Opinions on useless estate agent

[chewbacca83]

We had an offer accepted on a house a month ago. We had the survey done and highlighted a couple of areas that needed quotes for which I have arranged as fast as I can get the trades in. Last one is being done this Friday.
Heard from my solicitor that the estate agent still hasn't sent memo of sale, checked on right move and it's still not been put as sold/under offer, I'm 8 and a half months pregnant and they know this. I have repeatedly said I want to push this through as quick as I can. For comparison with the selling of my house the solicitor and estate agent had sorted the paperwork immediately even though the buyer was having a couple of quotes done. We are hoping to complete on my sale in a couple of weeks. I am in rental at the moment so the sale of mine and purchase of new house don't need to happen simultaneously .
My solicitor and myself find it very strange that needs nothing has come from the vendors yet. Is it a known delaying tactic? Could they be pulling out and not told us?

Any advice much needed. Being heavily pregnant this is a stress I could do without

Are you on mat leave? I'd be tempted to go to their office as you are just passing and wondering why you haven't had anything yet. Mind you, I wouldn't have instructed the survey, etc as presumably you don't know who the vendors' solicitor is?

Why wouldn't you have instructed the survey? They were waiting for us to do that (the bank survey had a 7 week wait so I arranged it myself on the advice of the bank and the estate agent).
I've been in a couple of times and handed in paper work to save time on postage and explained about our situation and how I want to get things moving. Last week when I spoke to them they were like oh I didn't realise it hadn't been sent I'll get on to that straight away....4 days later it still hasn't materialised! Is is usual to wait until all the inspection/quotes are done?! Because that's not been my experience with other house purchaes'.

Because usually you have the memorandum of sale so that both parties and the EA know the relevant contact details and the agreed price is in writing. You're now worried that the sellers are not going to proceed. I know that could happen at any time, btw.

Either it's an issue or it isn't, but unless the two solicitors can communicate not much is going to happen, unless they go via the EA who actually has the relevant information. In your position I'd go in and I'd also say I was happy to wait whilst they got it typed and checked.

Presumably if you have no memorandum of sale, you have nothing in writing: that would be my main concern

Yep we have nothing in writing. It does worry me but I didn't know it wasn't normal. We were told by the bank to arrange the survey which we did, then sorted the trades people in. I assumed in the back ground other stuff was happening through the solicitors but it turns out nothing has! I am going to ring the estate agent again!

The agents can only do the memorandum of sale when they have, at a minimum, the buyers solicitors & the vendors solicitors.

If I were you I would call / go in and ask if the sellers have provided solicitors details yet.

Are you going to be in a chain? Could it be that the sellers haven’t got a complete chain above?

Sorry it’s so stressful.. last thing you need when baby due so soon xx

Speak to the estate agents and work out what the delay is and then deal with it.
It is either that the Agent is rubbish at administration but they can instruct solicitors with an email so sit on them until they do.
Alternatively it is the seller who is procrastinating- if so you need to understand the reasons why to decide how you want to proceed.