Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

Last minute delay for completion nightmare

378 replies

wishIwasonholiday10 · 23/11/2023 13:36

We are supposed to be completing today but our lawyers IT system is completely down and they have been unable to transfer the money. Has anyone experienced something similar and what happened next? Our sellers just rung us panicking as they have had all their stuff packed up and we have loads to deliveries booked to the new house tomorrow (whiteware, furniture etc). We are bottom of the chain - will be liable for everyone’s costs even if it’s our lawyers fault?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
LynBin100 · 09/12/2023 07:44

Yay! Congratulations @anyusernamesnotused , that's such good news. So pleased for you. Enjoy your new home.

KeyboardMash · 09/12/2023 16:14

Glad people are starting to get there and keeping everything crossed for those still waiting. What a bizarre and frustrating episode all round!

LynBin100 · 11/12/2023 12:31

@alicefenton88 did you exchange yet?

alicefenton88 · 11/12/2023 12:44

Not yet.. Just emailed TR for an update as we’ve not heard anything since Thursday when they confirmed they’d requested the funds.

We have until 5pm Monday 18th to complete so it all needs to happen in the next 5 days! But thankfully we are chain-free as buying a probate sale, and sold our last home in September.

Are you all set for completion on Wednesday? 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

LynBin100 · 11/12/2023 12:48

@alicefenton88 yes. Although my Solicitor hasn't received details of apportionments for the service charge from TR in relation to my purchase in readiness for Wednesday. So I've just sent her a chunk of money anyway. Still have my fingers crossed a little bit

alicefenton88 · 11/12/2023 12:56

Hopefully it’ll all happen, but just that TR are being a little bit more scrappy than usual and trying to clear through the backlog. My sister is also using them although their deadline isn’t as tight and they’ve not heard a single thing back in the last couple of weeks..

Everything is crossed! X

kalalondon · 11/12/2023 16:37

Just got an email from TR saying that my remortgage completion is booked for tomorrow as they are getting through the backlog. 8 days later than ideal, but better late than never!

6Ronnie · 11/12/2023 17:01

So, after sending all the docs to the solicitor the other day (cos they'd lost them all in the hack) , I rang today for an update. Nada, nothing. No further forward at all. I expressed my frustration that we are 9 weeks in to a sale that should have been done and dusted by now, cash buyer, vacant possession. More grrr's

LynBin100 · 11/12/2023 17:08

@kalalondon at least it's moving. Slowly, but moving. Fingers crossed for tomorrow.

@6Ronnie how frustrating. So are there systems not running or are they working through a backlog do you know ?

Does anyone know if CTS has completed stage 4 yet?

6Ronnie · 11/12/2023 17:14

I have no idea, the actual solicitor wouldn't speak to me, every question I asked I was put on hold, while the receptionist presumably asked it and came back to me. My impression is they are trying to.pretend all is normal on the surface and are paddling like mad below water

LynBin100 · 11/12/2023 17:32

@6Ronnie grrrrr indeed! We feel your pain as we were in your sitch a couple of weeks ago. Persistence is key.

alicefenton88 · 12/12/2023 18:48

Anyone heard anything from TR today? Radio silence for us since Thursday last week.. due to be exchanging this week and completing Monday.

LynBin100 · 12/12/2023 18:50

alicefenton88 · 12/12/2023 18:48

Anyone heard anything from TR today? Radio silence for us since Thursday last week.. due to be exchanging this week and completing Monday.

Well, they did respond to my Solicitor today regarding final apportionments for completion tomorrow

anyusernamesnotused · 12/12/2023 20:44

@LynBin100 Good luck for tomorrow I hope it all goes smoothly for you, I’m still lurking and watching and keeping my fingers crossed for everyone!

alicefenton88 · 12/12/2023 20:58

Finally! Good luck and let us know once done!

LynBin100 · 13/12/2023 18:08

Hello lovelies! I'm in. All completed by 12.15. Removers have just left. But I'm in. WiFi working. Tv working. Fizz in my stomach. Thanks for your support ladies. And continuing good luck to those still in the mire x

alicefenton88 · 13/12/2023 18:20

Fantastic news. Congratulations. All worth it in the end I hope.

We finally had a reply from TR confirming completion for Monday, and exchange today. They said they’d be back in touch to get approval for exchange later in the afternoon, but it’s now 18.20 and we’ve heard nothing.. Typical!

We need confirmation of our final statement tomorrow too to request an increase in our transfer limit to make sure they have the funds for Monday.. All getting very tight. Eek

LynBin100 · 13/12/2023 18:36

@alicefenton88 oh blimey. You're having a bit of mare. That is quite tight timing. Keep us posted.

anyusernamesnotused · 13/12/2023 19:29

@LynBin100 congratulations and well
done! I still haven’t got internet although should be done tomorrow. So glad it’s all gone through for you.

@alicefenton88 you’re so close, it’ll happen tomorrow it has to. Banks are being understanding I believe, so hopefully you’ll be okay. Keep us updated, I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you.

Chasingsquirrels · 14/12/2023 07:35

For my family exchange was imminent when systems went down, with expected completion 7th dec.
Exchange didn't happen, as a solicitor in the chain was impacted, and at beginning of Dec potential completion pushed back to today (14th).
Last Fri (8th) exchange imminent again still with completion on 14th, and then an apparently last minute issue in the chain (our understanding is that one party is buying shared ownership, their lender asked for a certificate, shared ownership company said they didn't need it, lender isn't lending without it).

Mon - no news.
Tue - estate agent phones to say unlikely to happen before Christmas.
Wed - solicitor contacts to say certificate being sorted and hope to finalise ASAP in new year.

(Have incurred 60% charge on late notice removers cancellation for 14th - which had been hard enough to find when potential completion delayed from 7th to 14th).

Realistically, if certificate not sorted before Christmas then exchange won't happen until new year and then all in chain will need to sort removals so are probably looking at mid-Jan at the earliest, and that's assuming it the issue gets sorted and the chain doesn't break down.

Very frustrating.

LynBin100 · 14/12/2023 09:06

@Chasingsquirrels Wowsers! Your situation sounds like a nightmare. So sorry to hear this. I would say we've all had the "oh yes, we can do it today/soon/whatever" and then been told "oops, no not today!" And all because one person used an effected Solicitor. I hope it happens for you before Xmas, but the remover's situation is a nightmare. My guys were not great, but they were available and cheap but I wouldnt use them again. Mind you I don't think I'll ever move again now! Sadly it's impossible to commit to removers until you exchange at the moment.

Chasingsquirrels · 14/12/2023 09:16

Thanks Linbin - and hope you settle into your new house quickly.

It's my parents, not me, and hopefully it will all come good in the end.
Timing a pain as my mum is having a hip replacement which is scheduled for mid-Jan, thinking the move would be done before Christmas.

It was actually end Nov that the 7th was cancelled and my mum phoned a lot of removers to find someone for 14th as nearly all were "can't do anything till Jan". So I can't see they'll find anyone early-mid Jan when they don't look like exchanging pre-Chrismas.
The 60% charge for less than 5 days notice is fair enough on the removers side, and they did say if they could get a replacement job they wouldn't charge - but not much chance of that really (although mum hadn't seen it in the terms she says they would have booked them anyway as at that point felt they had no choice).

For them, apart from the hip-op, there aren't any time pressures, and the house they are buying is empty and the end of the chain. But there is always the concern of something going wrong in the chain and it all falling apart.

Fingers crossed!

LynBin100 · 14/12/2023 09:56

@Chasingsquirrels sorry to hear about your mums hip. The last thing she needs is the stress of all this. In my experience and I've moved 8 times, the longer it goes on, the less likely it is that people drop out. It's just too costly to start again. Fingers crossed for a speedy and concrete resolution though.

anyusernamesnotused · 14/12/2023 10:23

@Chasingsquirrels I had a similar experience although we had already exchanged so I think the completion was a priority and we’re in now.

my poor removal company changed dates about 5 times for me and I still wasn’t totally sure 2 days before. I did lose one deposit and the final time they insisted on full payment up front.

it’s such a stressful, frustrating experience. I wish you and your mum all the best.

alicefenton88 · 14/12/2023 18:53

What an incredibly stressful situation and so
frustrating when there are knock-on impacts from a cost perspective. And no repercussions for CTS who caused this whole mess. Grrrr. Makes my blood boil. Their shareholders are probably getting healthy dividends and / or directors Christmas bonuses. Maddening.

From our side FINALLY some good news. We have exchanged contracts and set to complete on Monday. Literally the day our mortgage offer expires. Feels like we got there eventually but I’m not opening the fizz until we complete!