How to put pressure on sale?

[Emily1200]

We are bottom of a 3-link-chain, our offer was accepted in mid May, which was almost 5 months ago.
We have been ready to exchange for weeks now and my understanding is that the top of the chain is also ready - the ‘update’ each week is that our vendor’s solicitor is clarifying enquiries.
We are very frustrated that after all this time, we haven’t even discussed exchange dates yet and want to put some pressure to move things along. But how do we do that? Do we speak to the EA and if so, what do we say?

I would say ring the agent every day. They need to help facilitate progress. I've always had to nag EAs and solicitors literally daily at various stages to get anything done and then pay them way more than I've ever earned...

Start making a fuss and you'll soon get an idea of what's really holding things up. I've been known to turn up at solicitor's office - pre internet - with a piece of paper (that they'd already had sight of) and a screaming baby. They soon sorted themselves out. You shouldn't have to, but you will need to. The EA needs to be doing their best to move this forward so at the v least they should be keeping you updated very regularly.

Yes. Call the estate agent of the one you are purchasing.
Make it clear you want a definitive reason for the delay, and also a date when exchange can happen.

Tell them you will be looking for another property if this is not resolved.

Don't let them fob you off, the estate agents can do some enquiries and earn some of their commission.

Good luck.

Thank you! The estate agent is so useless, they have a sales progressor - every time I ring her (she literally only called me once all this time), she goes on about how busy she is and how she hasn’t had time to chase yet and how this is part of the process and blah blah. She has added sweet nothing to the process so far as far as I am concerned…

Well I would bypass her, go to the agent or manager of the office and tell them that! (Possibly slightly more politely than you have put it here) but be firm that this is all taking too long for no known reason, that you need to know what queries are outstanding and a reasonable timescale for their resolution, that their sales progressor is apparently too busy to deal with this and so you expect them to get back to you. I imagine as the queries are presumably to do with the vendors' onward purchase rather than with their sale to you, that the agent won't tell you exactly what they are but they must be able to give you an idea of their importance and a usual timescale for resolution.