Nightmare waiting to exchange need hope !

[Jaxxxxx]

I actually think I’m loosing the plot
this is the 3rd day in a row I have been asked for authority to exchange contracts based on information my vendors solicitor gives mine - all geared up and then there is always a reason that it doesn’t go ahead - they clearly lie and say that they have done things like request the mortgage for completion- it turns out they hadn’t until yesterday and now as they are not on the lenders approved panel they are not get clearance from the 3rd party solicitor
up shot is my removal company now wants to take another booking so I won’t be able to go with the agreed date - and I had booked my leave from work which I now can’t change
this is my 3rd attempt at moving in the past 13 months
1st my vendor pulled out 3 days before exchange
found another property and by buyers buyer had a shocking solicitor and my buyer lost their mortgage offer - rates went up so they couldn’t afford to move
got a new supposedly uncomplicated FTB exchange on Wednesday was delayed as they didn’t transfer deposit money on time
exchange delayed Thursday yesterday because confirmation of funds was required
told a fax arrived late last night confirming this and yet my buyers solicitor still won’t exchange until something shows on the lenders system - it’s now 15:45 on a Friday - we were meant to complete in 6 days - I have lost faith in the integrity of people and can’t believe solicitors just don’t do what they say they have done !
any one any words of wisdom?

No real advice to offer here in terms of what to do, but just wanted to say sorry this has all been so stressful. It does sound like the solicitors have perhaps not been the best in terms of getting this through smoothly. Don't know if this helps but there can be glitches that are outside of individuals' control. As an example, when we recently purchased our first home we thought it would all be simple and straightforward as we're cash buyers and FTBs, but when we were due to exchange and complete things still got a bit hairy as the bank was taking much longer to transfer the funds than anticipated. We're told the money would be cleared by X date/time and the transfer would be complete within two hours (or something like that, can't remember the exact times) but it ended up taking much much longer for whatever reason. In the end it took until 4pm the next day and I'm sure the seller was pretty frustrated and unhappy, but there wasn't anything we could do at that stage to speed things up as it was in the bank's hands! (Or probably the hands of whatever clearing house/financial transaction system the bank uses)

Maybe not exactly relevant to your situation but hopefully at least somewhat reassuring that things might eventually work out, as they did for us!

No advice but your experience is not unusual sadly. I experienced very similar before finally moving in March. I don't suppose that is much consolation but plenty of people will certainly understand when you come on to vent. It's a rubbish, stressful system that could surely be simplified or streamlined in some way if there was the will. I remember asking my solicitor why all the solicitors couldn't do. group Teams call or something instead of them all just emailing the one above/behind them in the chain. Why not, if the customer gave consent? Just bloody make and agree some decisions.

Meant to add that I was in a chain of 9. It was very stressful but we all got there in the end and you will too.

Thanks for your comments I think I really just needed to vent - got a call at 4:20 saying the buyers solicitor had the green light from the mortgage company so all geared up to exchange again but my sellers solicitor was tricky to get hold of and when my solicitor finally did they couldn’t get hold of my sellers for authorisation today - my sellers are in their mid 70s and moved out back in April to be nearer to family for their health needs - they probably don’t even realise that they have to give a new authority if exchange rolls to another day - but their solicitor had all day to ensure that he had obtained this - so yet another anxiety provoked weekend for me wondering what upset Monday will bring - if this ever happens I’m never moving again !!

I said the same thing - never again!

It'll work out eventually. Try to have a nice weekend.

I'm sorry you're going through this. We had similar - multiple failed attempts over the last three weeks with mortgage money being sent back and taking ages to be re requested. Our story differs in that we finally exchanged at 4:40 today and complete early next week. It's been a dismal experience and one I will never repeat. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you

It's just the worst isn't it. We had this in September where they tried to exchange for like a week and a half and bloody nothing happened. It was so hard to find a removal company when we didn't have a confirmed completion date, but in the end we had to risk it and book it for the proposed completion date and hope for the best. Well on the day the guys came and packed all of our stuff and we still hadn't exchanged! It was all just stupidly stressful, but the removal guys kindly waited in their vans (not for free mind) while we were ringing our solicitors for updates every half an hour. We ended up exchanging at around 3.45 and completed around half an hour later. Stressful but we got there!

I've heard of so many people having the same thing where for some reason exchange just keeps being delayed until everyone's forced into the simultaneous exchange and completion. Luckily though it seems that solicitors are very good at making shit happen at the very last minute, so often all ends well. I hope you exchange soon and get a few days before completion too. 😊

I was part of the group trying to complete by June 30th 2021 for the increased stamp duty tax relief. We had a long and painful thread…. We managed to buy in the Nick of time but then the sellers had Covid and couldn’t move out….. luckily we were in rental with a changeover gap. I think very few people get through buying in England without teas, frustration and stress. We said we’d never mover again, I think like labour the memory fades enough to try again…. (Not for ten years mind minimum)

so many of us were losing hope, but miraculously the majority made the deadline, fingers crossed it all goes smoothly next week and your in your new home soon.

We were completing and exchanging on the same day but it didn't happen. The entire chain had booked removals. Most still had to pay removals in full. Some already had their house packed up and on the van. I stayed with a friend over the weekend and it happened on Monday.

Keep the faith OP, I exchanged at 1600 yesterday and completed at 1624! My buyers’ mortgage offer was due to expire tomorrow so the last week has been manic, and even up to at least 1030 yesterday morning there was no guarantee it was going to happen - at that point the movers were already in my house. If all the solicitors etc work together and get a move on they absolutely can make this happen for you. I’ll keep everything crossed over here!

Eventually exchanged on Monday and completed Thursday phew - so happy, thanks for your support good things come to those that wait and wait eventually 😀

Great update. Enjoy your new home.