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Original poster

How do you cope with the stress of moving house?

322 replies

YukoandHiro · 12/10/2022 03:42

We're on a tight chain. If we don't exchange and complete within the next 2.5 weeks we'll lose our buyer as their mortgage lender won't give any more extensions to their offer (there have been endless complex delays with the paper work and we lost our onward purchAse so it's all take months)
It's touch and go whether or not we'll get moved or the whole thing will collapse.
I haven't actually slept for NIGHTS now. I'm exhausted and totally wired. I'm spending all my days on endless phone calls feeling frustrated and my work is suffering too.
We have two kids too so we still have to get them to school etc through all this. Honestly feel like I can't cope at all!!

OP posts:
Sunbird24 · 31/10/2022 09:57

All my stuff is now unloaded into my house but I’ve discovered I don’t like half my furniture and I’ve still got too much crap…

Good luck @SoosanCarter, hope they turn up soon, and that everyone is back off their holidays for @FuzzyPuffling and anyone else who’s been held up by other people’s jollies…

Original poster
YukoandHiro · 31/10/2022 10:57

Congratulations @Sunbird24

I know the feeling. Half our stuff is still in boxes and I'm a bit overwhelmed by the amount of work that needs to be done on the property. We are basically camping at the moment.

I love the house but it doesn't feel anything like a home yet and probably won't for a while.

OP posts:
Original poster
YukoandHiro · 31/10/2022 10:58

Have they arrived @SoosanCarter ?

OP posts:
SoosanCarter · 31/10/2022 11:39

They arrived, three in the cab then three emerged from the back of the van!
I’m trying to not watch the packing.
I’m going from Surrey to Cumbria.
Cats are in the cattery, so I have to come back for them next week. 280 miles with shouting cats! I’m going to sedate them but I think it will wear off.

Original poster
YukoandHiro · 31/10/2022 15:18

@Expelliarmus88 definitely get them to pack. And don't wait til exchange. We nearly didn't end up with anyone!

OP posts:
FuzzyPuffling · 31/10/2022 16:48

We've exchanged!

After a week or so of thinking it was never going to happen, it was all of a rush this afternoon. Completion in a couple of weeks, so it's packing a go-go now.

Sending the best of vibes to all those still waiting. It is hell.

RM2013 · 31/10/2022 17:16

Great news @FuzzyPuffling

RM2013 · 31/10/2022 17:55

I literally hate the whole stressful process

FuzzyPuffling · 31/10/2022 18:27

It is awful RM2013. How is your going?

mistletoe1 · 31/10/2022 19:10

Hooray @FuzzyPuffling !! Great to hear.

RM2013 · 31/10/2022 19:16

@FuzzyPuffling frustrating!! We were expecting the report on our mortgage offer and the paperwork for the deeds from the solicitor on Friday then they said it would be sent today and still nothing.
Haven’t moved house in 20 years and still not sure what needs to happen 100%. Solicitors have been telling us completion before Christmas may be possible but they can’t confirm any dates yet

FuzzyPuffling · 31/10/2022 19:24

Oh heck, that is frustrating. Waiting for ither people is the worst bit of the whole process. I last moves house 7 years ago and I don't remember it being anywhere near as stressful or work-heavy. It feels like everything has to be proved in triplicate these days.

I had a very speedy online solicitor but still ended up asking people things on an almost daily basis. It's a full time job!

BarkerBump · 31/10/2022 19:50

Hope you don't mind a latecomer to the stress party!

We're selling up and moving Gloucester to Lancashire, we accepted an offer on our house 12th Sept from a chain-free couple and had our offer accepted on 13th Oct by vendors who are moving closer to family. They have agreed to break the chain and move into temporary accommodation (the property was marketed chain-free) to facilitate a quick move.

The survey on the property we're buying was done today, so it's an anxious wait to see if it flags anything!

Our buyers want to be in here by 30th November if all their searches are back in time, and we've agreed to break the chain and move in with parents if we can't complete on our purchase by then (which is looking likely to be honest!)

I get the awful feeling that we'll be rushed through exchange and completion due to their timescales but I don't want to be booking movers and storage before anything has been signed! It's so stressful but keeping hopeful that we'll be in our new home by Christmas.

FuzzyPuffling · 31/10/2022 20:47

Hello BarkerBump and welcome to the stressparty. It certainly sounds like a very speedy chain...hope it goes well for you.
( I had to wait 6 weeks to even get a surveyor in!)

toastfiend · 31/10/2022 21:07

Our buyers' buyer was the last person holding up the chain, the solicitors were waiting on some final paperwork to be approved by their lenders and told us they'd then be good to talk about exchanging. The approval came back on Friday and this morning their solicitors, rather than starting to talk about exchanging, decided to raise two further enquiries on something that's already been dealt with. I could scream.

toastfiend · 31/10/2022 21:08

We need to complete next week. Like, actually need to, not "oh it would be nice". This is driving me up the wall.

FuzzyPuffling · 31/10/2022 21:31

I had that toastfiend. Several further enquiries raised that had already been answered. My solicitor sent a slightly snarky email to their solicitor saying " I assume there are no more enquiries?"
I was quite panicked, thinking they were looking for a reason to pull out, but look, here we are, all exchanged. The turn around happened in less than a day.

RM2013 · 31/10/2022 22:06

@toastfiend same!!!! We were sent a couple of enquiries last week that we had already answered - it’s so frustrating. Hope you get to hear something more positive soon

RM2013 · 31/10/2022 22:07

@BarkerBump welcome to the waiting game - it’s nice to be able to vent here whilst waiting for things to move. Your chain sounds fairly straightforward. Let’s hope nothing flags up in your survey

RM2013 · 31/10/2022 22:09

@FuzzyPuffling it’s definitely more long winded and stressful than when we last moved house. When is your completion date.
I’ve spoken to our buyers today - they are chasing their solicitors too and they’re desperate to move before Christmas

Reallybadidea · 01/11/2022 06:49

@FuzzyPuffling great news that you've exchanged!

Completion was all really straightforward in the end and we got the keys about 1pm. So relieved that it's all over.

Good luck to everyone else still going through this process, hopefully all the happy endings on this thread have given you hope.

FuzzyPuffling · 01/11/2022 07:11

Happy endings are always heartening. So often we only hear the horror stories but some house moves do go smoothly!

We're completing on 16th November. Right from the outset I said I'd like a couple of weeks between exchange and completion to pack up and get organised. We've already done lots ( loft cleared, garden sorted, trips to tip and charity shop) but it's a big job!

I have a LOT of plants in pots ( including trees) and several pieces of garden furniture. The removal.companies we're all "extra day and extra van for the garden", but it's worth it for me. So much came from my late mum and I don't want to leave them behind.

FuzzyPuffling · 01/11/2022 07:13

RM2013 it took us exactly 3 months to get from offer to exchange if that helps your timescale at all. ( And that was a chain of 3 with one very slow solicitor)

toastfiend · 01/11/2022 12:49

@FuzzyPuffling and @RM2013 it's SO frustrating, isn't it?! Hope completion goes smoothly for you @FuzzyPuffling and that you are in by Christmas @RM2013. Can't believe the number of people asked the same enquiries several times, we had this too and it's just mad (and maddening!)

There seems to have been some confusion with who is ready and who isn't this morning, but hoping it's now resolved after a flurry of emails, and it now looks like everyone is ready to exchange imminently and complete next Thursday. I'm so hoping this is it! 🙏🙏🙏

FuzzyPuffling · 01/11/2022 12:58

Woo hoo toastfiend that sounds very positive. Fingers crossed....

Enquiries...how many times do you want me to say "there is no surface drainage and it's not a problem"? Or perhaps you could stop asking me questions about something in 2005, when the house wasn't built until 2007 and we moved in in 2015! However, all sorted now and breathe...

DH has spent the morning sorting utilities and removal firms. I've done BT and packed two more boxes.