Sorry this will be more of a ranting post rather then anything else!!!
We are in a small chain (is moving into an empty property and our buyers moving from rented) and from the get go our vendors told us they wanted a quick sale so we made this clear with everyone who came to view our house.
We accepted an offer (below asking price for quick sale) at the end of September from a couple who just had a baby (they would have placed their offer sooner but the baby came!) who told us they wanted to move quickly and before December as they didn't want to stay in rented with their newborn - perfect!
We got straight on it and appointed our solicitors and arranged our mortgage and this last week we have had everything back so now we are in a position to move. Our buyers took just under 2 weeks to appoint someone - not the quickest but they had just had a baby! Then yesterday I got an update from our solicitors to find out when was could look for our exchange date and they said they hadn't had the enquiries back from the buyers solicitors.
Straight on the phone with the estate agents who failed to let us know they had spoken to our buyers and our buyers solicitors to find out they hadn't even given their client pack back to the solicitors!!! 
Aparently they have been to hand them in now. I'm so cross with our solicitors for waiting 6 weeks to find out where they are and then failing to tell us! I know that it is often much longer to complete but don't tell me you are desperate to move then act slower then a sloth!!!!
LA searches here seem to be around 5 weeks so our wanted moving date (3 weeks from now) seems highly unlikely. On a plus not they have had their mortgage accepted and house valuation done!
Sorry not a productive post. Just needed to vent!!!