Stalling at exchange

[OhEff]

I asked to complete my purchase on the 9th. I asked this a month ago. Plenty of time given searches were back, survey was back, just final fiddly bits. There is no chain. I'm moving out of a rental into a vacant former investment property.

Yesterday I was emailed forms I was supposed to receive in early June. They need hard copies so I printed, signed and personally posted them at their local office as advised. But that office is currently shut so lord knows when they'll be collected.

I know there's been a stamp duty holiday. It's been busy. It didn't affect me so was low priority. But now I feel I haven't pushed hard enough, that I won't be getting keys on Friday. I'll have to cancel movers, decide between storage or finding another rental and pulling out entirely.

Someone talk me down and tell me its perfectly normal to have not exchanged yet? Or even have an appointment to exchange?

Your solicitor is sending forms now? What office is shut? What communication have you had?
You are paying for a service, insist you get heard. Call them first thing tomorrow and get a simultaneous exchange and completion set. If you are getting a mortgage it might be a bit late to get the funds transferred for Friday though.

She claims she sent them in June, by post. But didn't follow up to ask if I'd reviewed them. Our post office has been an incompetent mess since before the pandemic. I've done it mostly by email as can't have my phone at work. But kept being told all was fine.

The solicitors have an office in my medium sized town and one in the major city about 10 miles away.

I sent her scanned electronic copies this lunchtime, the hard copies are just legal records.

If she hasn't started drawing down my mortgage I'll throw a fit.

How did it go OP? Did you get in?