Delay to completion

[RidingMyBike]

Had our offer accepted on chain-free house in early March. We're in rental so also chain-free. We emphasised wanting to get on with purchase and were all set to get thru in about 6-8 weeks taking us to late April/early May (we sold in 4 weeks last year so thought this reasonable- we've both bought houses previously and it took 6-8 weeks). It then emerged via our solicitor digging around that our seller needed to wait for probate to be granted on the property he is buying. He advised this would take an additional 4-6 weeks, taking us to end May.

Ok, so accepted working to end May date, survey, searches etc all satisfactory. Probate taking longer but seller then says he will move out into temp accommodation so we can still go ahead for end May completion.

Got exchange paperwork signed this week, exchange happening next week. Seller suddenly announces he doesn't have time to move out before end May(?!), then has a three week holiday booked(?!) so now can't complete before end June.

We're really annoyed. This was the first mention of the holiday. Also worried the goalposts keep shifting. I'm trying to get a date at end June set for completion but can he keep changing it/pushing it back? Even once exchange has taken place? He's elderly widower (don't know how elderly?) and want to be understanding as it's obviously a big move for him, but we do need to get on with it. The house is in quite a state and will need building work before we can move in. He didn't have that much stuff in the house when we viewed - minimal furniture, not much 'stuff' around.

God @RidingMyBike its bloody awful and so stressful. Do you think he might have changed his mind? He doesn’t seem to be behaving like someone that wants to sell his house ! I am still looking on Rightmove every day in case our vendors pull out of their onwards purchase for a fourth time . Can’t help if you still look , just in case

How completely unprofessional.

A friend of mine sold her flat last year to someone whose solicitor only worked on Tuesdays.

Has the seller obtained a Grant of Probate?

I'd get them to exchange contracts with completion end of June - not long now :)

Really feeling for you on this @RidingMyBike . I recently bought a house (chain-free both sides) expecting (and requesting) a six week turnaround, in the end there was so much faffing from the vendor that it took almost six months. Again she had a two week holiday which she had not disclosed at any point, had we known about it we would have been a lot more understanding but it's the hanging on in limbo that kills you. Fingers crossed something has moved along for you today.

I hate to say it but it sounds as though he's stringing it out as much as possible to avoid moving out.

In my experience 99% of vendors who say they'll go into temp accommodation are lying. Or they mean it at the time, but change their minds with the reality of two moves.

It's so frustrating when you lose trust, and you're stuck because it's the only suitable house so you can't pull out or make ultimatums.

Hold tight; hope for the best but expect the worst, is my motto with house buying!

We still haven't exchanged but finally heard something. There was a sudden flurry when it emerged via the EA that the seller wants to exchange and complete on his onward purchase at the same time as sell his house to us. Which would, of course, mean waiting for probate on the onward purchase. He was then reminded that he'd agreed to move into temporary accommodation and that he/the EA had told us he was chain free. There was then a bit of an impasse as we were asking for exchange now and completion at end June (moved back from end May as he said he couldn't do that). Vendor seemed to be unaware what 'moving into temporary accommodation' actually means! .

All went quiet for a bit, then suddenly (I'm presenting to a board meeting, DH is on the schoolrun!) phone goes - it's our solicitor. The vendor's solicitor has finally appeared from her cave/holiday/whatever and discovered probate has been granted on the onward purchase.

Apparently she now needs a week to check this, and, shock horror, there are bank holidays in early June this year(!). So our solicitor has pinned them down to exchange straight after half term, with completion on the date we suggested at end of June.

So, we're not there yet. And there could still be problems. But some progress has been made!

Wishing you all the best with your move Riding, it must be a nightmare trying to do long distance, and paying rent on top.

My elderly vendor faffed about for 7 months from July last year before eventually pulling out on the day of exchange, a week before planned completion. She just decided the whole thing was too overwhelming and stayed put.

I hope something similar doesn't happen to you, because it's pretty fvcking sh!te when it does. Fingers everything goes smoothly from now on!

Thanks @Starseeking yes, at the back of my mind is the possibility that he'll change his mind at the last minute. Or there will be some new spanner in the works. But we at least now have nearly 4 weeks between exchange and completion so once (if?!) we've exchanged can make plans.

We've already done the long distance part of the move when we went into rented and sold our old house. So this next move is a lot simpler - less than 2 miles instead of 200(!), and no one changing job or school.

Sounds like a plan Riding.

With the benefit of hindsight in my situation, I'd agree to the vendors demands around completion as long as they exchange by x date.

My previous elderly vendor requested 8 weeks(!) between exchange and completion, to give her enough time to pack up etc. I said no, as during this 8 weeks my mortgage would have expired, and anything else could have happened.

I didn't realise at the time I could've asked the bank for an extension to my mortgage offer, I had just had enough after 6 months of waiting, given it was just the two of us in the "chain", plus I was worried about losing my not insignificant deposit! If I'd have known what I know now, I'd have agreed to that ridiculous delay as at least it would have meant the end was fixed and in sight, instead of not happening at all.

If there's any way to pull forward that exchange date, even if completion is set for further away than you'd like I'd try and do that. Wishing you all the best with getting there.

Oh wow @Starseeking it sounds like she was a bit overwhelmed by the packing up aspect. Was there a lot of decluttering too? 8 weeks?! It's a shame the EA didn't support her by suggesting a packing service etc? I don't know how elderly your vendor was or maybe it was decades since she last moved so not aware of such things. I know my Mum (who moved last year in her mid-70s) got rather overwhelmed with it all, and we had to talk her into using a packing service and taking up her cleaner's offer to help her declutter. Some EA seem more active than others in the amount of 'hand-holding' they'll do for an elderly client. And variable amounts of family support too I suppose. We weren't local so couldn't help Mum with packing etc but at least could have a conversation with her about "just book the packing service" after some moaning about the difficulty obtaining packing boxes!

This latest delay to exchange is because the vendor's solicitor wanted a week to check the probate documents, which ended up falling across the double bank holiday. So fingers crossed that's the only delay!

That's exactly it Riding. The vendor had lived in the house since 1976, and her husband died years ago, and she was trying to do the sale and purchase (also moving into an empty retirement flat) on her own while being in her mid 80's. My vendor had no DC or other family to chivvy her along during the whole thing, and the EA seemed scared to ever speak to her.

The good thing in your transaction is that your vendor has a DS. I'd recommend your EA befriend the DS and get him to do the pushing. I really wish my vendor had had family to encourage her and help so she didn't feel so overwhelmed. The EA was useless on this front. Your vendor is more likely to listen to his DS and also the DS will appreciate that the house is now too much for his Dad, so life will be easier for them all following the sale.

Fingers crossed you get to exchange shortly.

Just for information and my own experience - it took over 5 months to get finally get probate for my parent's house.
After probate, the house went up for sale and after 3 months we changed EA - the house sold and finally completed in 6 months with only 2 others in the chain.
Solicitors costs for probate is huge. Then EA costs, Conveyancing costs, on top of utilities, insurances, land registry, death certificates, taxes.. it is a ridiculous lengthy period and stressful after a death in the family.
We had to deal with problem buyers who tried to knock the house price by a huge amount - we refused and got another buyer who paid almost full asking price.
The pressure is immense all around..I think it needs a lot of understanding of different situations.

Good luck

Oh dear, that sounds difficult @Wiseflower I'm sorry it took so long, and at least you didn't try and sell it before getting probate although that drew out the process for you! I've had to do POA and/or probate a few times (for my Dad and my extended family seems to specialise in childless elderly relatives!) and, so far, it's been relatively straightforward and done in a matter of weeks. This vendor's onward purchase one, which we were warned would take 4-6 weeks, does actually seem to have only taken that long, although it's unfortunate the vendor wasn't then ready to get on with it asap. But that's down to poor communication somewhere around him, his solicitor and possibly the EA too.

It's the lack of honesty that gets me. We viewed one property that was clearly marked as a probate one and decided against it. We're in a very competitive market here and the vendor chose our offer over others probably because it was over asking and we were very ready to proceed asap, only for him to keep us hanging on.

Supposed to be exchanging now today... so waiting on tenterhooks for the phone to ring!

Just read your thread with bated breath as we are hoping to exchange this week... very best of luck!

And... we haven't exchanged. Again. The seller's solicitor never answered the phone or returned any calls. At one point we even stood in the estate agent's office looking desperate whilst he tried ringing! Our solicitor is scratching his head as all the paperwork is ready, money sat there ready to transfer. We just need the other solicitor on the phone!

Ffs - there should be some sort of legislation about this !

The other solicitor eventually crawled out from under her rock or wherever she's been hiding to say the exchange docs that the seller was meant to have signed before half term still haven't been. He's apparently hoping to get them signed this week.

We managed to get ours signed within 24 hours on a day of full time work and delivered in person back to the solicitor!

We are also a little mystified as he's apparently able to sign documents this week but also should be on the three week holiday that was the reason for not completing when we wanted.

sorry to hear op, it's a nightmare at the moment.

You aren't trying to buy a house in Sussex, are you? We're selling a place through probate (all granted) and we've been waiting 4 months for the "no chain" buyer to sign and exchange! His solicitors are hopeless (and we know that because they caused us massive problems when my Mum tried to buy the flat a few years ago - she ended up having to live in a hotel for a fortnight).

Nowhere near Sussex @Madcats! The other solicitor seems awful - keeps disappearing and not replying to messages.

Another house has just appeared on market - a little smaller and slightly further out but bigger garden and in better condition. Wondering whether to view it (it's a different EA) just in case this one doesn't get anywhere. We've now been about to exchange three times only for different delays to appear.

Solicitors are hopeless at liaising with each other. Both sides think the other has or has not done something. Communication between them is atrocious! They ignore the timeline of committments on both sides, putting doubts in our heads about the other side. The whole legal system administration needs to be overhauled, updated or replaced.

It might reassure you that we were given 4 dates to exchange and each time with a new completion date. You have to be understanding but also be more tough with them! Tell them you will look elsewhere if the contracts are not exchanged ..!

@RidingMyBike I’m sorry to read that this stressful situation is ongoing. I think I followed your posts on another thread I was on before I finally Completed in a March. I had an absolute nightmare of an older vendor (not really elderly) who couldn’t open emails, sign docs etc. Fortunately the EA was very hands on and spent hours at her house going through paperwork, organised a skip for her and even drove her to view onward properties 50 odd miles away. I think he was desperate to get her off his books:) She also had a daughter and son in law chivvying her along.

In the end it took efforts from all of us including DP helping her clear the loft and her neighbours pitching in with removals to get her out of the house.

I’m keeping fingers crossed for you. I think your vendor may well be feeling overwhelmed but hopefully the fact you’ve got this far is a good sign.

You should absolutely view it !! He's ducking you about so much . We are still waiting to exchange on November bought house and I am so stressed . I wish we had scotlands method of buying a house as it would week out the time wasters a treat