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Original poster

Are OH solicitors being ridiculous?

42 replies

blobby10 · 15/12/2021 09:58

OH has sold his house to a couple (FTB). OH is moving in with me for a few weeks so no chain. There has been some delay in getting all the necessary paperwork - a combination of shoddy solicitors when he bought it, him fannying around but more unfortunately not dealing with stuff due to MH issues. All sorted now - buyers always said they wanted to be in by Christmas. Three weeks ago (with no definite date or information from either side) OH booked removals firm to go into storage for 23rd as it was the only available date.

Two days ago he gets an email saying they want to exchange and complete this friday (17th) but OH can't find any removal firm free plus he's paid a 60% deposit to the original firm! Solicitors have said they can't complete on 23rd as there won't be anyone to sort it out next day if anything goes wrong. OH is just accepting of this!!!!

Am I unreasonable to think the solicitors are taking the piss and both parties should be pushing for completion on 23rd? For one, how likely is it that anything will go wrong in a two person transaction? And two, business should trump Christmas parties!!

OP posts:
EmpressCixi · 15/12/2021 10:07

The 23rd is a bad date because it’s directly before the Christmas bank holidays and then New Years bank holidays. A lot of governments offices, ie land registry essentially shut down and house ownership records have to be filed and such.

So I would never have chosen the 23rd as a closing/removal date. It’s too bad he’s paid a deposit but that’s the risk he took. Honestly should have moved furniture to storage long ago by now.

I think OH should agree to the 17th closing date and try and work things out with various removals companies. Or leave removal date on 23rd if truly no sooner date available and agree to pay a nominal “rent” to the new owners for the 8 days to bridge between closing on 17th and the day you are fully moved out, 24th.

lastqueenofscotland · 15/12/2021 11:19

The 23rd was always daft…
Could he speak to the solicitors and ask about leaving a few items due to issues with movers?

Original poster
blobby10 · 15/12/2021 11:22

EmpressCixi - although the originally requested date was 'before Christmas' he had been told by his solicitor only last week that due to the delays, it would be January. Hence booking the last date possible before Christmas to move his stuff into storage! There definitely isn't any other removal capacity before 23rd. He doesn't want to move in with me - its a stop gap brought about by circumstances beyond his control (complete mental breakdown) - so that's why he didn't "move into storage long ago." I will pass on your suggestion regarding nominal rent but not sure either party would agree with that - hadn't even considered it tbh.

OP posts:
MinnieMountain · 15/12/2021 11:28

In my firm completions are only allowed on 23rd if a partner has checked the file carefully and agreed it’s definitely doable.

You DP should have checked before booking his removals.

Itsalmostanaccessory · 15/12/2021 11:32

It sounds like he caused the delays?
The buyer was clear about before Christmas. Your partner caused the delays and now you're annoyed at everyone else?

Sorry. He'll have to apologise and completion will need to be moved to after xmas. He can still move his stuff out on the 23rd.

surreygirl1987 · 15/12/2021 11:33

Did he book the 23rd before this was checked and agreed? If so, that was daft! We were told not to book removals until we exchanged as we'd lose the deposit if it got delayed.

pianolessons1 · 15/12/2021 11:36

Why did he book and pay a deposit when he hadn't exchanged? that was crazy.

Original poster
blobby10 · 15/12/2021 11:36

MinnieMountain what would stop a completion being 'doable? Obviously I'm not in the industry but would have thought FTB and no onward chain would be eminently doable but with the comments made by EmpressCixi am now curious why it wouldn't be?

lastqueenofscotland I agree it was daft but my OH is only just recovering from a severe mental breakdown over the summer and made the best decision based on the information he had at the time. The fact that he booked anything is a major step in his recovery! I work in engineering and if we told a customer we couldn't finish their job because we had a Christmas party next day we would quickly go under!

OP posts:
Rollercoaster1920 · 15/12/2021 11:38

Practically how much stuff has he got, and could he move most himself? Getting it all sorted would be a weight off his mind.

MinnieMountain · 15/12/2021 11:55

I’m not privy to final decisions like that OP but I think it’s certainty about the money being moved around and everyone being able to move.

The Land Registry isn’t an issue.

Itsalmostanaccessory · 15/12/2021 11:57

Your partner's health problems have less than nothing to do with the buyer.

They said before xmas. He has caused delays. The date for completion is the 17th. He has somewhere else to stay. He'll need to sort our movers or ask to change completion to after xmas.

This really isnt anyone else's fault. So stop being angry at other people.

Snoken · 15/12/2021 12:00

@blobby10

It's not because they have a Christmas party the day after. It's because a lot of people aren't working Christmas Eve, and some business are closed.

Could he rent a van and do the move himself with a friend or something? Maybe the 17th isn't possible, but perhaps Monday the 20th would be a good compromise, then he has the weekend to get it moved. If not, is there a garage on his property or something where he can keep his belongings until the 23rd?

Findingthelight1 · 15/12/2021 12:01

You have a couple of days before the 17th - if I were you I'd be hiring a van and doing it myself over the rest of this week rather than delaying completion.
It's not like your OH has an onward purchase and has to do it all at once.

CheesyFootballsAreEvil · 15/12/2021 12:03

It's his own fault really. The 23rd was free becuase everyone else realised it was a stupid idea.

Findingthelight1 · 15/12/2021 12:04

Oh - and no the solicitors aren't being ridiculous at all. Tbh, you guys are for presuming the 23rd would be fine, not having exchanged, and not having any confirmation that the date would work.

I know there are mitigating circumstances, but that doesn't mean this becomes someone else's fault.

Flowers500 · 15/12/2021 12:05

I'm sorry but all of this is entirely his fault and his buyers are no doubt furious. He needs to try to sort this out, hire a van and get out of the house. He's caused the delays, he's clearly had a tough time but the poor vendors have been stringed on long enough.

Original poster
blobby10 · 15/12/2021 12:05

Snoken the solicitors words were "because we all have a Christmas party on 24th" Grin.

He can't do the move himself because everything is going into storage - he has had to sell the house to have money to live on as his self employed contract was terminated because he couldn't work due to breakdown (morally corrupt employer but unfortunately perfectly legal) and he can't go back to doing what he did. he will rent somewhere but needs time to work out where hence him living with me for a few weeks until he works out what he is going to do with his life. His stuff won't fit in the garage.

OP posts:
Flowers500 · 15/12/2021 12:05

strung (sorry fast typing...)

CheesyFootballsAreEvil · 15/12/2021 12:07

Can he sell stuff quickly?

Itsalmostanaccessory · 15/12/2021 12:08

Moving his date for the storage unit is easy. So that's not a reason.
Surely he can find someone with a van for the large items and everything else, he can start moving now.

Fleur405 · 15/12/2021 12:08

The issue is if tge bank is a bit tardy in releasing money - even a straightforward transaction requires at least 2 bank transfers and there are cut off times for that each day. The next working day isn’t until the 29th so it’s really not ideal!

Original poster
blobby10 · 15/12/2021 12:11

Findingthelight I didn't have all the information which was why I asked the question 'are the solicitors being ridiculous?'. Now posters have been kind enough to explain that it isn't as simple as I believed it to be I agree they are not being ridiculous.

Yes things should have been done differently but they haven't been - please don't disparage someone who has been through a tough time without knowing the full story. I witnessed it over the course of 6 months. It was horrific.

OP posts:
Original poster
blobby10 · 15/12/2021 12:13

Fleur405 thank you - that makes sense. Still seems weird when so many completions take place on a Friday!

OP posts:
LefttoherownDevizes · 15/12/2021 12:13

I was meant to exchange and complete on the same day. Assured all was fine, removald packed orurstuff into lorry. Buyers money didn't cover through in tone, didn't the weekend at MILs with all our possessions locked away. We're a two person chain.

That is what can go woring. NEVER AGAIN!

unfar · 15/12/2021 12:17

We've moved ourselves into storage several times. Boxes of less used stuff in the car then a van for furniture/the last of the boxes. The fact he can move in with you makes this loads easier as he could literally start now if he wanted.