also knew and never bothered to tell them either. useless buggers.

No further contact from our solicitor today so still no further on, Specialsubject we are going to rental initially.
I haven't spoken to EA about this, would it be worth phoning them as well as solicitor in the morning?
Our buyers are 1st timers and told us weeks ago this was the date they wanted, I can't understand what is holding it up, our solicitor told us this morning that their solicitor just needs to sign it off.

Catnip89 - phone your solicitor to ask what the delay is and get the EA to phone your buyer's solicitor to do the same. Are there just two of you in the chain or are there others?

Unfortunately, it is not up to the first time buyer/client to decide when they want to move. Solicitors will consider a preferred moving date but unless all legalities have been satisfactorily dealt with, they will not commit you to exchange of contracts and a firm completion date until then.

call your solicitor and estate agent at 9am tomorrow, catnip and call every 10 mins until you get an answer. Do not be fobbed off!

Thank you for your advice, I will ring the EA as well as Solicitor tomorrow. o We put the house up for sale at the end of January and we are moving to give support to my elderly Mum, so are just getting a bit desperate to get this sorted.

Good luck all! I had this situation last year - was hoping to complete the Friday before Christmas and I was pregnant and due on Boxing Day! Every day for over a week I was chasing my buyers because their deposit hadn't cleared, and then on the day it cleared our seller delayed for another 24 hours. It was pretty hideous but we ended up exchanging on the Wednesday, packing Thursday and moving Friday and it all got done.

We have an ongoing hellish situation We were all set to exchange with our buyers last week and they dropped the bombshell that they hadn't even done their bloody survey!!! When we accepted their offer way back at the beginning of June we were told they were living with family, had a huge deposit and could move quickly... Our vendors need to be abroad next week with their dosh from the sale of the house or they could lose the house they've put a deposit on. So today our buyers said they cant move until 31st Oct because they have to give notice to move out of their rental property! In the interim we had to move out of our flat rental as the lease was up and back into DHs dingy old flat (although to be fair we are so lucky we had somewhere to go!) everything is in storage and we have two kids including a very confused toddler and very pissed off baby wondering why they are still sleeping in travel cots... Interestingly our removals company said they have seen a huge increase this year in property not completing in time for booked removals! Without a doubt this has been the most stressful experience of my life and if it all goes ahead in the end we will not be moving again for a very long time!!

Gooseysgirl - that's awful, they are messing you about, but it sounds like the estate agent hasn't been on top of things, he must have know that there had been no survey.

Had you been told that the buyers had agreed the exchange and completion dates?

We have finally exchanged and our completion date is set for 17th Oct Yes I totally agree the estate agents definitely should have been on it re. survey. The are a shower of a*holes

Exchanged contacts this morning,completed and moved out this afternoon. What a horrible week we have had. Good luck to everyone else (there must be a better way to do this?)

(removes hat and bows low in extreme respect)

wow. But now you are cash buyers with nothing to sell and it WILL be worth it.

We took a risk by deciding Thursday pm to go ahead and move out. Decided if fell thru would either continue to try to sell or rent it out. Fortunately it has worked out, we are going to rent for 12 months. Never want to do this again, our buyers solicitor was dreadful.