Carrot or Stick?

[Syeknom]

We are selling our house and moving to Scotland.

Our buyers here are first time buyers renting locally. They have employed what is meant to be an good local solicitor, however, every single step they need to do is taking three weeks before it is looked at.
We have signed our contacts, they had a meeting and some further enquiries over two weeks ago. The buyer told our agent that they would chase our solicitor for the answers, our solicitor has not even been sent any, it is still on the buyer's solicitor's desk unlooked at over three weeks later.

Their communication is poor, our agent passed them our details to try and resolve this but they have not replied.

Our solicitor has called and asked for an urgent call back and not heard anything.

My question is, what can we do? We need to exchange so that we can make a binding offer in Scotland and very soon. Would you threaten to put it back on the market unless they sign by x date or offer a price reduction of they do? Write to them directly via the agent?

If they are going to walk away we will loose the house in Scotland either way, but if they are just coasting because they are not under pressure we need them to just get on with it.

We a accepted their offer over three months ago and they brought the searches off of the previous buyer that pulled out. Our solicitor is fast and easy to get hold of.

If anyone has any tips for getting the other party's solicitor moving we'd be very grateful to hear them right now.

When we had this (as first time buyers with slow solicitors) we sat down with the sellers and looked at all our letters together, then phoned solicitors and said “we know you’ve had x, y, and z by recorded post 2 weeks ago because we’re with the vendors looking at their copies of the letters. Can you explain why you’ve chosen to completely ignore them then tell us you’re still waiting for them please?”

They became much more efficient! But obviously relies on having a trusting relationship with buyers.

That would be a great way forward, we have tried passing on contact details as they know our neighbours, but they haven't tried to get in touch.
I'm trying to stop my husband writing a huge rant letter to send them via our agent telling them to pull their finger out.

I've also found them on Facebook and am resisting the urge to message them!

Ooof, tricky. No idea beyond that really.

Thanks for your thoughts anyway, this is just a nightmare.

Send a recorded letter so there is evidence they have it ? As a PP said. & ask for a proper exchange date by recorded delivery. If they are FTB possibly a bit nervous and therefore a bit slow. I would let them know they are dragging their heels to the point they might lose the house.

Thank you, we know they definitely have it as they went in to see the solicitor and sign it, but then raised additional questions. I think we will have to lay the pressure on for them to make their minds up.