Exchange of contracts

[mindutopia]

Apologies for a potentially silly question (but in case it's silly, I am trying to avoid asking my solicitor any more silly questions). We are due to exchange contracts in 2 weeks. All ticking along, we (buyers) and vendors are very motivated. We're coming from rental and they're moving into one of their second homes, so no chain in either direction. Generally confident it will all go through this time (after a nightmarish 2 years...).

But we are FTB and while I know we need to have the exchange deposit transferred over and buildings insurance in place, to sign the contract, is it likely to just come via email, we print, sign and post back to solicitor? Or are we expected to actually go to his office to sign? I just realised that I hadn't really planned in any time for running around on that day, so wondering now if I need to book time off. I have sold a house in the (very distant past - family members as executor of will) and I do remember physically going and sitting down with solicitor to sign the contract, but I expect things have possibly changed in 20 years.

Not silly at all. When we buy or sell something our solicitor emails it to us. We print, get it witnessed and drop it back to the solicitor's office a few days before exchange. Or we try to print it. Find we have no ink. Swear a bit. Ask the solicitor to print it. We pop in and the receptionist witnesses it for us..

That's really helpful, thank you! Who does the witness need to be? Anyone or does it have to be someone specific? I just thinking of the struggles of getting my passport countersigned.

I would contact your solicitor and ask when you need to sign the contracts and how they are going to go about it - just to be sure. They will also need to speak to both of you on the day of exchange to get formal permission to exchange so make sure you are available to take or make the phone call (unlike my DH who disappeared to italy on a jolly and caused me so much stress when we were trying to exchange!)

@mindutopia The witness can't be related to you or connected with the transactio, it could be a neighbour or receptionist at your solicitors for example.

It’s usual to get all the contracts signed and back to the solicitors a bit before suggested exchange date. On exchange day they will get you to confirm that you do want to exchange. We made sure the deposit money and contracts were with our solicitor the week before we actually exchanged (which we did last week).

Whenever I've bought or sold the contract paperwork has always been posted to us by solicitors. Witnesses have normally been work colleagues or neighbours. We then hand deliver back to solicitor so we know they have received them. Alternatively you go into the sols office , sign there, & then they witness it for you.

Our witnesses are usually neighbours. Our solicitor rings on the day to ensure we want to go ahead and also that we aren't dead (he's a friend, not this blunt with other clients I assume)