Buyers/Sellers Exchange waiting room

[spidershavetoomanyknees]

Currently waiting for exchange, stuck in a never-ending loop of "there's been a couple more enquiries higher up the chain" and "we're nearly there now". Wondering if there's anyone else who would like to join me here in the waiting room of doom to vent into the void.

Next train for Exchange (line terminates at Completion) is currently delayed and they'd like to apologise for the delay.

@notsosoftanymore I think I would be inclined to drop out, there's only so much accomodating and hassle you can do to appease other people. It might be different if you had found your dream home but you don't seem to be too much in love with the house you are buying.----

If the portal is called eWay you’re with one of the PPL group of companies - they were an absolute nightmare to deal with for us.

They had a massive data breach (after being useless before that…) so everything ground to a halt for 3 months.

Never again

@notsosoftanymore I think you’d be justified in pulling out particularly as you are not sure about your purchase.

Part of me would love to have pulled out of our purchase just to show the vendor that there are consequences to unreasonable behaviour but we’ve stuck at it because we love the house and it’s location is perfect for us.

@StillNiceCardigan and @frustratednomad thanks, you get it. I moved 7 years, ago, so pre Brexit, and the situation seems so different now. The fevered market, legal changes, interest rates, the way people behave. This thread is interesting and sad. @

Sorry for all the stress @notsosoftanymore

It does sound like it's best to withdraw. I've only ever been excited to move somewhere. If you're already having doubts it will feel worse when you start discovering the quirks.

@notsosoftanymore we haven't moved for 22 years and last time it was a company relocation so we really did not know what we were letting ourselves in for! We are in a chain of 5 and our vendor is the top as he has agreed to move out. This has meant him thinking he can do what he likes because otherwise the chain behind us will collapse. I've been stunned by his behaviour as he was nice enough at viewings.

@notsosoftanymore Absolutely agree with this. Too many red flags and ultimately, you have to be 100% happy about your purchase rather than going ahead because of your altruism.

Sorry. That last comment was in response to @StillNiceCardigan who also feels you would be justified in pulling out.

I turned down a higher offer than that which I eventually accepted on my house last summer precisely because I could see that the potential buyer would be a nightmare. He was being difficult and argumentative before we'd got to the second viewing and it turned out that he'd lied about the status of his own property which wasn't actually on the market at all. The thought of dealing with this copper-bottomed arsehole at the later and totally nightmarish stage of the conveyance that we're all in now was more than I (or the EA!) could bear the thought of!

In your shoes, I think I would pull out. The buyers are being very cheeky and if it's not a house you love now, it's unlikely to change. But I know that's easier said than done!

It's so stressful.

We exchange on Monday and I'm having cold feet. It's a new location, completely different lifestyle, ending my job, so a lot of change. I think I'm just overwhelmed. It's 'dream' house BUT looks nothing like the image I've had in my head for years, but it really ticks every box, and has huge potential. It's a bargain too. Keep having to talk myself back into it.

I do have a viewer for my current house sale - she came last week to view but her DH works abroad so she's asked for another viewing to take video for him to see. Her daughter attends a school that is literally 2 mins walk so I'm hoping she's motivated to offer!

@notsosoftanymore gosh what an update. Are you pulling out entirely or just out of the purchase?

@RubyPip what makes it the dream house if it isn't the same mental image? Rooms? Garden? Potential? Location?

I've been where you are - worrying if it's the right thing to do. I know for me that that phase is normal, and it's a way of making sure I am making the right decision... but that I need to keep a lid on it so that "making sure" doesn't become full blown panic. Sounds like you're preparing for a lot of change and that a bit if apprehension is totally justified!

Exciting about the viewer! Fingers crossed. I used to worry we weren't getting many viewings near the end, but you only really need one..!

Fingers crossed for you @RubyPip your new house sounds exciting. When I've felt like you do it's almost as though it's meant to be and that's what I've told myself as a way of calming down! Big changes though, I hope it works out, let us know if the exchange happens.

@spidershavetoomanyknees probably we'll only pull back from the purchase, I'm trying so hard to like the house but it will never work. I do feel guilty but wouldn't be in this position if it wasn't for our buyers. I would love to take our house off the market and put two fingers up to them but sanity says let the sale happen. It may mean us going in to rental for a while which might be tricky as we have a cat. I am annoyed though that this is another week on the schedule as they won't exchange until they've seen the house again and that's in a week's time. Grr.

@notsosoftanymore I think that sounds wise. Going through the motions of a purchase is hard enough when you love the house, so going through it when you're not so keen doesn't seem sensible. Best of luck!

Yes it is eway with PPL 🙈

Oh gosh, how long ago was that?

They've not been too bad thus far to be honest.

We are hoping to exchange today or tomorrow 🤞 our buyers had to re request their local searches as their mortgage provider won't accept an indemnity policy, but their solicitor was still trying to exchange on Friday which was a bit naughty. The searches should be quite quick apparently so as soon as they come through we can exchange! They've said Friday at the absolute latest so may have to exchange and complete in the same day which isn't ideal but it is what it is.

We were supposed to be exchanging every day from Tuesday last week, then Friday at 6pm we were told that a price reduction had been agreed at the bottom of the chain so now paperwork has to be re-done. No idea at the moment how long this will add.

It's so frustrating isn't it when it keeps getting pushed further and further back!

Fingers crossed that it doesn't take too long for you 🤞

We are also with PPL.. started off ok but haven't been as impressed as time has worn on.. missed an important part in the original deeds that we ended up needing an indemnity for and just the fact that it's taken this long to get sorted.. 6 months! It's too long. It is now our last day of mortgage offer to exchange and complete... I am a mess of nerves. Haven't heard anything yet.. part of me thinks there's time and the other part of me feels like its over.

Oh no @pfpfb12345, how awful! I have fingers crossed for you today 🤞 try and keep positive, I know it's hard! X

More radio silence from the bottom of my short chain. No one is responding to my agent or my solicitor. I’ve asked the agent to put pressure on my buyers as it is their sale which is holding things up. I’m starting to get a really bad feeling that it’s all about to fall apart.

@Karmatime For a moment I thought this was me but my situation is actually very different. I keep getting emails and calls from my seller's agent and at this point it makes me want to cry when I see yet another one in my inbox. But I don't give radio silence, I always respond and reiterate that we are equally as keen. It's my buyer's sale that's holding things up, so I don't underst why the agent is putting so much pressure on me. It is really starting to affect me. I just got one again (second one today), so now I feel sick and can't focus on work.

I think price reduction needs to be on the exchange waiting bingo card! Hope it can get sorted quickly

@thunderouslug this sounds really rotten. They should really know better. Would a tactical silence help? Block calls for 24hours and cite work limits? I’d not respond to emails for a bit and then just a quick email of something like:

“Hi, just to reiterate my previous messages, the hold up with progression to exchange is not due to either my sale or purchase (both of which are ready). I’m therefore not the person to pressure about this. My buyer’s sale is through Estate Agent and I’m sure their sales progression team will be able to provide the information you need. I'm sure you understand”

Tbh chasing on a Monday is a bit ridiculous to my mind anyway. People are only just back to work and it just destroys goodwill.

ps. I've been saying "thunder slug" in my head and now I realise that's not actually your username. My mental image of a really determined slug with thor's hammer will, however, never go away. You're welcome 😁

That must be really frustrating @thunderouslug. My situation is a bit different I think. A month ago I was told we were ready to exchange, 3 in the chain, me my buyers and their buyer. Then when it didn’t happen due first to a missing search and then a lease issue on my buyer’s sale I’ve basically heard nothing at all. My only contacts are my agent and my solicitor and they don’t seem to be able to find out what’s going on.

Can I add to the misery. There are two things outstanding on our purchase, evidence that a personal charge will be removed and something to do with a deed of release for an existing restrictive covenant. We are very concerned about the deed of release as our vendor seems to be trying to do something legally odd to get rid of the restrictive covenant which we want nothing to do with. Our buyers are piling on the pressure and I just feel sad about the whole thing. We just want to buy a house and our vendor is dragging us into all sorts of nonsense.

Oh my goodness we managed it. Got to lunch time and I was still waiting to hear but finally all went through at 3pm. I was pretty useless all day until then and since it went through there has been so much to do it's been crazy. Best wishes to you all with your sales and purchases. It is the most agonising thing! Good luck!